Author: Pete D. Camarillo

Pete D. Camarillo is the founder for Left Coast sports as well as a credentialed Lakers writer for SportsOutWest and co-host of the weekly Touchdowns and Tangents podcast. Pete enjoys creating content about music, life and West Coast Sports, specifically the NBA and NFL. He has published more than 1,000 articles across various publications including ClutchPoints, FullPressCoverage, Fanside and more. Pete is also currently a full-time media relations professional for Business Wire and he is active in ONA, SPJ, NABJ and AAJA organizations. The 2015 CSUN Journalism grad volunteers on his Journalism Alumni Association Board of Directors now. His background includes community relations with the L.A. Clippers during the 2014-15 season. studying sports management, NFL scouting and football coaching and earning a fellowship for his entrepreneurship ventures. Follow him on Twitter @petecertified.

Oakland Raiders Notes: Cory James, Karl Joseph, & Ken Norton Jr.

Cory James

The Raiders will play rookie Corey James more on Sunday versus Tennessee, according to CSN Bay Area.

Starter Ben Heeney put up mixed results, but head coach Jack Del Rio said his backup Cowser is a ball magnent.

“It took some time to grow on me since OTAs and everything, but I think I’m getting more and more comfortable with it,” James said. “…I’m still learning, still working to get more comfortable with recognizing formations and things like that, but I still need work there. Playing and knowing the plays, I am pretty comfortable with that.”

As for how much James will play versus the Titans, Del Rio said there was no benefit to declaring the team’s plans.

Karl Joseph

Speaking of rookies getting more plenty time, first-round draft pick Karl Joseph should make his NFL debut.

Del Rio said he is impressed with Joseph’s attitude and overall work ethic via the Raiders.com

“I think the health issue is really kind of behind him now.” Del Rio said. “I feel good about that. I feel good about the way he’s preparing. Now we just look forward to all of us going out and playing well on Sunday.”

Ken Norton Jr.

Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. took some of the blame for the Raiders’ poor defensive outings in two games, via SF Gate.

“ I’m accountable for it. We have to work harder, work better and we expect to come out of this.” Norton said.

The defensive coordinator said he still believes the team can turn it around.

“Again, no one said it was going to be easy. You’re going to have adverse times and those adverse times really reveal us, reveal who you are, and I think that the team has come together, come close.” Norton said. “You can tell the guys really care. No one wants to play as bad as we’ve played.”

Check out offensive notes for the week here.

Raiders versus Falcons: Predictions for Oakland

The Oakland Raiders (1-0) will take the field for their home-opener versus the Atlanta Falcons (0-1) later today.

Here are a few predictions from today’s week two regular season game.

Fantasy Player

Receiver Michael Crabtree

Too much has been made about the matchup between Julio Jones and Amari Cooper as the two receivers were drafted from Alabama. Part of that comes from the mutual respect between the two elite wideouts. Both have complimented each other via various media outlets this week.

Neither player will actually cover each other. Not to mention, both defensive-focused head coaches will make sure their scheme includes different looks for each respective receiver.

Therefore, this game has the makings of Michael Crabtree’s breakout performance. The 29-year-old receiver caught 7-of-9 balls for 87 yards in week one. Now, he faces an Atlanta team that ranks No. 12 in passing yards to opponents after one game.

Expect Crabtree to build off his game-winning, two-point conversion last week.

Key Matchup

Sean Smith versus Atlanta’s receivers

Speaking of receivers, the Raiders must defend Jones, who caught 136 passes for 1871 yards and 8 touchdowns last year.

He only had four catches, 66 yards and one touchdown versus the Tampa Buccaneers in week one. Look for Atlanta to try and establish him early.

Granted, Atlanta is only 5-4 when Jones eclipsed 100 receiving yards, according to Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton.

Hence, a big performance from Jones does not equal a win.

Still, Oakland will need corner Sean Smith to play better this week. Don’t expect Smith to shadow Jones as the Falcons’ No. 2 receiver Mohamed Sanu is also a big target.

Either way, the Raiders paid Smith via free agency to become their No. 1 corner. He will need to rebound from a poor performance last week. I think he will answer the call, regardless of who lines up in front of up.

X-Factor

The Raiders’ rushing attack

Currently, Oakland ranks No. 1 in rushing offense. Attribute most of that to a dominating performance by the offensive line. However, give some credit to rookie Jalen Richard for busting a long-run last week.

