Raiders camp report (730): Putting on the pads

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July 30, 2011GUTIERREZ ARCHIVE
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Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia.comSaturday, July 30Practice No. 3

Summary: Saturday marked the first padded practice, meaning they were allowed to hit. Not with aplomb, mind you, but just enough to get a feel for what is the most violent game in the country. There was a certain electricity in the air -- was that the Oklahoma drill? Why yes, yes it was -- when practice began. But it began to wane as the two-plus hour practice went on. The defense seems to be ahead of the offense but that is no surprise given each unit's job description. Neither is word of the first on-field camp fight, which was essentially a draw between linebacker Travis Goethel and guard Roy Schuening. Injury report: Rookie cornerback Chimdi Chekwa seemed to dislocate his left shoulder in an early practice hit-and-wrap scrimmage. "My shoulder popped out," he said to a trainer. "He just had a little nick," offered coach Hue Jackson. Meanwhile, rookie running back Taiwan Jones' baptism by fire continued as he was plowed over by middle linebacker Rolando McClain and later left practice with what Jackson described as either a hamstring or groin issue. Plus, receiver Jacoby Ford exited the locker room with his entire left arm bandagedwrapped, from his hand to his biceps. Meanwhile, defensive end Trevor Scott (knee), offensive lineman Bruce Campbell (knee) and receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (undisclosed) continued to work out on their own.Eye on reps: The first look at the offensive line in a live contact situation had Jared Veldheer at left tackle, Daniel Loper at left guard, Stefen Wisniewski at center, Cooper Carlisle at right guard and Joseph Barksdale at right tackle. Also, Tyvon Branch continued to see time at free safety, while Mike Mitchell was at strong safety. Rookie DeMarcus Van Dyke had significant time at cornerback, though when he flubbed a sure interception of Jason Campbell at the goal line, DVD immediately dropped to the grass and made like Willie Mays Hayes by pumping out some pushups.Coaching moment: As the offensive coordinator last year, Hue Jackson had no issues issuing challenges to the defense. Now that he's head coach, it was his assistant coach, safeties, Kevin Ross running the smack talk at him during 11-on-11 drills. "What are you waiting on out here?" Ross said. "You sure you want that?" Jackson answered. And the gamesmanship began anew.Rookie report: Poor Alan Pelc. The undrafted rookie free agent offensive lineman from North Carolina first got steamrolled by linebacker Kamerion Wimbley. Later, Pelc got in a tussle with defensive tackle Tommy Kelly. Bad idea. Kelly went upside Pelc's helmet with at least three Deacon Jones- inspired head slaps. Call it a rookie learning moment.Notable: There's a reason quarterbacks wear red jerseys in practice. They mean, hands off. Which makes defensive line coach Mike Waufle screaming at defensive tackle Richard Seymour - "Nobody touches the quarterback! EVER!" - all the more understandable. Apparently, nobody is above being yelled at, either.Quotable: "I love that. That's the name of the game. If we're going to be a team that's building a bully, I can't all of a sudden walk out there on Sunday, Monday or Thursday and say we are. We've got to become one, and I think our guys understand it's a contact sport and we've got to line up every now and then and run into each other." - Coach Hue Jackson on hitting at practice.Next practice: Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

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