Silver and Black Report

Daniel Loper (#60) could be a key cog to the Raiders OL in 2011

According to several online sources, the Oakland Raiders have re-signed guard Daniel Loper and running back Michael Bennett.

Loper’s deal is reportedly for two-years, with with base salaries of $1.9 and $2 million for 2011 and 2012.

Bennett’s contract is for one-season with a base salary of $865,000 for 2011.

In 2009, Loper played in nine-games for the Detroit Lions after a three-year stay in Tennessee. When Robert Gallery was lost due to injury in 2010, Loper played well at guard and Oakland did not miss a beat.

With Gallery’s expensive contract demands, Oakland found a cheaper alternative without losing cohesion. One of his memorable contributions last season was versus the San Diego Chargers, when Loper recovered a Jason Campbell fumble and smartly rolled forward on the turf in order to pick up a first down. The alert play by the starting left guard was key, as it led to a 4^th and 1 in which Michael Bush converted.

“Right before the play, and a lot of third downs we communicate in the huddle, that’s third-and-4, third-and-5,’’ Loper commented after that game. “I saw he got hit and the ball got stripped out, we only needed a couple of yards, and no one was around, so just get as many as you can.’’

The Lions released Loper in April of 2010 after they acquired Rob Sims to play at his left guard position. Throughout 2009, Loper was in rotation with Manny Ramirez, from game-to-game and even swapped out of the line-up during contests.

Loper was designated a restricted free agent and had a tender of nearly $1.226 million, in Detroit, before signing in Oakland in May of 2010.

The once explosive Bennett barely recorded stats in 2010 and is insurance if Michael Bush departs or if they are any injuries as the season approaches. He has some value on special teams and fills up the depth chart for competition once training camp begins.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Tom Cable discusses the team’s injury status, starting QB status, and what his team must be mindful of when facing the Broncos this Sunday amongst other topics.

At this point, Michael Bush is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game versus the Tennessee Titans. As stated a few days earlier on SBReport, Chaz Schilens, Walter McFadden and Travis Goethel will sit the contest out.

Bush and defensive lineman Desmond Bryant will be re-evaluated on Sunday morning. I can’t imagine Bush playing if there is any hint of him not being able to secure the ball or be used as a threat out of the backfield. It would hinder the Raiders offense and give an advantage to the Titans defense, knowing they’ll have a limited and impaired player to defend.

Michael Bennett would be the better alternative, with his speed, shiftiness and pass catching ability.

The weather for the game appears California-like. Tennessee has elected to go with their road white jerseys, which will force the Raiders to go with their home black threads.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Wimbley in action for the Raiders

Linebackers Kamerion Wimbley and Slade Norris had starring roles in the Oakland Raiders 32-17 victory at Chicago. Wimbley, acquired from Cleveland during the off-season, tallied 4-sacks as a nickel pass rusher and Norris recovered a bobbled punt in the end zone for a score and then blocked a punt that lead to a safety.

Wimbley’s emergence is imperative, as the Raiders reshuffled their linebacker unit this unit in order to get more versatility and play making ability out of that grouping. So far, Rolando McClain has done everything the coaches have asked of him and Trevor Scott has continued his steady development. But if Wimbley plays at a level like he demonstrated last night, Oakland’s front seven will be a menace.

Matt Forte’s 89-yard run was an exhibition in great run blocking by the Chicago Bears. Oakland’s front seven was neutralized and once Forte got into the secondary, Michael Huff took a bad angle to the ball carrier and eventually was danced around the paydirt bound Bear.

Oakland’s offense showed some resiliency converting a 3^rd and 19, which led to the opening score. Michael Bush’s 24-yard screen was a pivotal play. Bush’s hands have always been raved about, but rarely used. And with the offense being more versatile in its playmaking, Oakland was able to pull that play off without worrying defenses pinching down around the line of scrimmage. Last year, no way they would have converted that third down.

Johnnie Lee Higgins may have bought himself more time on the roster. The WR/PR who has been challenged by Yamon Figurs had one catch for 18-yards. Not an impressive evening, but Figurs was non-existent against the Bears.

