Raiders Team Report
A matter the Raiders hoped would be handled internally will now involve the Napa Police Department and the NFL.
At issue is an altercation between defensive assistant Randy Hanson and another member of the Raiders coaching staff, widely reported to be coach Tom Cable.
Hanson ended up in the hospital, reportedly with a broken jaw. He initially declined to talk with police, but the case has been re-opened, presumably after Hanson turned over medical records.
There are different accounts as to what happened, none with an on-the-record source.
A report in AOL Fanhouse said Cable hit Hanson, and that the assistant “never saw it coming.”
A report in the National Football Post said Cable flipped Hanson out of his chair, with both men falling to the ground and Cable saying, “I’ll kill you” with his hands around the assistant’s neck.
Neither Hanson nor his attorney, reported as John McGuinn, has made public comment. Cable said the club was handling it internally when speaking to the local media.
However, ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth, a former teammate of Cable’s in college at Idaho, said on the air that Cable had spoken to him, said “nothing happened” and that the story was overblown.
Cable appeared unconcerned at the news Napa police could re-open the case, “saying, once the facts are in, everything will be fine,” and declining comment when the police department confirmed through a press release that indeed they were looking in to the matter.
With Hanson sustaining a broken jaw, the investigation will be considered “felony assault.”
Any facts uncovered could open the way to disciplinary action by the NFL.
Those believed to be present at the time of the incident were defensive coordinator John Marshall, defensive backs coach Lionel Washington and long-time assistant coach Willie Brown.
It remains to be seen whether those assistants will give an account which would incriminate Cable or describe an event which doesn’t warrant charges, at which time the whole thing could go away.
If Cable is charged, he could face disciplinary action from the NFL even before the legal matter works its way to a conclusion.
Until that time, Raiders players didn’t seem overly concerned.
“Just another day in the life with the Raiders,” defensive end Jay Richardson(notes) said.
Said left guard Robert Gallery(notes): “It’s something for the media to write about. It’s rumors, and you know how rumors can grow.”
Hanson, hired by Al Davis, had a run-in with former coach Lane Kiffin last year after sounding off about the Raiders’ poor preparation following a 41-14 loss to Denver in the season opener.
Kiffin suspended Hanson and later tried to fire him after forcing him to seek a medical evaluation. Davis instead backed Hanson, Kiffin was fired after Week 4 and Davis said there were no problems with Hanson.
Hanson told the Contra Costa Times at the time of his suspension being a Raiders coach was his dream job and later told friends and family in the offseason he was in a position of influence, being groomed to be a general manager of sorts, with input into player evaluation.
Battle of the week: Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes) vs. Louis Murphy(notes). Looks as if one of the rookies will open the season as a starter with Jake Schilens (broken foot) out, unless Javon Walker(notes) recaptures some of his old form in his return to practice. They both started against San Francisco, but chances are good Johnnie Lee Higgins(notes) will start on one side. The non-starter should still see plenty of action.
Player of the week: Tight end Brandon Myers(notes). Myers caught four passes for 75 yards against the 49ers, including two tough catches in traffic downfield. It simply carried over from practice, where the rookie, thought to be primarily a blocker, has been a revelation as a receiver.
Camp Calendar: The Raiders concluded two-a-days before the 49ers game and break camp in Napa Thursday, returning to closed practices at the club facility in Alameda.
NOTES, QUOTES
• As much as the Raiders tried to avoid saying “here we go again,” there was a sense of deja vu in their second preseason game as the 49ers rushed for 275 yards on 47 carries, averaging 5.9 per attempt. 49ers feature back Frank Gore(notes) played a series, ran twice for seven yards and took the rest of the night off.
Rookie Glen Coffee(notes) had 129 yards on 16 carries, who gave way to Michael Robinson(notes) (97 on 14) who gave way to Kory Sheets (51 on 12).