This week, Oakland will need another big rushing play. Latavius Murray should consistently gain yards as the feature back, but who can take a long run for points?

Will Richard hit another homerun? Could Taiwan Jones or DeAndre Washington get a turn to take it to the house?

The Raiders need the long runs to keep their offense balanced. Either way, this will be a prove it game for the Raiders rushing attack.

Final Score

Atlanta: 24, Oakland: 31

Atlanta’s defense ranks No. 13 in rushing yards given up to opponents and No. 8 in rushing yards per attempt. That will change as Oakland will control the line of scrimmage and the clock with their running game. Even without their starting right tackle, Austin Howard is expected to replace Menelik Watson this week, Oakland will impose their will at home.

On defense, I expect the Raiders to rebound from getting shredded last week. It is reported that Ben Heeney lost his duties as the playcaller of the defense. Malcolm Smith will have to play better as he fills that role. Both players visibly struggled attack blocks and making tackles versus the Saints. Pro Football Focus graded Smith as Oakland’s worst defender last week. You can read more about last week’s struggle in the middle via ESPN insider Paul Gutierrez.

Smith and the entire unit will play better as the Raiders sort out their defensive line rotation. Expect Justin Ellis and Dan Williams to see more time in the middle as Atlanta fields a solid rushing attack behind Tevin Coleman and Devonte Freeman.

I like the Silver and Black by seven. This should be another thriller. Here is how you can view via Silver and Black Pride.

Also, check out three keys to the Raiders win.

Raiders versus Falcons: Oakland’s three keys for victory

The Oakland Raiders enter Sunday’s home-opener as a 4.5 points favorite.

Here are three ways Oakland can answer this expectations with a home victory and their first 2-0 start since 2002.

Handle their business at the line of scrimmage

The Oakland Raiders managed the No. 2 overall offense in week one. Despite the points and yards, the Raiders were not flawless with the ball.

However, they always seemed in control because of their guys up front. The offensive line generated push and seems in the running game.

https://twitter.com/blackhanside/status/775396307812835328

In the passing game, they did not allow a sack and helped quarterback Derek Carr control the game.

This week, Oakland must keep dominating the line of scrimmage. They will most likely be without two tackles starter Menelik Watson and backup Matt McCants. Hopefully, Austin Howard can return to form as he was the starter last year. He lost the role to Watson in a close race this offseason. The Silver and Black will lean on Howard to maintain balance when running to either side. They will also need him to maintain the momentum this group built last week.

Secondary must rebound

Against the Saints, everyone remembers Sean Smith getting dusted on a Brandin Cooks touchdown. Even before that play, Smith struggled with the acceleration and crafty route running of the New Orleans receivers.

Smith was not the only one, as D.J. Hayden and T.J. Carrie also left much to be desired during their snaps.

I mean Keith McGill was the highest grades defender according to PFF.

Really, our best defender was a safety who played corner a few months ago? Even after we invested all that money into the secondary via free agency and the draft.

This week, the entire group must rebound as they face the prototypical size and speed of Julio Jones and Marvin Jones – Jones to a lesser degree. Smith as well as David Amerson bring the size and ball skills to rival those two players. It should make for a fun matchup.

Improved middle of the defense

This next key ties into both of the last two. The same way Oakland needs to control the line on offense, the defense needs to do the same with stout tackle play.

The Saints stopped running the ball because their strength is passing. However, they exposed some deficiencies in our linebacker’s abilities to tackle and shed blocks. Some of that lands on the shoulders of the linemen upfront.

Further, the defensive line did not do the secondary a lot of favors. Outside of Bruce Irvin, the Raiders could not sack Brees. Granted, Brees is not easy to sack as he gets the ball out fast. Nonetheless, effective tackle play can help push the quarterback into the lanes of edge rushers. It can also mess up passing lanes. Irvin called out the guys in the middle in practice this week:

For the upcoming game, Oakland will need their interior defensive line to step up. The Falcons will try running the rock hard with Devonte Freeman and Telvin Coleman. Defensive tackles can make it easier for Ben Heeney and Malcolm Smith to make plays on them.

Plus, the Raiders will need to make Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan uncomfortable. This could lead to turnovers and sacks. Either way, it starts with improved play from the defensive tackles.

Oakland plays Atlanta at 1:25 P.M. PST on Sept. 18.

Oakland Raiders get alternate uniforms

Earlier this week, Nike released their Color Rush line of uniforms for the NFL season.