Michael Bennett continues to be the Raiders most productive offensive player this pre-season. He added 64-more yards rushing (including a 44-yard scamper) and 14-yards receiving to his stats.

“The last game I had a couple of jitters before the game started, the first time with a new team, but this time I was just out there playing football,” Jason Campbell said. The former Redskin sneaked in for a score but also had two turnovers.

Samson Satele left the game with an ankle sprain and coach Tom Cable would like to see more cohesiveness in the offensive line. Pre-snap penalties and missed blocks will be on his agenda to get this group in order for the all-important third pre-season contest.

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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.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders (1-0) defeated the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) 17-9 in their first pre-season action. Here are some highlights of the contest:

It was a good showing for rookie defensive end Lamarr Houston. He started and played the entire first half and tallied two-sacks. He acknowledged during the game’s telecast that the solid coverage down the field helped him get to Tony Romo. His horrible haircut, at the hands of John Henderson, was also on display when he spoke to sideline reporter, George Atkinson.

Jon Condo got down the field on punts smoothly and made two solid tackles. Hiram Eugene assisted on Oakland’s first punt coverage attempt in the first quarter.

Nnamdi Asomugha stared down Romo and nearly picked off his pass attempt to Roy Williams on 2^nd and 5 on Dallas’ first drive. Stanford Routt played well in run support and was in coverage on a 3^rd and 7 that forced Dallas to punt.

Chris Johnson was beat for 24-yards by Miles Austin on 3^rd and 12 in the first quarter. The Cowboys breakout wide receiver last season made an athletic play to haul in the Romo pass. Austin again beat Johnson on a slant for 9 yards on a 3^rd and 6.

Michael Huff stuffed a screen to Marion Barber on 2^nd and 19 early in the contest. Later, he tallied a tackle bouncing Austin out of bounds on an end around that Mike Mitchell dissected perfectly.

Trevor Scott’s sack and forced fumble on 3^rd and 18 forced a long field goal attempt in the first quarter.

Langston Walker had a crucial flag that turned a 3^rd and 4 into a 3^rd and 9. The OL started with Walker at RT, Cooper Carlisle at RG, Samson Satele at C, Robert Gallery at LG and Marion Henderson at LT. The second unit struggled with Kyle Boller under center. Khalif Barnes was infracted for a false start to start Boller’s night and on the ensuing play, second year tight end Brandon Myers was flagged as well for the same penalty. Chris Morris was even called for holding, but Dallas declined it.

Jason Campbell chucked up a few long tosses to Louis Murphy. His best pass was a 3^rd and 3 completion for 7-yards to tight end Zach Miller. The former Redskin was getting hit as he released the football, still getting good velocity on the accurate pass towards the sideline. On that drive at the end of the first quarter, Campbell was sacked when Samson Satele was bulldozed on 2^nd and 10.  On a 2^nd and 5, Campbell got appeared in rhythm when he hit Todd Watkins on a quick slant for 10-yards – changing the pace of the stagnant Raiders’ offense as he noticed the CB was playing off his target.

Matt Shaughnessy continues his solid development with a two sack performance. On back-to-back plays in the 2^nd quarter, he almost recorded a safety with his powerful penetration into the Dallas backfield.

Tom Cable went for it on 4^th and 1 in the 2^nd quarter. The play: Campbell taking the snap from a shotgun formation, but flailing his toss incomplete. On 4^th and 1 in the 4^th quarter, Boller sneaked for a first down behind Veldheer.

Dallas also took a shot on a 4^th and 1, but Ricky Brown stuffed the screen play on a solid Raider defensive stand.

Rookie Jared Veldheer sprung Rock Cartwright for 16-yards with a solid block. He played at center in the 4^th quarter.

Michael Bennett showed his swiftness through the line of scrimmage and play making ability as a receiver out of the backfield. Rock Cartwright did a little bit of everything throughout the night. With Darren McFadden not playing, Oakland displayed their depth at running back. Bennett’s 68-yards on 12 carries and 33-yard reception were crucial in the win.

Shane Lechler was in All-Pro form with a 62-yard punt.

Shaun Bodiford muffed a punt that Dallas recovered at Oakland’s 11-yard line.

