Silver and Black Report

It appears that the Oakland Raiders have not tendered quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.

That should not be such a surprise considering that the fiery passer is fragile and when he was injured, Jason Campbell played his best football, with no looming controversy.

Gradkowski hypes up an offense, players love to be in the same huddle with the career back up, but facts are, he probably feels he deserves a shot to start in Oakland, even though the team won the majority of their games with Campbell.

There is no denying his effort on and off the field. But that same tenacity plays with has been his downfall. Gradkowski plays recklessly, and that fires up a team and crowd. But with that reckless style comes injuries that far too often sideline the fragile passer.

Plus, it doesn’t help that the owner doesn’t see him as a long-term solution and possibly, a player who is living off his memorable comeback victory in Pittsburgh, two seasons ago.

“I also realized that as good as Gradkowski is for a single game, we can’t hold up the injury factor from happening,” Al Davis stated in January. “He incurs injuries, and that worries the hell out of me.”

Not that Campbell needs any more assurances, but Gradkowski being out of the picture could help the former Redskin take a grasp of the locker room, the offense and lead them, undoubtedly.

Davis was the one who brought in Campbell. It was Davis that compared him to Jim Plunkett and it was Davis that extended him an extra year last April.

Hue Jackson stated at the combine: “I am looking forward to Jason leading our offensive football team to winning this AFC West championship and the playoffs. Jason Campbell came in last year and, in my opinion, did a tremendous job.”

So both owner and coach want to go full steam ahead with Campbell. The next move in making him feel this is his team was letting Gradkowski walk away.

Could Gradkowski return, with the staff clearly stating his role as a back up and him accepting it? Possibly.

But the likely scenario could be drafting a passer in April, and then letting Charlie Frye and Kyle Boller compete for the back up job.

Oakland could also get a veteran passer with clear intentions to place him behind Campbell and go with Frye, Boller a draftee at the back-end of the depth chart.

Frye is a favorite of the staff, a coach in the making and was the ultimate soldier after being placed on injured reserve.

SATELE TENDERIZED

Samson Satele was reportedly tendered prior to Thursday’s deadline.

The speculation is that he was given a second-round tender.

The center played well as the season wound down. Oakland could not risk losing many of their linemen and then starting anew in 2011 with a bunch of youngsters all over the front.

Satele could bring back some cohesion and stability to a unit that will likely feature Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell at a guard spot, with Robert Gallery looking to sign elsewhere.

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Tonight the Oakland Raiders will participate in pre-season game number two against the Chicago Bears. Before that, SBREPORT.net gives you more exclusive looks into the Silver & Black’s training camp through the lenses of our photographers.

Bruce Gradkowski has been sidelined the whole summer and won’t see any action tonight against the Bears. Head coach Tom Cable relies on the journeyman passer after a 2009 in which he endeared himself to fans with feisty performances. But Hue Jackson has seen very little of Gradkowski within his offense and you have to wonder that if the remaining passers in camp can show any signs of life, that could give Oakland an easy decision to part ways with him and save $1.4 million. “Mentally, he’s probably up to speed,” Cable said early August. “He has good command. He’s able to get us where we want to go at the line of scrimmage. But I think he’d probably be the first to tell you he’s a little bit rusty in terms of timing and accuracy right now.”

Colt Brennan is one of those passers brought in to complete along the depth chart. “He’s a gunslinger,” his teammate in Hawaii, Samson Satele said. “He’s got to learn how to go underneath the center. He’s still learning.”

Charlie Frye won’t be doing too much huddling after wrist surgery sidelined him for the entire 2010 season.

Johnnie Lee Higgins was all smiles earlier in camp, but with Yamon Figurs’ solid outing against the Dallas Cowboys last week, Oakland could have a new look on special teams and in the back end of the wide receiver unit. Figurs hauled in 3 catches for 34-yards last week. Higgins posted 3 receptions himself for 38-yards. But Higgins’ inconsistencies could be his downfall if Oakland decides to go with the more seasoned veteran.

It’s been all smiles in Raiders camp when talking about rookie Rolando McClain. “He’s very well-schooled,” Cable said. “When he came here, he’s got an understanding of the game that is unique. But the most impressive thing has been — since we drafted him, through minicamp and OTA — his retention, his ability from day one to get us lined up and adjusted. He has a great feel for that. He just naturally has control.”

