With the 2008 NFL season getting ready for its debut, the Oakland Raiders are set to start training camp on the 24th of July.
As we all know, training camp is the hardest part of the season, because its the most gruelling, time consuming, and intricate part of being a professional football player. It is also the make it or break it for many players, so it is imparitive for them to shine.
The Oakland Raiders lead by second year coach Lane Kiffin are set to run much of the same format they used in last years training camp. They will do a session in the morning and then have their afternoon off, and come back for a session at night. The day will end before around 11:00pm.
What this allows, is the players to have classroom sessions set apart from drills and workouts. It allows the players time to focus on the task at hand, and not worry so much about the next step. It also takes away the afternoon heat factor, which can play havock on an athletes body.
This system was very well recieved by the players last year, and it goes a long way in helping lesson the chance of injury, due to the greater level of rest and time. It also gives the coaching staff some added options for getting the guys to work extra hard in the morning, to get the evening off, if expectations were met.
This is not the same as two a days, because it is not a double session back to back, rather it’s work, play, work, rest.
For this years off season the Raiders have some issues to deal with, and some positions to set.
What we do know about the starting lineup (Barring injury):
Offense: QB: Jamarcus Russell, TE: Zach Miller, FB: Justin Griffith, G: Robert Gallery, K: Sebastian Janikowski, P: Shane Lechler.
Defense: DE: Derrick Burgess, DT: Tommy Kelly, ILB: Kirk Morrison, OLB: Thomas Howard, CB: DeAngelo Hall, Nnamdi Asomugha, SS: Gibril Wilson, FS: Michael Huff.
What we don’t know:
Offense:
WR: Javon Walker (injury), Ronald Curry (surgery), Drew Carter, Johnnie Lee Higgins, etc… If all goes as planned, the top two recievers will be Walker and Curry.
RB: Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, Michael Bush, Adimchinobe Echemandu. This position is more up for grabs then any other, because the top three are all highly likely to win the position over. I would guess that Fargas will enter training camp as the number one guy, and that should carry through to the season. However, going with a two or even three back system, is not very unlikely for Kiffins team.
T: Mario Henderson, Kwame Harris. Cornell Green. Henderson is in his second year and could make a push for that starting spot, however Harris was brought in to take that left side position. Then you have Green who started last year, but has the least upside of the three.
G: Paul McQuistan, Cooper Carlisle. The left side will be Gallery’s, but on the right side it could be either one of the two mentioned. Carlisle started the year last year, but after injury, McQuistan took over. Both played well, and it will be interesting to see who gets the nod.
C: Jake Grove, John Wade, Chris Morris. Do you give it to the proven veteran (Wade), the oft injured (Grove), or the young prospect (Morris). Last year they went with the proven veteran (Newberry).
Defense:
DE: Jay Richardson, Kalimba Edwards. Who will play opposite Derrick Burgess? There could be about three other guys in this mix as well.
DT: Gerard Warren, William Joseph, Terdell Sands. It has been stated that Tommy Kelly will be the nose tackle, but as for his counterpart, the choice is wide open.
OLB: Sam Williams, Robert Thomas, Grant Irons. Thomas Howard will be one of the starters, and my guess is that if Williams is fully healed, he will get the other. My question is, why would they bring back Irons, if it looks like Williams has recovered fully? Tough one!
Some of the guys that I have stated as being the starters could obvously loose that spot, but again, If there are no injuries and no blowups, they should get the nod.
Let me know what you think Raider fans, and football lovers, and let the games begin!
Tremblay
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Last post (s) by Lee Tremblay
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8 Responses to “Training Camp Approaches!”
Posted: 07/11/08 at 12:26 pm
Should be a interesting season by the bay !
Posted: 07/11/08 at 7:14 pm
Nice breakdown Lee! What do you expect out of Russell this year?
Posted: 07/12/08 at 6:41 am
Yes it should. There is a lot of questionmarks about our young guys, and whether or not they will step up to the challange. I truly believe that this team could go either way. Some teams you can only really expect so much, but in Oakland, I would say that anything is possible.
Posted: 07/12/08 at 6:58 am
Thanks Tim.
Good question.
I would have to say that my expectations for Russell this year are not extremely high. By this I mean, he will not be handed the reins and let go full steam ahead. He will be asked to do only so much, and the offense will rely on the running game far more then the passing.
I see a lot of short outs, and screen plays, and I would guess that McFadden will be used a lot for the dump passes.
I am a true believer in getting a quarterback and giving him time to be the backup for a couple years. Letting him watch and learn the game first, and then get his chance later. Much like what Green Bay was able to do with Rodgers.
However, in Oakland, we do not have the choice of doing that, because we do not have the veteran QB to hold the fort.
If Russell was taken by the Raiders in the draft two years before Rich Gannon retired, then we would have been set.
But then maybe Gannon would have retired and then asked to come back and then ask to be released……..oh wait, thats another guy!
But back to the point, I think that Russel will have his rookie mistakes, and his moments of greatness this year, and if he can simply not mess up more then he does well, he will be fine.
He needs to know that this year the team is not on his shoulders, but rather, he is on theirs. (for now)
I believe that he will do fine. Not great, not poor, just fine. Which will be the idea.
Posted: 07/12/08 at 2:46 pm
I think that is very fair. How is the O-Line there? Do you think the running game can carry the offense enough to give Russell the time he needs to develop?
I read your breakdown of running backs, but do you think that McFadden could be this year’s Adrian Peterson (not to that level of course) and have a good rookie year?
Posted: 07/13/08 at 3:14 pm
In response to your questions Tim, I believe that the Raiders O-line will be fine. I believe that Gallery and some of the others including Harris, were slated to be stars, and due to the multiple coaching changes in Oakland (and San Fan for Harris), they were not able to get that consistancy they needed. Now they have that with a returning coaching staff, and I believe that they will start to earn their hype.
The o-line was pretty good last year as well, and I really do believe they will be even better this year.
McFadden has all of the ability, and coachability to be this years Adrian Peterson, and he very well could be. But don’t count out Fargas, or Bush yet, because their potential is right up there as well.
I would guess McFadden will have a 1000 yard season, but 1800 would be a stretch.
I also believe that Fargas will get 1000 also.
Posted: 07/14/08 at 8:05 am
Thanks Lee! I’m interested to see Bush. I heard a lot of big things about him last year too.
Posted: 07/14/08 at 1:48 pm
Me too