The Oakland Raiders were seen in the white jerseys with a silver number. These uniforms resemble the AFL throwbacks that the Raiders have worn in the past.

Many fans were outraged that the jerseys were not all black.

Like most fans, I would love black jerseys with black pants. However, the object of the Color Rush uniforms remains selling jerseys. An all black uniform closely resembles what the Raiders already wear on the road.

Hence, I am okay with the white alternates. The Raiders are the team most known for their colors, so I think it is ironic that their Color Rush uniforms lack any real color.

Further, I think silver or grey jerseys with a black number would have been the easy way to maximize profit and please fans. Currently, Oakland does not wear silver uniforms. That would mean an extra uniform for fans to buy, and the grey or silver closely resembles the home white that Oakland wears.

Otherwise, a silver helmet would have been awesome too. A metallic black helmet would have been awesome too. However, those changes are too new-school for the Raiders’ tradition.

Either way, I am just glad the Raiders got an alternate jersey. I absolutely love our uniforms, but everyone will be pleased to see Oakland mix it up a little.

The Raiders will wear their new jerseys Dec. 8 versus the Kansas City Chiefs for Thursday Night Football.

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: Monday Morning Takeaways

Here are five lessons from the Oakland Raiders 35-34 defeat of the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 11.

The secondary needs work

Usually, you do not take much away from preseason football. However, the Raiders secondary showed signs of struggling during the exhibitions. This carried into the week one game with the Saints.

D.J. Hayden had some crucial penalties that kept some drives alive in the second-half. Willie Snead also got the best of Hayden from the slot.

Plus, Sean Smith got dusted for a 98-yard touchdown catch.

Even before that big play, Smith took his lumps against the New Orleans receivers.

Saints receivers Brandin Cooks and Snead both made plays. Snead registered 172 receiving yards, while Cooks got 143 yards.

That is way too many yards for a secondary group that was suppose to improve exponentially. The group may need more time playing together. However, the pass rush may also need to step their game up. Quarterback Drew Brees was only sacked one time.

The run defense?

Honestly, the New Orleans Saints got away from the run too early. Otherwise, maybe Oakland made some adjustments.

Either way, the Saints made some effective running plays in the first-half. Mark Ingrim dragged some defenders. However, that was not the case in the second-half. Not sure if that is attributed to an Oakland adjustment or if the Saints just liked what they were getting in pass coverage.

Ultimately, our run defense did some and bad. Inside linebacker Ben Heeney played his usual game. He did some good things, but struggled taking on linemen. Our defensive line played well versus the run in the second half. They also got drove back a few times.

Nonetheless, I need to see more from this group to determine how they will play.

Raiders are deep on the offensive line

Oakland had both of their right offensive tackles, Menelik Watson and Matt McCants go down versus the Saints. This is after they lost Austin Howard last week.

The team shuffled the line by moving Donald Penn from left tackle to right tackle. Meanwhile, Kelechi Osemele played left tackle and Jon Feliciano came in at right tackle.

This mismatched group did not prevent the Raiders from moving the ball via the run or pass. Clearly, this group is much improved from top to bottom. Hopefully, Oakland can get those guys back healthy.

Oakland plays to win

When was the last time Oakland started the season 1-0? More importantly, when was the last time you really thought the team could come back in a game that was a shootout?

Despite Oakland trailing in the second-half, you never felt like the game was out of reach. Further, the Raiders went to go and get the win.

They scored on the go ahead two-point conversion thanks to quarterback Derek Carr leading the drive.

https://twitter.com/GipsySafety/status/775164618926804992

Carr matured in yesterday’s game. He proved capable of leading a game-winning drive, and he did not play outsde of his normal abilitites. His decision-making seemed a little late, but Carr’s competitive toughness should never be questioned. Carr reminded us that, yesterday.

Oakland is deep at the skill position

The Silver and Blacked proved their offense can play with the best of them. Not only by the last-minute score, but Oakland played well throughout.

Eight different players caught passes and six players got rushing attempts. This shows Oakland’s depth and it illustrates a regime willing to utilize different players in positions that help the team.

Taiwan Jones, Seth Roberts, Clive Walford and Jamize Olawale made plays that kept the offense on the field. Latavius Murray, Jalen Richard, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree all played their roles outstanding. Therefore, the Raiders have a group on offense.

Othere defenses should be scared as everyone will continue meshing together.