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders (1-0) will take on the Chicago Bears (0-1) in historic Soldier Field on Saturday. Both clubs last met in the pre-season in 1991, when the Silver & Black defeated the visiting Bears 13-10. Chicago lost 25-10 against the San Diego Chargers in their pre-season opener. Optimizing is high for both clubs in the summer, as Oakland is trying to snap out of their doldrums since the end of the 2002 season and the Bears are looking to head into the playoffs after a three-year post-season drought.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

On Offense:

Charlie Frye, who was the incumbent as the third quarterback in the depth chart had season-ending surgery on his right wrist. Now, the door opens for Colt Brennan and Kyle Boller. Bruce Gradkowski is still not ready for action, so head coach Tom Cable stated that after Jason Campbell reaches his quota of snaps, Boller would come in and Brennan will have mop up duty.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Boller said. “Each day, each week, I feel more and more comfortable, getting to know the guys, getting to know the offense. It’s gone really well.”

Darren McFadden will not play on Saturday. “He is much, much improved,” Cable said, “and he is pretty close to being ready to go but, again, I am probably going to lean toward being more protective now.”

The Raiders inked tight end Eric Butler to take Frye’s spot on the roster.

On Defense:

Against the Cowboys, a couple of the young Raider linemen displayed their pass rushing ability. But what John Marshall wants is continued improvements in run discipline. Matt Shaughnessy and Lamarr Houston will be a integral part of the defense. But their growth as complete ends as the season approaches is vital.

“They had a really good start,” Richard Seymour said. “We definitely need them to carry that over into the season. Anytime you can start fast, as a young guy it definitely builds your confidence.”

As for the former Patriot, expect him to be cemented in the interior in 2010. “I’m still moving around but I’ve played primarily inside this camp,” he said. “We still have some packages where I move outside. So, we do a lot of different things defensively. It’s still training camp. We’re still in that mode.”

CHICAGO BEARS

On Offense:

This season, all eyes are on Jay Cutler and how he works with Mike Martz. But not just how he handles the Xs and Os, but how he grows into being a leader for the Bears.

“You could see he was a leader last year, but he wasn’t asserting himself as much as he is now. Right now, there’s no question, just in terms of speaking up and taking control of the offense. Before, he was just running the offense. Now, it’s his huddle, it’s his offense. All eyes are on him. And everybody knows who to look to,” said veteran tight end Desmond Clark.

Cutler is itching to play more this week after the cameo versus the Chargers, but any outcomes seen on the field in the summer won’t sway the strong-armed passer either way.

“We’re doing certain things. We’re mixing some stuff in there,” Cutler stated. “But, like I said before, preseason games don’t count. Once we get in that first week, the record is clean again and that really starts to count and the bullets are for real.”

On Defense:

”I think this will be a big rebound for our team,” Brian Urlacher says. ”We’re talented, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t win a bunch of games.”

The Bears ranked 17^th last season on defense, without the services of their leader (Urlacher) and without the presence of prized free agent and five-time pro-bowler Julius Peppers.

And how important is Urlacher? “He is the defense,” three-time Pro Bowl tackle Tommie Harris commented. ”He’s the heart and soul of the defense.”

With Rod Marinelli serving as defensive coordinator, the Bears can boast having some of the best minds aiding head coach Lovie Smith.

GAME NOTES

• The Raiders are not anticipating Chaz Schilens or Darrius Heyward-Bey to be available for the contest. Tony Stewart (ankle), Sam Williams (concussion), Chris Johnson (hamstring) and Paul Hubbard (hamstring) have already been ruled out.
• Bears QB Matt Gutierrez, signed on Wednesday after back up Caleb Hanie was injured, could be on the field on Saturday.
• Like the Raiders, the Bears WR unit has been in question all summer. They have a tight end that is productive (Greg Olsen) like Zach Miller, but more pop will be needed to fulfill Martz’s vision of his offense with Cutler. “I think that our receiver corps will be the strength of this team. You can put that in granite. There’s not very many things I would say are un-retractable, but that one is pretty strong,” Martz said in May.

GAME INFO

When: Saturday, August 21 – 8:30 pm ET

Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Rock Cartwright taking a handoff from Jason Campbell

Oakland Raiders rookie middle linebacker missed practice yesterday to attend a personal family matter. Head coach Tom Cable stated, “He has a personal issue that he has been excused to handle. He’ll be back quick.’’