The Raiders have been the NFL’s worst team against the run over the last six years, which has coincided with a league-worst 24-72 record. They were 31st in the NFL last season, and vowed to improve with improved discipline and gap control.
Coach Tom Cable said the gap play was fine against San Francisco, but that the tackling was not.
“It was disappointing because we really worked on it,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha(notes) said. “It’s something that we clearly need to continue working on.”
Defensive end Greg Ellis(notes) said the Raiders kept getting gashed by the same cutback play over and over.
• The lowlight of a two-day, four-practice session with the 49ers was having their pass offense embarrassed by their visitors to Napa, right in front of the watchful eye of owner Al Davis.
Raiders quarterbacks were intercepted five times, four times in a final red-zone sequence, and once in a 7-on-7 drill. Nate Clements(notes) had three of the picks for the 49ers, and JaMarcus Russell(notes) was the quarterback for three of them.
The 49ers became more excited and animated as the session went on, with Clements shouting at one point, “They can’t compete—I love it when they can’t compete,”
After the practice, Russell shrugged off the session, “saying, “It’s not the end of the world. If it is, then show me.”
Cable assumed the blame for Russell’s struggles, saying, “I’m trying to get the quarterback to cut it loose in the red zone, but four picks, he probably pushed it a little too much.
During the actual preseason game, Clements wasn’t as dominant. He was forced to grab the jersey of Johnnie Lee Higgins to avoid giving up a touchdown, instead settling for a 22-yard penalty. He later lost track of rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy in a zone on third-and-21. Russell found Murphy for a 24-yard touchdown.
• When the Raiders signed Lorenzo Neal(notes), a 16-year veteran who had paved the way for numerous punishing running games, he was looked at as the perfect lead blocker for the three-headed monster of Darren McFadden(notes), Justin Fargas(notes) and Michael Bush(notes).
It also gave the Raiders additional time to wait for third-year fullback Oren O’Neal(notes) to recover from 2008 surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn lateral collateral ligament and a re-attachment of hamstring to bone.
Turns out O’Neal didn’t need the time, and Neal was sent packing as a result.
Neal was placed on injured reserve and will likely be given an injury settlement so he can pursue a 17th season with another team if he desires.
“I think it says a lot about O’Neal,” Cable said. “I think he’s really got back out here, gotten back into it. He gets better and better with each day.”
• With Chad Schilens set to miss the start of the season with a broken fifth metatarsal, the Raiders are looking forward to getting Javon Walker back at practice.
Walker, on his own and without club approval, had an offseason surgery to his left knee that Cable has called “major.”
He spent most of camp on the physically unable to perform list but has looked strong, swift and is running without any sign of a problem. Walker said he feels better than he has in four years.
Walker even got into full uniform on Friday to work out with trainers just to remember what it felt like. It’s been nine months since he sustained a broken ankle, although he said his knee was giving him trouble the entire time after he signed a free-agent contract which paid him an $11 million signing bonus and $1 million in salary the first year.
He agreed to a renegotiated contract which will pay him $4.6 million over the next two years in order to prove himself.
“People say, `He’s done.’ Whoever heard of someone being done at 28,” Walker said. “I would rather try and fix a problem than embarrass myself knowing what I could have done.”
• Ricky Brown(notes), competing to be the starter at both strong-side and middle linebacker, found himself flat on his back during the 49ers’ sessions, planted there by 49ers running back Frank Gore.
“I came in too high,” Brown said. “I’ve got to learn from that. He’s one of the best blockers in the game and he got me.”
Gore credited 49ers running back coach Tom Rathman for his development as a blocker.
Rathman was the Raiders’ running backs coach in 2007-08 and helped Justin Fargas, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden improve their blocking skills.
Quote To Note: “I’ve been here three years, and you know how it is. Never a dull moment,” Raiders defensive end Jay Richardson responding to reports of a story in which coach Tom Cable allegedly broke the jaw of defensive assistant Randy Hanson.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The picture at linebacker may have cleared up somewhat due to attrition.