 

 

 

Raiders at Saints: Oakland’s Best Quotes

Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio said his team put on a gritty performance in a win over the New Orleans Saints. He said the team is learning how to win and close games.

“Let’s win it right now. I thought that we took some clock there at the end so they would not have as much (time). That is why we went for two after the score…..I let them know early in that drive (that we would go for it). I said, ‘When we go score here, we’re going to go for two and we’re going to win it right here.’ I said that right when the drive started.” The Raiders coach said about his decision to go for a two-point conversion that would decide the game.

Quarterback Derek Carr on the playcall:

“When I got the call, I took a deep breath, made sure my footwork was right, and just lobbed it up for Crab. That’s just my thought process. I say lob it up, but obviously trying to put it in a certain spot where he can make a play.”

Receiver Michael Crabtree said that the team practices that play so much that it becomes routine.

“He (QB Carr) gave me a great ball there, and he did that the entire game. That shows he trusts me. And it wasn’t a gutsy call at all, not at all. He (Coach Del Rio) has a lot of trust in us, and we have a lot of trust in him. I mean when you put in so much work in camp and in the preseason, I feel like all we have to do as players is execute.” Crabtree said after the game.

Added, the receiver said the team showed heart by not giving up when they were down late.

Fellow receiver Amari Cooper also said the team is learning how to win.

“When we got down late in the game, no one got upset about it,” said Cooper. “We just kept going. We were resilient today. We all knew we just had to keep playing and make plays.”

In the end, the Raiders offense proved they could keep pace with the high-octane New Orleans Saints offense. More importantly, the team never seem rattled. Despite sputtering on both sides of the ball in the second-half, Oakland seemed like they were the better team. The Silver and Black proved it by taking the win via the two-point conversion.

*Quotes released by the team website.

 

 

 

 

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: Quick Hits

The Oakland Raiders begin their season 1-0, after a thrilling 35-34 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints led 17-10 at  halftime in the Super Dome.

Out of the second half, both offenses sputtered. Then the Saint hits on a deep pass that ignited them.

Oakland put together some drives also. Richard got a big-play that would lead to a tie game. Here are some big plays and points from the game.

  • Raiders defense started the game with Bruce Irvin strip sack which ended the Saints’first drive. This lead to Sebastian Janikowski kick.
  • Murray had 7 carries for 32 yards in the first half. Jalen Richard caught a pass. Taiwan Jones also got a carry but lost yards.
  • Amari Cooper setup first touchdown of the season. Cooper caught two passes before the Latavius Murray 11-yard touchdown run. Cooper made a sprawling catch at the five before Murray punched it in for 10-3 lead.
  • On defense, the secondary struggled in the first half. Sean Smith gave up a long pass play to rookie Michael Thomas. Brandin Cooks caught a touchdown pass with D.J. Hayden in coverage. Willie Snead tore up the Raiders from the slot. He caught a short touchdown pass on fourth down, but he consistently got open.
  • Raiders offense punts on first drive after halftime as they trail 17-10 but defense holds Saints to the same. Richard gets nice punt return negated by holding.
  • Sean Smith dusted by Brandin Cooks for 98-yard touchdown run. New Orleans takes 24-10 lead  in the third.
  • Crabtree came up big in the second-half. Raiders held to a field goal after a solid drive, Saints maintain a 24-13 lead.
  • Matt McCants goes down at right tackle. Oakland moves Penn to fill his spot. Kelechi Osemele plays left tackle and Jon Feliciano comes in at left guard.
  • Carr leads Raiders on a drive to start the fourth quarter. Finds Cooper on a deep pass after having lots of time in the pocket. Then throws a strike to Crabtree at the five. Jamize Olawale punches in the touchdown. The Silver and Black miss the two-point conversion, as the score is 19-24.
  • Saints answer with a field goal drive. Mark Ingrim dragging defenders and Drew Brees dodged Raiders pass pressure. A questionable P.I. call keeps the drive alive.
  • Richard busts 75-yard touchdown run that gives the Raiders a chance to tie the game. Carr then finds Cooper for two-point conversion. Game tied at 27.
  • New Orleans scores after a deep pass to Snead is fumbled but then recovered by a fellow-Saints receiver. Brees throws fourth touchdown as they go up 34-27.
  • Crabtree makes great catch on Raiders answering drive. Carr throws ball late, but Crabtree finds the ball. Raiders miss on some passes within the twenty. A pass interference call on Jalen Richard saves the drive on fourth down. Seth Roberts scores touchdown which ties the game at with less than a minute left. Crabtree catches two-point conversion to give Oakland 35-34 lead with :47 left in the game.
  • Willie Snead catches a couple of passes in the middle of the field for the Saints. New Orleans kicked a 61-yard-filed goal attempt which was wide right.

 

Ultimately, the secondary struggling almost cost them the game.Hayden had some penalties and Smith got beat. They also had some questionable tackling from their linebackers. Carr’s decision making was also late. However, he did enough to lead the Silver and Black to their first win of the season.

What a game?!

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: First Half Notes

The Oakland Raiders took on the New Orleans Saints for the first game of the season. The Saints lead 17-10 at home.

DEFENSE:

  • Bruce Irvin sacked and forced a fumble on Drew Brees which ends first drive. Leads to first points of the season off of Sebastian Janikowski kick.
  • Mark Ingrim gets 12 and 20-yard gains for Saints on the second series. Saints held to a field goal, which ties game at three all.
  • Tim Hightower gets run going again later in first. Willie Snead tears apart Raiders. Snead Catches a deep ball that puts them in the red zone. He then catches short fourth and goal touchdown pass to make game 10-10.
  • Saints go up 17-10 in second quarter thanks to Brandin  Cooks touchdown pass. He beat D.J. Hayden in coverage. Sean Smith also gave up the crucial play that put Saints inside the red zone. Michael Thomas catches a pass, then registers some yards after the catch.
  • D.J. Hayden gets defensive holding call that negates Bruce Irvin sack. Luckily, Raiders defense forces punt with a little more than a minute left in first half.

OFFENSE:

  • Latavius Murray gets the Raiders first touchdown of the year via an 11-yard run thanks to an Amari Cooper sprawling catch which put Raiders at the five-yard-line. It was Cooper’s second catch on the drive. Oakland goes up 10-3.
  • Jalen Richard made his first appearance with a catch in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Taiwan Jones loses eight yards on a carry later in the first half.
  • Derek Carr shows his scrambling ability in second quarter. Makes first down run and leaps for extra yards. However, this drive did not lead to points.
  • Menelik Watson goes down during Raiders final drive with about a minute left in the second quarter. He walks off the field on his own, but it looked like an ankle injury.
  • Cooper catches the final pass of the half via a hitch route.

Oakland must try to stop the run on defense. Hightower and Ingrim were having their way. On offense, look for Oakland to continue establishing the run. Hopefully, Watson’s injury is not serious. Backup right tackle Austin Howard got hurt last week, so he is inactive.

Oakland Raiders final roster predictions

The Oakland Raiders finished their preseason 1-3, and they have until 6 P.M. on Sept. 3 for final roster cuts.

Here are my predictions for those players that will get the infamous call into the coaches’ office.

  • (RB) Jalen Richard
  • (LB) Daren Bates
  • (G) Mitch Bell
  • (WR) K.J. Brent
  • (CB) Kenneth Durden
  • (WR) Marvin Hall
  • (CB) Antonio Hamilton
  • (DL) Drew Iddings
  • (DE) Branden Jackson
  • (RB) George Atkinson III
  • (G) Denver Kirkland
  • (DT) Derrick Lott
  • (LB) John Lotulelei
  • (CB) Dexter McDonald
  • (S) Dewey McDonald
  • (TE) Jake McGee
  • (WR) Jaydon Mickens
  • (TE) Ryan O’Malley
  • (G) Oni Omoile
  • (DE) Greg Townsend
  • (LB) Kyrie Wilson

Notables not on this list include Taiwan Jones, Mychal Rivera, Johnny Holton, Matt McGloin, Andre Homes, and Matt McCants.

Call me biased for keeping some of the longest-tenured players on the roster. I just don’t think the people behind Rivera, Holmes, McCants, and Jones bring enough upside to supplant the incumbents’ experience.

Dexter McDonald and Jalen Richard are locks for the practice squad if they do not find work elsewhere. Greg Townsend Jr. may also make the practice squad thanks to his father’s connections to the team. Oni Omoile might also get a spot because he is Kelechi Osemele’s cousin. Brent and Mickens might also get a spot.

Otherwise, the only name hard to say goodbye to is George Atkinson III. Over the past few seasons, he has shown flashes in preseason. He has just never been good enough as a runner or returner to beat out Taiwan Jones. Jones is also a good special teams defender which gives him the nod over Atkinson. The Raiders did their job by grooming him into a player. Someone should offer him a roster spot because he proved he can play in this preseason.