As for his performance versus the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday: “I think he did fine,’’ Cable said. “He ran the defense like you want him to. He ran to the ball, was in on a number of plays, so I think you could say it was a success, first time out.’’

It appears that Charlie Frye’s recovery has been slower than expected. The quarterback will see a specialist this week to get further news on his ailing right hand. While he’s out, Kyle Boller could snatch that third spot in the depth chart. Boller had mop up duty after Jason Campbell versus the Cowboys, and even though Cable enjoys having the coach-like Frye on the roster, if he can’t shake off his injured hand, Oakland has to go with the more healthy alternative.

Oakland will be very cautious with Darren McFadden the rest of the summer. They want the versatile talent to be a focus in Hue Jackson’s offense with his pass catching and ball carrying skills. Michael Bush will get the bulk of the load, but McFadden provides a vital threat in different formations that opponents have to key on. Cable said, “there’s no injury or anything. We just don’t want to mess with it.’’ In the mean time, Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright will be able to get reps that will be important in deciding what the rushing unit will look like as they approach week-one. “It’s a good battle,” Cable said. “They’re going neck-and-neck. They both have a little different style. Rock’s maybe a little more physical and Michael may be a little quicker.”

“Walter McFadden is definitely not anything serious at all,” Cable stated on Friday. “In fact, he may be ready to go to work (Saturday).” The rookie DB suffered a minor shoulder injury last week against the Cowboys.

The Silver & Black will practice today at 3:30, with two sessions slated for Monday: 8:30 am and 4:20 pm.

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

CHARLIE FRYE

• QUARTERBACK
• No: 3
• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 220
• Birth date: 08/28/1981
• College: Akron
• Acquired: Signed as a free agent on June 8, 2009

The Cleveland Browns selected Charlie Frye with the 67^th overall choice in the 2005 NFL draft. That season, he made his debut in week-13 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars and set a club rookie record with a 136.7 passer rating. A few weeks later, he led Cleveland to a 9-7 win against the Oakland Raiders. His final stats: 21-of-32 for 198 yards 0 touchdowns and 1 interception.

In 2006, he played in 12-games tallying 2,454 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Against the Raiders that season, Frye completed 22-of-32 passes for 192 yards with 3 scores and 2 interceptions, in a 24-21 road victory for the Browns.

Frye went from starter to being traded in a matter of two days early in 2007. He was benched before halftime during the Cleveland Browns opener that season and the following Tuesday, they moved him to Seattle for a sixth round draft choice.

In December of 2009, the Silver & Black went with Frye in favor of JaMarcus Russell after Bruce Gradkowski was lost for the season. But against the Broncos, Frye was hurt and he was limited due to the trauma, even limping around during his performance against the Baltimore Ravens in the season finale before bowing out in that contest.

Raiders 2nd round pick, Lamarr Houston in action

SBReport.net photographer DeMarcus Davis was in camp at Alameda on Sunday taking shots of the Oakland Raiders as they wrapped up their three-day work weekend. Here are some observations he made of the Silver & Black in action:

• Jason Campbell was nearly picked off by safety Michael Huff. The former Redskins’ passer bounced back with out route on the money to Todd Watkins.
• Darrius Heyward-Bey continued with his solid start, trying to use his hands to catch tosses his way and not allowing the ball to tie him up, as he did last season letting the ball get into his body. Tom Cable has boasted about his growth, which has been substantial, but still not where it needs to be to justify his high first round draft status.
• JaMarcus Russell at one point made three-straight errant passes.
• RB Michael Bush “juked” the linebackers out of their cleats on a run after a catch. The offense barked afterwards.
• Rookie Travis Goethel saw action at middle linebacker.

WRAP-UP – Other notes from minicamp…

Lamarr Houston has attitude that will only inject energy into a defensive line that needs to play more aggressive. This weekend was a solid start to his career.

Russell wasn’t the only erratic passer on the field. Charlie Frye was also missing his targets, especially on deeper routes.

Rookie Walter McFadden showed he has potential to contribute right away on some plays. He needs more seasoning, but the athletic cornerback surely has a nose for the football.

Chaz Schilens and Louis Murphy missed action – Oakland’s best two wide receivers still.

Organized Team Activities (OTAs) will begin on May 18.

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Slowly but surely, a handful of Oakland Raiders are trickling into Alameda, as the full team mini-camp is set to begin on Friday.

Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler are some veterans already on the premises.

Per an interview this week with defensive end Jay Richardson, “We got mini-camp this weekend, we finally get to have the whole team together. This whole new team we have here. Have good practices: we have two on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday and kind of see where we are at. Get everyone up to speed and then the next few weeks, we’ll be polishing that up, working out and building some sort of chemistry and get guys going. It should be fun.”

Here are some things to look out for as the team comes together in their first action after the draft:

Rookies, rookies and more rookies…

How will Rolando McClain, Lamarr Houston and the rest of the new grouping of Raiders react to life in the NFL? This is their first taste of lining up against professionals. More importantly, its their teammates first glance at players that are needed to make an impact immediately and help them turn around a seven year losing stretch. The defensive heavy draft features players in vital spots.

Signal caller action…

Obviously, the news will surround JaMarcus Russell and what will happen in his future. But Oakland has a crew of passers, including newly acquired Jason Campbell. Bruce Gradkowski’s injury will keep him out of action for a few more weeks, so Charlie Frye and Kyle Boller will be at the helm during certain drills.

How far along are the wide receivers…?

Louis Murphy had a respectable rookie campaign; Darrius Heyward-Bey did not. Both need to show major growth in 2010, as well as Chaz Schilens, who needs to demonstrate an ability to stay healthy and produce over the course of 16-games.

Who’s lining up where along the offensive line?

All eyes will be on Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell, but where will the veterans line up and who will be in the mix for what spots at the end of the weekend? Especially at right guard, center and right tackle.

Will the defensive ends please step up…

Oakland will have to start finding out what players fit best along the trenches and which ones are deserving of major reps. That won’t be decided after one weekend in May, but first impressions can go a long way.

SBREPORT.NET will be in attendance covering the three-day minicamp. Stay tuned for updates and observations from Alameda.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Follow me on Twitter, click here.

Archived Image: Marc Bulger getting sacked in 2006

It’s obvious that the Oakland Raiders are ready to go into 2010 season with Bruce Gradkowski on their quarterback corps after he received a second-round tender this week.

He could potentially earn $1.759 million under the one-year tender.

And the Raiders believe that he can compete with JaMarcus Russell next season for the starting job.

But lets state the facts; neither has proven anything in the NFL. Russell has been a bust so far and has no leadership skills. Gradkowski is fiery and elevated the spirit of his teammates, but he’s also limited and has done little to prove that he can be a successful starting caliber quarterback that can do it from week-to-week.

The other guy in the picture – Charlie Frye – was given his original round tender. But he’s definitely a third stringer at best and a player that is valued more for his mental acuity for the game than his actual on the field ability.

So why not bring in a veteran who may be ready to rejuvenate his career or retain a starting job? Why not bring in a quarterback who actually has a solid resume and has been a proven winner atop someone’s depth chart?

Yes, Jake Delhomme was just jettisoned by the Carolina Panthers. No, he’s not the guy I’m talking about. I am talking about a quarterback in the same conference that will probably be ousted very soon by his club.

Marc Bulger.

The St. Louis Rams just finalized a deal with A.J Feeley. They have some options at quarterback that intrigue them and taking a passer in the draft is not completely out of the question.

Parting ways with Bulger is expected due to the $8.5 million salary he’s slated to make in 2010 – money the 33-year old will not likely see as the Rams can easily escape from that this off-season.

Bulger’s career has been way more productive than any of the Raiders current crop of passers. He led the Rams to a 12-4 record in 2003 and into the 2^nd round of the playoffs. Bulger is a two time pro-bowler and the Rams thought so highly of him, they game him a six-year, $62.5 million extension in 2007.

A few lackluster seasons along with injuries have slowed him down. But this is the type of passer that Oakland needs to bring into the fold.

Going young and not having a passer with Bulger’s experience or ability to push the other quarterbacks fighting for the top spot may not be the right move.

And there is no denying that Bulger is still capable of flinging the football all over the field with success.

“I think Marc is extremely talented,” Kurt Warner said in February. “I think he brings a lot to the table. But the thing you always realize as a quarterback is that you’re never going to have great success if you don’t have great players around you. They’ve obviously been going through a rebuilding process. A lot of changes have taken place over the last few years. Although Marc can still play, he hasn’t had the opportunity to really do what he is capable of doing. That has been the frustrating part.”

