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July 3, 2008

Three weeks and counting

The first practice of 2008 training camp is three weeks away.

Players will report on July 23 with the first practice being in the afternoon of July 24. The team was initially due to report on July 25.

I was planning to answer some reader questions but almost all of them centered on Javon Walker.

One question is can the Raiders recoup money or void the contract of Walker if he weren't able to play this season.

First, the team says Walker will be able to play. But if he couldn't, the most recent case to look at would be that of former San Diego linebacker Steve Foley.

Foley was shot by an off-duty police officer in 2006 prior to the Chargers' season-opener against the Raiders. He was placed on the non-football injured reserve list and was not paid his base salary and he was later released.

Foley hasn't played football since, but recently reached a settlement in a civil suit.

*Many are wondering about the Raiders' options at receiver if Walker is slow to return to the field.

The team could pursue Koren Robinson who definitely fits the teams profile: talented player that has had trouble but could be an impact player. But with Ronald Curry looking healthy, Drew Carter having a good rapport with JaMarcus Russell and several young receivers, Robinson might not be needed immediately.

But Lane Kiffin loves competition. Adding Robinson would definitely make the competition for roster spots intense.

*I'm often asked are the Raiders really going to use Kwame Harris at left tackle. The answer is yes. It will be up to offensive line coach Tom Cable to tap into Harris' talent.

Harris showed good athleticism at Stanford. If that can be molded into solid play, Cable will be the coaching staff MVP for a second year in a row.

*Nnamdi Asomugha has until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal with the Raiders. If not, he can only play for the franchise tender of $9.765 million for the 2008 season once he signs it.

From what I've heard most of the offseason, don't expect a deal to get done. But who knows?

*Starting next week, I'll check in with position previews, probably focusing on one or two players at each spot. Until then, enjoy the holiday weekend.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Javon Walker, Kwame Harris, Nnamdi Asomugha

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June 30, 2008

Taking their shots at Davis

Recent press hasn't been kind to Raiders owner Al Davis.

He sounds like a bully that can't make up his mind.

There was the Yahoo Sports report that he's second-guessing all the money spent in free agency.

Then retired defensive tackle Warren Sapp chimed in from Florida in the St. Petersburg Times on his time in Oakland, which didn't put Davis in a positive light.

Here's what Sapp said:

"As dark as a black hole. Stuff went on in that organization that shouldn't go on in sports. I don't think there's one person who knows who or what is making the call. Let's just say the Oakland experience is unique. The phone rings quite a bit on that sideline. Insubordination is grounds for termination in any company."

You can guess who's making those calls. If you're clueless, here's former Raider employee Mike Lombardi writing for SI.com:

"Having worked in that "black hole" for eight years, I know exactly what Warren is talking about. And those calls to the sideline are from one man and one man only. At times I have been the reluctant messenger on a few of them myself. They are never pleasant."

There are plenty of folks that would tell you Davis is very involved with the gameplan.

As I was once told, there's a reason why the Raiders rarely blitz on defense.

Best case: Davis' calls provide insight that help. But with all that goes on during a game, no coach wants to worry about taking a message from the owner during a game

The practice only reminds players their coach really has no say. And there are players that view Raiders coaches as puppets.

"Al Davis will never hire a coach with (guts)," a player told me at the end of the season.

Even with criticism, it's hard to believe Davis doubts himself. Davis will fire someone he believes is to blame for poor performance, before he doubts his football acumen.

Note the dismissal of Lombardi and the head coaching changes. After all, Davis did say Art Shell made him draft Michael Huff.

But Davis doubt himself before the team has played a game? That's a tough one to believe.

If that's true, there would definitely be reason to ask if Davis OK.

****
The recent arrest news about Denver receiver Brandon Marshall could help the Raiders a lot.

Marshall was arrested in March and arrested twice last year. If he's suspended for repeated issues with the police, the Broncos would be in Oakland for the season opener without their top receiver.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Al Davis, Mike Lombardi, Warren Sapp

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June 27, 2008

The talent pool

The Raiders spent a lot of money this offseason, but exactly how talented is the team?

Pete Brisco of CBSsports.com ranked the Top-50 players in the NFL this wee

There were more former Raiders (Randy Moss was No. 4.and Charles Woodson at No. 18) than current Raiders.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was 29th, checking in as the only Raider to make the list.

These lists, of course, mean little in the big scheme of things. It's something for us media types to do in the offseason.

So for those that claim the Raiders have an abundance of talent, here's one more person that disagrees.

Go ahead, add Brisco to the Raider-hater list.

Since there's nothing else going on this time of the year (except chasing Javon Walker updates) I figured I'd rank the 10-best Raiders regardless of position.

My Cal allegiances aside, Asomugha is easily No. 1

No. 2 This is tough, but I go with Shane Lechler for his body of work and that he was in the Raiders' lone Pro Bowl selection.

No. 3 Defensive end Derrick Burgess is a no-brainer here.

No. 4 Cornerback DeAngelo Hall is a two-time Pro Bowl player. But he'll get picked on with teams staying away from Asomugha.

No. 5: Linebacker Kirk Morrison's experience gives him slight at edge over the player....

No. 6: Linebacker Thomas Howard.