Also noted, the Raiders trimmed their roster earlier this week. Leon Orr was the only player cut with active roster experience. Otherwise, the other players did get much run in preseason. Max McCaffrey was a notable name cut. He is the son of a Broncos legend and looked good in Spring. Still, other receivers passed him on the depth chart.

Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how the final 53-man roster turns out. Either way, it is almost time for some actual football!

Raiders Notes: Osemele, Calhoun, Carr, Cook & more

Mario Edwards Jr. and Kelechi Osemele

These two hoggies got into two fights in one practice, which resulted in an exchange of punches. Both were booted from practice for the day. The punch was atleast hard enough for Edwards Jr. to ice his hand after practice.

Edwards Jr. will be okay. However, head coach Jack Del Rio said it was put to rest. He said it was a learning experience for everyone involved.

Shilique Calhoun

The third-round pick has been asked to drop back as a strong side linebacker. He is more comfortable rushing the passer like what he did in college. However, he accepts the challenge.

“I don’t believe that what they have me doing is outside my reach,” Calhoun said via CSN Bay Area. “I’ve covered in college, although not as much as I’m being asked to do now, and I think it’s well within my athletic abilities. There are new responsibilities, and I haven’t been put in a situation where I felt uncomfortable.”

Calhoun likes the Raiders are helping him grow while also asking him to do what he does best.

“You have to advance your skills at this level, but it was so great to hear them say they want me to be myself,” Calhoun said. “They drafted me for a reason, because they like my style of play. We’re trying to expand my repertoire a little more to counter what people have planned for you.”

Justin Ellis

How did Justin Ellis end up as the starting nose tackle headed into camp?

“Last year I ran so much, thinking that that was going to help me,” said Ellis via Silver and Black Pride. “But I was dead when I came to camp. Even though I had a solid camp last year, but I was dead. I feel like I wasn’t at my best because my legs were so heavy. But this year I worked smarter, but I also worked hard.”

As for his competition against Dan Williams, Ellis complimented the veteran.

“It’s a great competition at that spot. Competition comes with the sport, with this profession. Dan Williams is a great player and I’m working to be great. Just working hard every day.” Ellis said.

Derek Carr

The third year quarterback is finally not focused on earning a spot or learning a new offense or receivers.

The game is finally getting slower for Carr.

“I can just see things faster. The game has slowed down a lot and that’s the biggest thing. Once you’re just out there playing football and you’re not swimming mentally, that’s the biggest thing. Now, again, I’m only in my third year so I have a ways to go. But, the fact that it’s slowed down already helps me out a lot.” Carr said via CSN Bay Area.

Now, Carr can help the offense get more balanced.

“We’re past the point of the X’s and O’s stuff,” Carr said. “If you go to Amari and say what do you have on blah, blah, blah. He knows that. I know my reads, all those things. Now, it’s those little details that we always talk about. … Those things that we can get to, that’s the next step. … That’s the kind of stuff that you can do in the second year. That’s the kind of stuff you can do with a guys like Amari and Crabtree, who work really hard.”

Injuries

Karl Joseph, Clive Walford and Denico Autry all made their training camp premieres on Friday. Both players missed workouts.

Taiwan Jones also returned last week, but he was also seen sitting out after his return.

Offensive line

Offensive line coach Mike Tice talked about the line a few times this week.

Right tackle is the only position not set. Tice believes the battle between Menelik Watson and Austin Howard is going to the wire.

As for the rest of the line, Tice is happy with Gabe Jackson’s move from left guard to right guard. He called Jackson a natural fit at that position.

Tice also said the interior of Jackson, Osemele and Rodney Hudson may combine for the best interior line he has ever seen.

Connor Cook

After looking like he could be the backup, Connor Cook took steps back in camp. Beat reporter Vic Tafur went as hard as comparing him to Tyler Wilson.

Sean Smith

The MMQB wrote on article on the corner as part of their season preview. The article talks about Smith leading a secondary that will lead the Raiders to contention.

“He has such a wide radius and such long arms, that if he gets his hands on you, he’s got a chance to take you out of the play,” Raiders defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson said about Smith.

Smith said he sees that Raiders secondary was filled with talent, but they needed to go throw growing pains. Now, he is sharing knowledge.

“You don’t have to cover the whole route tree, so stop stressing. Make the game simple! Small things like that.” Smith said.