Another former teammate, D’Marco Farr stated, “Now there’s a guy [Bulger] with all the talent in the world in my opinion. Has the same brain as Kurt Warner; they were trained under the same guy in Mike Martz.”

He continued, “It’s a sad deal because the guy can wing the football. I mean the guy can flat play,” praising his ability, but he also commented that his downfall may be his lack of charisma.

Regardless, Bulger has all the tools and more importantly, the experience in this league to get the job done – something that neither Russell nor Gradkowski have proven.

When Bulger is released – which is highly likely – that’s the type of player they need to really elevate the competition at quarterback going into the summer. He’s the type of talent that can push the others on the roster because of his body of work.

Bulger will come cheap and he would consider Oakland because his arrival could land him a job under center.

I’m sure he’s confident enough that he can beat out any of the players the Raiders line up to battle for the job. And that could be enough to entice him to come to the Bay Area.

And that’s the type of player that in the past Oakland has had success with at quarterback – passers looking to revive their career after being thrown overboard by former teams.

Reports in February stated that Bulger had cleaned out his locker.

If he’s truly a goner – and all indications are that the Rams are ready to go in a different direction…

The Raiders should target Bulger and give him a shot at their opening at quarterback.

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable talked at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this weekend. He shot down the notion that the Silver & Black draft based on attributes only – how Oakland focuses on speedy prospects – “How about the best player? Let’s talk that way,” Cable said. “… We need to get better in some areas, and so at this thing (the combine), find who you think the best players are, whether they jump the highest or run the fastest. That shouldn’t make a damn difference. He has to be able to play football good enough for us to become a championship team.”

Oakland has been scrutinized for years about their draft strategies and in 2009, the received criticism for selecting wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey 7^th overall – who ended his rookie campaign with 9 receptions, 124-yards and 1 score.

Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt were chosen in the first round after Heyward-Bey – all out-performed the Raiders rookie and showed to have more potential in their initial seasons.

Cable also hinted to an open competition at quarterback after the abysmal season JaMarcus Russell had and the way the team looked when other passers where inserted into the line-up.

“We’re getting ready to start offseason and get to OTAs and minicamp and let the (quarterback) job be competed for,” he said. “I think that’s where we’re at in terms of our starting quarterback.

“I don’t think you would discount (using a pick on) that or any other position.”

When Cable catapulted Bruce Gradkowski atop the depth chart, the team had their best offensive outputs and scored victories at home versus playoff bound Cincinnati and on the road against Pittsburgh.

Players stated that the attack was far more dynamic and that there was a jolt of confidence when Gradkowski was in there, as oppose to Russell.

Third stringer Charlie Frye even had his chances to show what he could do, as Cable elected to go with the journeyman instead of Russell prior to a game against the Broncos when Gradkowski went down with knee injuries.

Could Charlie Frye have a chance to start in Oakland?

“(JaMarcus and I) have talked a couple of times,” Cable stated this weekend. “I know he’s working. I’m anxious for the off-season program to get started where you get a chance to see him all the time.”

Cable also addressed the rumors regarding the team’s intentions with their roster.

“We get a ton of calls about a lot of players on our football team all the time,” he said. “In fact, before I came in here I was on the phone about something. To me, that stuff happens in the NFL and it’s going to happen and it’s going to happen all the time. People call you and you listen and see if anything interests you or doesn’t interest you. Sometimes it’s crazier than you think. … You really just take the call and listen.”

The following Oakland Raiders will become restricted free agents. These players have four or five credited seasons and in an uncapped 2010 season, will be restricted. Info provided by NFLLabor.com.

• Kirk Morrison, LB
• Thomas Howard, LB
• Ricky Brown, LB
• Jon Alston, LB
• Charlie Frye, QB
• Khalif Barnes, OL
• Stanford Routt, CB
• JP Losman, QB

Analysis

Morrison and Howard have faults and neither is a lock to come back. Howard’s speed and play in coverage brings more to the table to the Raiders’ defense. Brown challenged Morrison early last summer for his spot, but injuries have kept him off the field far too often. Alston’s concussions this past season were far too serious to predict whether or not he’ll be able to play effectively next season. Frye is a perfect back up; works hard and is smart enough to understand his role. Barnes is not very good and Oakland needs to upgrade their offensive line, Losman came in late and won’t look to stick around and Routt has enough ability, which will keep him around as a Raider for another season.