Silver and Black Report

The Oakland Raiders released linebacker Edgerton Hartwell yesterday during the fading hours of training camp.

Hartwell, 30, was looking to grab a spot on a linebacker unit that has no clear-cut starters after standouts Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard. The former Baltimore Raven and Atlanta Falcon has played only 13-games the last two years due to injuries to both knees and Achilles tendon.

In 2002, Hartwell became one of the better linebackers in the league, taking over in the middle for the then injured Ray Lewis and becoming a force versus the run.

Hartwell averaged well over 100 tackles per season as a Raven, but when he became a free agent, Atlanta lured him with a six-year contract totaling $26.25 million, which included an $8 million signing bonus. Injuries beset his career there and an attempt to revive his career in Cincinnati in 2007 with his former coach in Baltimore Marvin Lewis failed after they released him prior to even playing a single game for the Bengals.

Early in camp, he looked apprehensive working in a new system and never appeared sharp trying to regain his form of a few years back.

PAKULAK PUNTING FRIDAY FOR INJURED LECHLER

Before camp ended, the Raiders also announced the signing of punter Glenn Pakulak, due to the recent injury sustained by starter Shane Lechler.

Although not serious enough to jeopardize his chances of opening the season, Lechler could be sidelined up to 10 days with an aggravated quad muscle.

Aaron Elling will continue to handle the kickoff, field goal and extra point duties as Sebastian Janikowski was also ruled out for Friday’s pre-season game against the Tennessee Titans.