Which returning receiver has the most to prove?

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ALAMEDA -- The returning Raiders receiver with the most to prove is also the one who has accomplished the most. At least, early in his career."Yeah, I have a big chip on my shoulder," Louis Murphy said last week. "Big chip on my shoulder. I have a lot to prove. I hear the outside talking and its just part of me, with my mentality, that I have a lot to prove. Even if I dont, I just feel like I do."RELATED: Louis Murphy career stats2011 game logs
Murphy, who outshone fellow 2009 draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey through their first season-and-a-half, has not been the same since Week 8 of the 2010 season. Many observers point to a brutal "friendly fire" collision with Marcel Reece that resulted in a bruised lung for the wideout as the flashpoint of Murphy's purported decline.Consider: before the hit, which occurred early in the third quarter of the Raiders' 59-14 romp at Denver on Oct. 24, 2010, and on a 19-yard reception by Reece down the right sideline from Jason Campbell, Murphy had been Oakland's most productive wideout. In 23 games before the injury, Murphy had caught 55 passes for 858 yards (15.6 yards per reception) and five touchdowns. Since the injury, Murphy has caught 35 balls for 513 yards (14.7 yards per catch) without a score in 18 games.No doubt, his productivity has fallen off. And with the Raiders drafting Juron Criner in April and Eddie McGee and Rod Streater nipping at his heels, Murphy has to be feeling additional pressure, right?He's looking at it as a fresh start. Especially after being hurt last year and never being 100 percent following sports hernia surgery in training camp and there being so many in-season growing pains with mid-season acquisition Carson Palmer at quarterback."Yeah man, it was rough," Murphy said. "Jason went down and Carson came in off the couch, really. We were trying to adapt to him and learn his tendencies, what he likes. It was difficult but now that we have a complete offseason, not having a lockout, going into this season is going to be much better."Ah man, it is going good. We have been working, working before, and just growing into the offense. Its fresh, its new and its going to take some time but I feel its going in the right direction."Murphy, whose reception totals have gone from 34 as a rookie to 41 in 2010 to 15 last year, has much to prove to a new regime in general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen."Its different, in a good way," Murphy said. "High energy. Coach Allen is really motivating us to be great, really pushing us to be disciplined on the field, between the lines."And the new offense?"I love it," he said. "There are a lot of things going on, a lot of different formations, a lot of ways you can get the ball. It suits us well, really gets the playmakers involved."Still, Murphy missed the first two weeks of OTAs this spring with a hamstring injury. Last week, though, he was a full go and figures to remain as such for this week's mandatory mini-camp."Its important, its important for me to go out there and help the team win," he said. "Whatever the coaches see best for me, thats where I am going to be at. Its a crucial year for me and I am just accepting it with open arms."Crucial, meaning what, exactly?"Just mentally as a player," Murphy said. "I just want to make sure I come out and make plays and get back to where I know I can be at. I havent played my best ball and I know that those years are ahead of me."

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