No. 7: I'll slot Gibril Wilson here. He should be since he's now the NFL's third highest-paid safety.

No. 8: Running back Justin Fargas is the emotional leader of the offense.

No. 9: Tight end Zach Miller could go higher. And I'll be shocked if he doesn't play in the Pro Bowl in a couple of years.

No. 10: Now this is tough...who gets this spot? I'll go with defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, based on the flashes he's shown and that he was having his best season before his knee injury last year.

What does this list mean? Nothing at all. But it does mean the Raiders have too much talent on defense to be bad in 2008.

JaMarcus Russell (lack of experience) and Darren McFadden (no experience) didn't make the list, but if I decide to do this next year, they should be up there.

And I couldn't justify putting any of the offensive linemen in the top-10. The receivers are still question marks, too.

But if I compiled this list tomorrow, I might feel differently.

****
In more Raider-hater news, the judge in the Walker case admitted to being a Chargers fan.

It the trial is somehow pushed back to where Walker has to appear in court Thursday, Dec. 4 (When the Raiders play at San Diego) you know why.

****
I haven't talked to Al Davis, but I'd guess he agree with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's stance against rising rookie salaries.

The Raiders have committed more than $60 million in guaranteed money to first-round picks in the last two drafts.

The issue of being able to recoup money is a lot different when you're talking about $5 million, not $30 million.

The problem is where would a cap on the amount rookies are guaranteed start? In the next couple of years, the amount guaranteed to the first overall pick could be almost $40 million.

The NFLPA isn't going to agree to a very low number, even though many veteran aren't happy seeing unproven players make more than some of them will in their entire careers.

If history has shown something about the NFL and labor issues, Davis will have a big part in getting this resolved.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Al Davis, Javon Walker, Nnamdi Asomugha

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June 26, 2008

More on Walker's injuries

Here's a copy of the arrest report courtesy of Fox 5 in Las Vegas as it relates to Javon Walker and suspect Arfat Fadel.

Walker suffered a fractured jaw along with a concussion and fractured orbital bone after "being lured" into a car with two men, having something placed around his neck and being robbed and beaten, according to the report.

The report also indicates Walker was an easy target because he was drunk. Walker recalled being in the car, but didn't remember anything else.

There's nothing to support the story on thedirty.com that Walker was forced into a car or beaten in his hotel room.

The Raiders only said Walker would be ready for training camp last week. Players report for camp on July 25.

It can't be easy for any victim of violent crime to return to work. Walker would be returning to the NFL (not exactly a low-profile job).

Not to mention he'll be hit.

But with such injuries to his face, one has to wonder how wise it would be to expose Walker to contact in a month.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Javon Walker

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June 25, 2008

Friends worried about Walker away from the field

If you haven't already, give Bill Williamson's story about Javon Walker a read. Williamson covered the Broncos before joining ESPN and has some insight into Walker that local beat writers have yet to gain in limited offseason access.

The article indicates the Raiders not only signed a wide receiver that has a big heart, but also someone that is struggling to deal with the murder of teammate Darrent Williams, Jan. 1, 2007.

Most of us can only imagine what it's like to have a friend die in our arms after being shot, and I won't play psychiatrist and pretend to know what Walker's thinking.

But the Raiders should be concerned. Being robbed, beaten and left on the street has to be a traumatic experience. Coupled with Williams' death, there's no way of knowing where Walker's mind will be next month during training camp.

He'll be asked about both incidents. If Walker chooses to discuss them, he'll have to rehash things he'd like to forget.

I couldn't imagine discussing the loss of a friend and then going to work as if I didn't talk about that loss.

Who cares whether the opposing secondary is in man or zone coverage with those kind of emotions?

It's cliché for teams to say they're worried about the person first, not the football player. Those better not be hollow words from the Raiders or they might not have much of a football player this fall.

***
The Raiders signed rookie free agent QB Sam Keller and released rookie QB Erik Meyer today.

Keller took part in the Raiders' rookie camp in May.

Keller is a Bay Area native that began his college career at Arizona State before finishing up at Nebraska under former Raiders coach Bill Callahan.

Keller joins Jeff Otis as a "camp arm" and if he's impressive, could earn a spot on the practice squad.

Earning a roster spot would mean the Raiders would have ditched Andrew Walter or Marques Tuiasosopo, which doesn't look likely to happen.

Tuiasosopo is probably a better fit in Lane Kiffin's offense than Walter. But all the chatter last season was Al Davis still believes Walter can be a good quarterback.

And Davis is a firm believer in having two good quarterbacks.

Walter wouldn't mind a chance to be traded to a team that would give him a chance to start. But at this time of year, those opportunities aren't out there.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Andrew Walter, JaMarcus Russell, Marques Tuiasosopo, Sam Keller

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June 24, 2008

A Walker suspect in custody

The Associated Press is reporting there has been an arrest made in the Javon Walker robbery case.

Arfat Fadel, 30, is suspected of robbing and kidnapping Walker and faces multiple felony charges. A second suspect is still at large, according to the report.

Fadel was arrested Friday. It's now being reported Walker got into a car with two men before being robbed and beaten early June 16.

Walker's injuries aren't expected to cause him to miss time in training camp next month.

--Jason Jones

Tags: Javon Walker

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