Kyle Boller’s lofted an out pass to Yamon Figurs for 18-yards in the 4^th quarter. The toss just got over the defenders fingertips and Figurs did a fine job staying in bounds. The WR/specialist followed that up with a 7-yard catch on 2^nd and 5.

Nick Miller appeared to grab a touchdown on a fade pattern near the back pylon late in the contest. The back judge called it a score initially, but the referee announced that the play was incomplete. Oakland challenged and won.

Oakland was fortunate when Leon Williams dropped a deflected pass up in the air that could’ve ended their late scoring drive. Raiders rookie Stevie Brown could’ve had a game closing interception with under 90 seconds left.

Jerome Boyd ended all hope for the Cowboys with a 50-yard interception return for a score. The deflection was bounced right into the safety’s arms.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Here are some major storylines heading into training camp for the Oakland Raiders. Depending on the outcome of these stories, the Silver & Black could continue their miserable losing stretch or finally show signs of being a respectable football club.

• Can Jason Campbell stabilize the offense and be a starting caliber QB for Oakland?

In 2009, Campbell topped all his career marks with 327 completions, 507 attempts, 3.618 passing yards, 20 touchdowns a completion percentage of 64.5% and a rating of 86.4. That was with a Washington team that had a new offensive hierarchy practically every season and a leaky offensive line. The Raiders will gladly take numbers like that. But this is Oakland – a wasteland for talent many times – and if Campbell can’t continue his growth and prove to be a starting caliber passer, the Silver & Black will be shuffling to find a passer on their roster full of back-up signal callers.

• What will the offensive line alignment look like, and can it be cohesive?

Mario Henderson at left tackle and Robert Gallery at left guard are the only two players set in stone along the trenches.  Yes Samson Satele is the projected center, but nothing along this offensive line screams out solid or cohesive. They have some youthful alternatives in Bruce Campbell and Jared Veldheer, but giving rookies a lot of reps is always a risky proposition. Campbell’s success and the rush attack will be reliant in this group. If there is a mess on this unit, the offense will struggle mightily.

• Will the run defense be a joke, again?

The deficiencies here have been well documented since 2003. But now Richard Seymour has a year under his belt, John Henderson has been added and rookie Lamarr Houston looks promising. The woes of the defense have stemmed from their inability to stuff the run. More talent appears in place for John Marshall, but will it finally get fixed?

• Is the mix at linebacker the right one?

This revamped grouping will be interesting to observe. Kamerion Wimbley, Quentin Groves and rookie Rolando McClain are all new faces in 2010. And it’s conceivable that all three start together. Thomas Howard is under the radar for the first time in Silver & Black and veterans like Sam Williams and Ricky Brown at this point appear to be special team contributors. If the defensive line protects this group, they have enough ability to support versus the run. But how they fare against opposing passing attacks and play in space will be the major question mark.

• Will a running back finally step up?

There is no denying that the Raiders have ability in the offensive backfield. Darren McFadden and Michael Bush could combine to give Oakland a solid ground game. But can either one break out? Who will give Hue Jackson the consistent battering ram they need to move the chains and control the clock? Their third rusher could be just as important, since McFadden will likely be used all over the formation to present match-up problems. Rock Cartwright or Michael Bennett are two veterans that could get more carries than expected because of Jackson’s intentions.

• Are the wide receivers young and exciting, or too raw and not ready for the spotlight?

Darrius Heyward-Bey could not have had a worse rookie campaign. But he did work hard during the off-season and is putting the effort in to prove naysayers wrong. That alone won’t change the opinions of those still wonder whether or not he can be a well-rounded target. Louis Murphy has starting caliber potential and Chaz Schilens wets the coaching staff’s appetitive, but his fragility is a major concern along with the looming question of whether or not he can be expected to play with expectations on him for a 16-game stretch. They are no veterans on this unit with past success and that could hurt Jason Campbell. The rest are late draft picks, projects and talents that may not make it on any other roster in the league.

• Is Tom Cable really the right coach for this team?

