Ravens WR Rashod Bateman status in doubt for opener vs. Raiders

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman status in doubt for opener vs Raiders

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The Ravens selected wide receiver Rashod Bateman with their top pick at No. 27 in April’s draft, so you know they have big plans for him. Those plans will be delayed a bit after Bateman went down in practice. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh gave an update on the status of Bateman’s injury.

Harbaugh emphasized that Bateman would not be out months, but weeks. Which means the timeline could be anywhere from 2-7 weeks.

We are just over four weeks away from the start of the season which has the Ravens coming to Las Vegas on Monday Night Football. Making Bateman’s status very much in doubt for the opener.

The Ravens’ top receiver with Bateman out is Marquise Brown. Their second-best wide receiver last season was Willie Snead who is now a member of the Raiders. So, the starters would most likely be Brown and newly added veteran receiver Sammy Watkins who was fifth on the Chiefs last season in terms of receiving yards with 37 catches for 421 yards.

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Who will win the slot cornerback job for the Raiders?

Who will win the slot cornerback job for the Raiders?

The Raiders have several starting spots on their roster that are up for grabs. Those spots include wide receiver, center, defensive tackle and linebacker. But one of the more intriguing battles will be at the slot cornerback position as three players are competing for snaps.

One of the reasons this is such an important spot for the Raiders is that in Gus Bradley’s defense, they will play a high percentage of their snaps with five defensive backs on the field. So whoever wins this job will essentially be a starter. And with Lamarcus Joyner gone, they will have a new starter at the spot for the first time since the start of the 2019 season.

In a recent piece by ESPN’s 32 beat writers, they broke down each team’s most important positional battle. For the Raiders, it was none other than the slot cornerback slot. Here is what Paul Gutierrez had to say about that position and the three defenders competing for snaps:

“Nevin Lawson has been getting the majority of first-team reps as the fifth DB, (but) he will serve a two-game suspension to start the season. However, fifth-round draft pick Nate Hobbs has been impressive throughout the offseason program, as well as the first two weeks of camp, setting up an interesting showdown. Do the Raiders continue to run Lawson out there, even if he will be ineligible to start the season, or does the rookie Hobbs get more time? And that’s not mentioning second-year corner Amik Robertson, who also has flashed at times in the slot.”

Robertson has the highest draft capital as the Raiders spent a fourth-round pick on him a year ago. But it does feel like this is Lawson’s job to lose. The hope is, though, that one of Hobbs or Robertson can eventually win the spot and hold it down for the next several years.

The preseason should help decide who gets the first crack at the job in Week 1 and Week 2, but it does appear Hobbs is the most likely candidate to earn those snaps after the first few weeks of training camp.

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Raiders host active duty military at Allegiant Stadium for USAA ‘Salute to Service Bootcamp’

Raiders host active duty military at Allegiant Stadium for USAA ‘Salute to Service Bootcamp’

On Tuesday, there was a military contingent in attendance at Raiders training camp. It was the first part of a day of football festivities that honored the service of local active-duty military service members for the USAA Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp.

In attendance were airmen from local bases Nellis Air Force Base and Creech Air Force Base as well as the Nevada Test and Training Range.

This marks the first time the Raiders have hosted the event. The second part of which had the military service members take the field at Allegiant Stadium where they competed in drills similar to those used by NFL coaches to evaluate NFL talent: the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, three-cone shuttle, receiving gauntlet, and the QB arm challenge.

“We feel the best way for them to get that one-on-one experience is to put them through what the players do,” said USAA spokesperson Eric Johnson. “That’s how we came to that. This event mirrors the NFL combine, so what better to get men and women out participating, doing the drills, doing the physical things they’re used to and mirroring the NFL combine.”

Among those on hand for the event was former Raiders QB Jay Schroeder. Meeting and greeting the service members and playing some catch with them as well. Schroeder, whose father served in the National Guard, has done several Raiders events honoring the military such as this.

Schroeder has purchased a ranch outside nearby Jean Nevada for the purpose of helping treat veterans with equine therapy. He and his partner, a former Army Ranger with three purple hearts, started the program in which they rescue wild mustangs and pair them up with vets. You can go to his website at www.Vetsandhorses.com to learn more.

He explained why he feels it’s so important.

“I just think it’s the respect of what they give up,” said Schroeder. “They go into this at an early age and give five, six, seven years of their life to this country and that’s a tough call. They come out great men and women, there’s no question about it. I just think that any chance we can to give back to them it’s a blessing. I get more out of being here than they do. There’s no question about it.”

For many of these service members, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I recall back when I was in the military and how much of a treat it would have been to see a camp practice, take the field at this brand new stadium, do the same drills with my shipmates, and meet former Raiders players. It was pretty cool to see.

“Even underneath the masks, you can see the smiles going from ear-to-ear,” said Colonel Cameron Dadgar, who also participated in the drills. “You could see the excitement, you could see the camaraderie building between the members, it is fantastic. It really was cool for everyone involved.”

While this was the first event of its kind, the Raiders have a long history of honored members of the military. Whether it’s current players and alums visiting military installations or veteran’s homes, or hosting groups of the military in training camp or for games.

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Raiders DT Gerald McCoy is ‘coaching’ but come the season ‘it’s go time’

Raiders DT Gerald McCoy is ‘coaching’ but come the season ‘it’s go time’

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Gerald McCoy has a new outlook on being an NFL player. The former Pro Bowl defensive lineman said he’s never taken playing in the NFL for granted, but after sitting out a year due to injury, he has a newfound appreciation for being part of a team.

“I’m extremely excited to be up here,” McCoy said to open his first press conference as a Raider. “I’ve been out of football for a year.”

Many thought McCoy might never play again. McCoy was a bit worried he would get another opportunity. But it was never his intention for 2019 to be his last.

“The goal always was to come back,” McCoy continued. “Immediately as soon as I got hurt, especially with a leg injury, 32 years old, been in the league 11 years, people immediately assume, D tackle, that he’s older, knee injury, will he be able to come back? I love when people count me out. I’m from the Southside of Oklahoma City, 405. There’s not many people that do what I’ve done. I’m not talking about success in football, I’m talking about lasting this long in the NFL. I’ve been a fighter my whole life, so it was nothing but another fight to me.”

The thing is, though, about being at his age and having been out of football for a year. It’s no easy thing. The Raiders say he stayed in shape while he was away, but football shape is a whole other thing. And as great as he once was, nothing is a given.

During his year away, McCoy said he was steady watching film. His intention was to stay up on the league to stay ready for his opportunity. In his tape viewing, he noticed a few things his friends around the league were doing on which he, in his veteran wisdom, could offer some tips.

That openness and eagerness to offer instruction to his fellow lineman continued when he joined the Raiders. Right from the first moment, McCoy stepped on the field, he was offering instruction to his linemates. Then when team sessions start, he stays on the sideline, watching some of these young linemen work.

“I will be on the field at some point,” McCoy said. “And whatever reps they give me, I’m going to give this team everything I have, but right now, since I’m not practicing — I do individuals, get my reps, working day-by-day to get back in — my job is to be a coach right now. Every phase that I’m in, I’ll be doing that.”

The veteran DT says he sees “so much want-to” in this group which is made up primarily of guys the Raiders are taking a flyer on this season. He added that he sees “very explosive players and guys that just need to fine-tune some things.” And McCoy is taking it upon himself to be the person to help them do that.

“Just teaching guys how to be pros,” McCoy added. “I always say there’s a difference between being a professional and being a pro. When you get drafted, or whether you’re undrafted or whatever, once you sign a contract, you’re a professional. It doesn’t make you a pro. Being a pro is how you approach every day. How you prepare. How you watch film. What do you do when times get tough on the field. What are you eating? How are you learning to be successful in this league. That’s what I believe is being a pro. And not all professionals know how to be pros. My experience can help a lot of the young guys and even some of the experienced guys. Teach them how to really be a pro, more than just a professional football player.”

Coaches find this veteran experience to be quite valuable above and beyond what these veterans can do on the field. But make no mistake, the Raiders didn’t sign McCoy to be a coach. If he is to make this team, he will need to perform on the field. But there’s still time for him to get there.

“Right now I’m coaching, getting my feet back under me, and then when they say ‘Hey, Gerald, it’s time to get reps’ then I’ll be a player-coach. Then step-by-step, when it’s opening week, now it’s go time.”

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Raiders training camp notebook 8/10: Defense has its day

Raiders preseason game week starts with the defense stepping up.

I could have just as easily said “Offense has a rough one” or some such about today’s practice. But I went with giving the D some credit.

Usually, notes from practice are heavily in favor of the big passes down the field and the defense doesn’t really seem like it’s doing much. That’s primarily because a big part of the defense’s job is to hit and tackle and that’s something they’re not allowed to do in practice.

Today, however, I can’t recall a single noteworthy play made by the offense. On the other hand, the defense seemed to be racking them up.

Trayvon Mullen had a banner day. First of all, he got shaken up in practice two days ago with what Jon Gruden said was a “stinger”. And, not only was he out on the field for practice, he looked fantastic.

In one on ones, He stuck to Willie Snead like glue who tried a couple of moves to get open short. Mullen was right there to swat the Carr pass down.

Late in practice, Bryan Edwards reached up to grab a pass that was right where he likes them only to have it bounce off his hands and into the arms of Mullen. It was Edwards’s second drop of the day. Both over the middle and both just above head level, right where he’s supposed to snag them with ease.

Marcus Mariota was picked off twice for picks three and four of this year’s camp for him. The first had Rasul Douglas pick him off along the left sideline intended for Foster Moreau. The second was Dallin Leavitt over the middle.

Even Nevin Lawson picked off a pass. It came off a tipped pass from Nate Peterman.

The only QB who wasn’t picked on the day was newcomer Case Cookus.

The picks were one thing. Then there were the fumbles.

John Brown made a catch and De’Vante Bausby came over the punched it out. Shortly thereafter, Shaun Crawford punched out a ball caught by Matt Bushman.

The sloppiness must have been why the team ran gassers after practice. Though it doesn’t seem fair because the defense was on point.

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Raiders waive WR Trey Quinn, sign QB Case Cookus

Raiders waive WR Trey Quinn, sign QB Case Cookus

The Raiders are set to begin another practice on Tuesday, but they will be without wide receiver Trey Quinn. The team signed the former seventh-round pick earlier this offseason to compete with Hunter Renfrow and Willie Snead for slot snaps, but the team has decided to waive Quinn.

According to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, the release comes with the waive/injured tag, meaning that if he is now claimed on waivers, he will wind up on the injured reserve list for the Raiders. However, that means that he would be unable to play the 2021 season with the team.

In a corresponding move, the Raiders added a fourth quarterback to their roster in Case Cookus. He was an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of North Arizona and has already spent his NFL career on three other teams.

More than likely, Cookus’ appearance on the 90-man roster is more of a tryout and camp arm. It seems unlikely that he would make the 53-man roster, but could be competing for a spot on the practice squad.

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Young talent for Raiders ranked among best in NFL

Young talent for Raiders ranked among best in NFL

The Raiders enter the 2021 season as one of the biggest unknowns in the NFL due to their youth. The team is relying on several young players at key spots, including wide receiver, offensive tackle and cornerback. But just how well does their young talent compare to the rest of the NFL?

In a recent article by Aaron Schatz of ESPN, he wrote about every team’s young talent heading into the 2021 season. The Raiders were ranked inside the top-15 after making six first-round picks since 2019. Here is a snippet of Schatz’s thoughts on a few young players on the roster:

“At wide receiver, last year’s 12th overall pick Henry Ruggs may start opposite Bryan Edwards. Both receivers are just 22. Ruggs was a deep threat as advertised last year, with 17.4 yards per reception. Edwards had even more impressive 17.5 yards per reception, albeit with a small sample size of just 15 pass targets. Trayvon Mullen, 23, is a good No. 2 cornerback who has been a bit stretched as the Raiders’ No. 1 corner in his first couple of seasons; he ranked 38th among cornerbacks in yards per pass target last season.”

The Raiders are really hoping that players such as Clelin Ferrell, Damon Arnette and Johnathan Abram can make big leaps this year to improve the overall depth of the roster. If not, it’s probably a team that won’t make the roster.

But if they can get solid play out of these three former first-round picks, don’t be surprised if the Raiders do exceed expectations and make the playoffs.

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Marcus Allen’s impassioned plea to get Cliff Branch in the Hall of Fame

‘You’re touching nerves’: Marcus Allen’s impassioned plea to get Cliff Branch in the Hall of Fame

We were blessed with some phenomenal and moving speeches by the new classes entering the Hall of Fame over the weekend. Including those of Raiders greats Charles Woodson and Tom Flores. Woodson and Flores each getting in on different ends of the spectrum, with Woodson getting in on the first ballot and Flores getting in via the senior committee after 22 years of eligibility.

Flores becomes the latest Raiders great to find himself waiting for the Senior committee to get in because the regular committee, for whatever reason, was unwilling to do so. Other Raiders who were forced to wait for the senior committee included Ray Guy and Ken Stabler.

There is at least one more, however. Sticking out like a sore thumb. And who, like Stabler before him, tragically passed away having not been recognized by the Hall of Fame and thus never getting to take the stage and don their gold jacket.

That man is Cliff Branch.

We’re two years almost to the day that Branch passed away. Five months later, Branch’s name appeared among the list of finalists for the Hall of Fame Centennial class. A team that would select 15 seniors, seemingly making for the best chance Branch had ever had of finally getting his due. Even if posthumously.

A few months later, Branch’s name was not among those who would receive induction. It was an utter travesty, to say the least. But you don’t need me to tell you that. I recently asked his former Hall of Fame teammate, Marcus Allen, about it.

“Levi, you’re touching nerves,” Allen replied. “And I don’t mind.”

“I think it’s almost criminal when you look at Cliff’s numbers and you look at others’ numbers that are in [the Hall of Fame]. He’s still number four all-time in postseason yards receiving. Played in a completely different era. If he played today and they were throwing it a hundred times a game, the numbers would just be ridiculous.

“Clearly a guy who changed the game. Changed coverages. Changed the way defense is played. Certainly opened up things for everybody else. Could have been the MVP when they beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl when he scored the touchdown.

“It was not only a regular season, it was postseason, it was everything. There’s some people that just change the game. Like Bob Hayes changed the game. Cliff was one of those guys. And without Cliff Branch there’s no Freddy, there’s no Marcus, there’s no Todd Christensen, you know what I mean? Without Cliff.”

Allen knows his stuff. Branch was the NFL’s all-time leader in postseason receiving yards when he retired. And Branch is indeed still, to this day, fourth all-time in postseason receiving yards. His 1289 yards are bested by only Jerry Rice (2245), Julian Edelman (1442), and Michael Irvin (1315). Rice and Irvin are both in the Hall and Edelman is not yet eligible (and also played in a very different era).

Branch was one of only a few players who played on all three of the Raiders’ Super Bowl teams. His Hall of Fame wide receiver teammate Fred Biletnikoff played on just one of them.

It seems every player with whom you can compare Cliff Branch in terms of accomplishments or numbers is a Hall of Famer already. So, what is the hold-up for Branch?

“I don’t know. I just wish we had a say-so that’s all,” Allen said. “At least with the Heisman trophy the former players get a vote. It’s completely out of our hands and I hear different things. They may like a person and they may dislike a person and those things are held against them. And it should never be that. It should be complete objectivity. It should just be ‘Is this guy good enough as a player, I don’t care what I think about him personally, but that’s what I hear. Because a writer didn’t like a particular person, and that’s not right. . .It’s crazy. It’s nerve-wracking.”

Honestly, it’s hard to fathom what football writers would have against Branch. He was one of the nicest and most positive people you could ever meet. It was heartbreaking to hear he had passed away. And that heartbreak is only worsened by the knowledge that he went so many years receiving the annual disappointment that he would be once again passed up for the Hall of Fame.

“Those are the things that bother me,” Allen said of Branch and Stabler not living to see induction. “Being on the phone with Cliff and the disappointment. Obviously, he never showed it, but I know deep down inside he was. When you care about people. When you line up next to people in the huddle and you see how incredible they are and they don’t get recognized for it, it upsets you.”

Branch has been eligible for going on 32 years now. The likes of Marcus Allen and others have long pounded the table but to no avail. Allen had also been vocal about Tom Flores getting in and Sunday night he sat on the stage and watched his former head coach get his due. So, there’s no way he should give up the fight for Branch either.

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Watch: Raiders legend Charles Woodson’s powerful, emotional Hall of Fame speech

Watch: Raiders legend Charles Woodson’s powerful, emotional Hall of Fame speech

Here I was thinking that Charles Woodson would step to the podium with his usually easy swagger and deliver a confident speech. Then CWood did what CWood has always done; he stepped up and grabbed us all by the heart and didn’t let go.

With his mother on the stage following her introduction for him, Woodson proceeded to sing some of the Boyz II Men song ‘Mama’ to her. Then he looked back at her and she mouthed “I love you” and blew him a kiss.

That was 20 seconds in and Woodson was already starting to lose it. And we all lost it right along with him. In the best possible way. He captivated the audience. Just as he did on a football field from as far back as High School.

Watch the whole thing. Have some tissues handy. Thank me later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X2LkZNEkVo

If you aren’t weeping right now, you may want to check your pulse.

Now go call your mom.

Should the Raiders consider trading for CB CJ Henderson?

Should the Raiders consider trading for CB C.J. Henderson?

If you remember back to early 2020, Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson was one of the players that was the most mocked to the Raiders at pick No. 12. With the Raiders desperately needing a cornerback, many people linked Henderson to Las Vegas early in the first round.

However, Henderson didn’t make it to the No. 12 pick as the Jaguars took him at No. 9. But after a shaky rookie season, it appears Jacksonville might already be ready to move on from him.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, multiple teams have reached out to the Jaguars about Henderson, who aren’t turning away possible deals.

The Raiders selected Damon Arnette in the first round of the 2020 draft, but there have been some issues with that selection as well. With the lack of overall depth at the cornerback position for the Raiders, could Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden decide to take another swing at the No. 9 pick from just a year ago?

Henderson does fit a lot of the metrics that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley wants in an outside cornerback and we know how talented he is from his time at Florida. If the price is right, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see the Raiders in the hunt for a former top-10 pick.

As the Henderson market develops, we will continue to follow along to see if the Raiders are interested.

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