Middle linebacker Kirk Morrison(notes), the team’s leading tackler each of the last three seasons, left after the first series with his arm in a sling and said he had a dislocated left elbow.
Although Morrison put his absence at “a couple of weeks,” it could mean Ricky Brown will open at middle linebacker and Jon Alston(notes) at strong-side linebacker. Brown was the strong-side starter last year until his season ended prematurely with a serious groin injury.
Morrison was put in competition with Brown in the middle, with Brown also competing with Alston. Brown had five tackles, two assists and returned a tipped interception 46 yards against San Francisco.
• DT Desmond Bryant, an undrafted free agent from Harvard, was working with the second team and has caught the eye of coach Tom Cable and the coaching staff; Bryant had two tackles, an assist and was credited with half a sack against the 49ers.
• TE Brandon Myers, a sixth-round draft pick out of Iowa, caught four passes for 75 yards with a long of 36 and looks to have a hold on the backup spot to Zach Miller.
• RB Darren McFadden, a week after carrying four times for 63 yards against Dallas, had just five yards on four carries against the 49ers.
• QB Jeff Garcia(notes) made his first appearance as a Raider, directing a two-minute drill deep into 49ers territory before throwing an interception.
• CB/S Ricky Manning Jr.(notes) was signed as a free agent and will play slot corner and learn the strong safety position.
• CB Stanford Routt(notes) started opposite of Nnamdi Asomugha, moving inside to slot corner in nickel situations with Chris Johnson outside.
Battle Of The Week: Darrius Heyward-Bey vs. Louis Murphy. Looks as if one of the rookies will open the season as a starter with Jake Schilens (broken foot) out, unless Javon Walker recaptures some of his old form in his return to practice. They both started against San Francisco, but chances are good Johnnie Lee Higgins will start on one side. The non-starter should still see plenty of action.
Other Battle Fronts: Chris Johnson vs. Stanford Routt at cornerback; William Joseph(notes) vs. Terdell Sands(notes) at backup nose tackle; Bruce Gradkowski(notes) vs. Charlie Frye(notes) at No. 3 quarterback; Marcel Reece(notes) vs. Luke Lawton(notes)/Gary Russell at fullback.
Player Of The Week: TE Brandon Myers. Myers caught four passes for 75 yards against the 49ers, including two tough catches in traffic downfield. It simply carried over from practice, where the rookie, thought to be primarily a blocker, has been a revelation as a receiver.
Rookie Report: Darrius Heyward-Bey had some solid practice sessions, but had just two passes thrown his way vs. San Francisco. Neither was catchable. Mike Mitchell(notes) remains out with a hamstring injury. Defensive end Matt Shaughnessy(notes) didn’t play because of a foot sprain. Linebacker Slade Norris(notes) had three tackles and an assist against San Francisco. Louis Murphy scored his first touchdown with a 24-yard catch from JaMarcus Russell. Tight end Brandon Myers caught four passes for 75 yards. WR Nick Miller, an impressive undrafted free agent, lost fumble on a punt return with the game in doubt.
Injury Report: LB Kirk Morrison is out with a dislocated left elbow with no timetable for his return. WR Chaz Schilens(notes) is out four to six weeks with a broken fifth metatarsal in his left foot. CB Nnamdi Asomugha continues to miss practice and game time with a heel bruise. DE Matt Shaughnessy is expected to return this week with a foot sprain. S Mike Mitchell remains out with a hamstring pull which could last into the regular season. S Michael Huff(notes) did not play against San Francisco with a hip injury. CB Jason Horton(notes) did not play against the 49ers with turf toe. LB Isaiah Ekejiuba(notes) is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. T Khalif Barnes(notes) could return two weeks into the regular season after recovering from a broken ankle. WR Javon Walker is scheduled to come off PUP and practice this week following offseason knee surgery.