Cable has talked up the team and the new aura surrounding them. But it is his job to get them to believe they can win and ultimately, prove it on the field. That’s a difficult task considering their current losing streak and the sense of failure this Raider bunch has had since 2003. Another losing season and Cable will be gone. If Oakland wins and turns the page, Cable will be in a nice position to negotiate a multi-year deal to remain as coach.

• How much influence can Hue Jackson have in year one?

The offense has been anemic. The play calling, uninspiring. Enter Hue Jackson, who want to pound the football on the ground and make this offense more diverse. With Campbell at quarterback, Oakland can expand on their playbook and not be such an easy group to dissect for defenses. If Jackson can squeeze out a respectable offense out of this roster, he’ll be looked at as a savior in Raider land.

• Which young player(s) on defense shine in 2010?

McClain and Houston are two highly touted rookies. But Tyvon Branch, Trevor Scott, Matt Shaugnessy and Mike Mitchell are players that will receive significant playing time and can prove to be surprise performers. Oakland has a lot of youth on defense. If they get a few to play up to their potential, John Marshall’s group could be in the top half of total defense in the league.

• Who on special teams can shine other than the place kicker and punter?

Johnnie Lee Higgins was the break out player for the Raiders two tears ago. After a pedestrian performance from all their return specialists in 2009, a return to form for Higgins could help this special teams get back to respectability. Yamon Figurs, Jacoby Ford and Nick Miller will try to unseat Higgins. Sam Williams, Ricky Brown, Jon Condo, Travis Goethel, Mike Mitchell among others will have to cover kickoffs and punts a lot better. Which linebackers that are not in the starting line-up will wind up on special teams?

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Here are some highlights of the Oakland Raiders training camp session on Friday:

• Hue Jackson’s bravado from OTAs has not toned down, as he continues to shout at the defense, let them know what’s coming and calls that same exact play for the offense to execute. At one point he forecasted to the defense that the ball was going to Zach Miller – Jason Campbell then completed a toss to the tight end.
• Nick Miller has been seeing action. Last years training camp standout got in on some plays with the back-up signal callers, once snaring a deep ball from Bruce Gradkowski.
• Chaz Schilens sat out and head coach Tom Cable stated that his WR will be monitored throughout camp.
• Darrius Heyward-Bey’s off-season work is paying dividens, as the second year target is looking more and more like a guy who can contribute on a more respectable level.
• RB Michael Bennett is making a case for being the third back in a top heavy rotation.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Jerry McDonald was on the mark when he stated in his blog that “there is no chance he’ll be traded,” when talking about Michael Bush. The Oakland Raiders intend to rely heavily on their ground game this upcoming campaign, with Bush being the focal point on the first unit as the primary ball carrier.

The two-headed monster of Bush and Darren McFadden need to step-up, and with the arrival of Hue Jackson and his desire to diversify the playbook, expect Oakland to depend on a third ball carrier as well.

McFadden, for his physical abilities, may be best suited as a jack-of-all trades; a multidimensional weapon that can cause match-up problems lined up as a receiver, or used in that same capacity out of the backfield.

Now that the Raiders feel that the competence level is a lot higher at quarterback, this will allow Jackson to implement new formations and more complex attacks.

But that will all stem off Bush’s ability to carry the load and McFadden’s skill set being utilized properly.

Michael Bennett may be that solid veteran that understands roles on a club and can contribute as the team’s reserved rusher. Rock Cartwright was also brought in to compete – and his working relationship with Jason Campbell could give him an edge.

Bush is definitely not going anywhere. And this running back grouping is by far the team’s deepest unit and one that will be expected to come up big in order for this offense to be functional in 2010.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders signed running back Michael Bennett this week.

In his nine years in the NFL, Bennett has played with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers.

The former 27^th overall selection in the 2001 draft had one 1,000+ yard rushing season with the Vikings in 2002 and has totaled 3,692 yards in his career. His career in Minnesota was shortened due to injuries and in 2006, after the Saints acquired Reggie Bush in the draft, Bennett was dealt to the Chiefs for a 4^th round draft choice.

Bennett made an appearance in minicamp last weekend and caught the eye of coaches and personnel. With Justin Fargas gone, Bennett could be a solid veteran addition behind Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, who are expected to carry the load for Hue Jackson’s offense in 2010.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist