Camp Report (826): Raiders break camp

Aug. 26, 2011GUTIERREZ ARCHIVE
RAIDERS PAGERAIDERS VIDEOFollow @PGutierrezCSN
Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia.comPractice No. 22Summary: For their final practice of training camp in Napa, the Raiders went long and hard and fully-padded, though they did not tackle to the ground. After taking Thursday off, and before a walk-through Saturday at their Alameda compound, the Raiders spent most of the final full practice in front of the media working on special teams and red-zone offense. Plus, there were a couple of new faces in camp in quarterback Terrelle Pryor and cornerback Lito Sheppard. There were some light-hearted moments, as when receiver Chad Jackson was flagged for lining up offsides and Jackson pleaded his case to the rent-a-ref, going so far as to spike his mouthpiece. And when placekicker Sebastian Janikowski nearly took out the Raiders' camera atop the hydraulic lift behind the south goal posts on a 39-yard field goal. But especially when assistant coach, safeties, Kevin Ross berated Jeremy Ware after he dropped an interception in position drills, saying, "JuJu, you spiked it. This ain't volleyball." For a Raiders camp, it was particularly, well, staid. "That's the way it should be," said rookie head coach Hue Jackson. "I don't want drama. It's hard to become a good football team when there's a bunch of drama surrounding your team. We head into this season on a clean slate when it starts."
RELATED: Sheppard hopes to shepherd young Raiders CBs
Injury report: Defensive tackle Richard Seymour started practice but did not feel comfortable and took the rest of the afternoon off. As such, 16 players sat out practice with various "nicks," including receivers Louis Murphy (hamstringgroin), Chaz Schilens (sprained right knee) and Shawn Bayes, tight end Kevin Boss (left knee sprain), fullback James McCluskey, offensive linemen Lou Eliades, Ben Lamaak and Roy Schuening (left hand), linebacker Travis Goethel (knee), defensive backs Hiram Eugene (dislocated left hip), Chris Johnson (oil change, yes, he said oil change), Mike Mitchell (left knee), Zac Etheridge (knee) and DeMarcus Van Dyke and defensive tackle John Henderson. Offensive play of the day: Is there a better way to end practice for the offense than with a touchdown? Rolling out to his right, Kyle Boller found Rock Cartwright underneath and dumped a pass to him underneath. Cartwright cruised into the end zone untouched and three horns signified the end of practice and thus, the end of camp in Napa.Defensive play of the day: Minutes before the touchdown, though, the defense got the best of the offense. Boller was rolling right and saw receiver Damola Adeniji flash open in the back of the end zone. Boller, though, did not see safety Jerome Boyd spying the play. Boyd jumped the pass and came up with the end zone interception.Returning to work: Middle linebacker Rolando McClain was back on the field after sitting out the previous two practices and enjoying the team's off day on Thursday. Same with rookie tight end David Ausberry. Cornerback Chris Johnson, meanwhile, was working on agility drills on the side.Eye on reps: In his first time under center in his first NFL camp, Terrelle Pryor took 16 snaps as the fourth-string quarterback. He completed four of nine passes, though many of his throws looked like wounded ducks, and fumbled two of his first six snaps from third-string center Alex Parsons, while handing off or pitching the ball on five running plays.Personnel report: Terrelle Pryor got in his first practice less than 24 hours after the third-round supplemental draft pick signed his contract. Also, the Raiders signed 10th-year cornerback Lito Sheppard to provide leadership and depth to the dinged-up and youthful secondary. The Raiders also released undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Jordan La Secla as well as waivedinjured undrafted rookie free agent guard Alan Pelc. The Raiders are at 89 players on their roster -- the max is 90 -- but have to be down to 80 by Tuesday at 1 p.m. PT, and at 53 by 1 p.m. PT on Sept. 3. Also, Ricky Hunley has appeared on the team's Web Site as the team's assistant linebacker coach.Quotable: "Coach won't let me wear No. 2. Why? I don't know. You tell me. He won't let me wear No. 2. I'm just going off what coach tells me." Quarterback Terrelle Pryor, on why he's wearing No. 6, rather than the number he wore in college. As an aside, the last Raiders QB to sport No. 2 was JaMarcus Russell.Next practice: Saturday, closed walk-through in Alameda.