The Official 2011 Oakland Raiders offseason thread
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Seymour footing the bill for Raiders' camp
According to Maximum Sports Management, Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour is handling the cost of a camp being billed as an Oakland Raiders’ team passing camp.
It will be held next Tuesday-Friday at Competitive Edge Sports in Duluth, Ga. A lot of Oakland’s players are in the East or South and the location is centrally located. The news release said Seymour will be in charge of the defense and quarterback Jason Campbell will lead the offense. It also said the on-field drills will include weight lifting, swimming and nutritional counseling. Essentially, this is a minicamp for the players on their own during the lockout.
Teams are working out in pockets throughout the league. But this four-day program is impressive. This is different than a bunch of guys throwing the ball around on a high school field. It appears this camp will be professional and supervised. The only thing missing will be the Oakland coaching staff.
The news release noted that Seymour invited his teammates to the workout in an email. It opened this way: “Men, I hope everyone is well and is staying in shape because we are going to out-work everyone we face this season, and it starts right now in the offseason.”
Again, every team in the NFL is working out, but this seems to be taking it a step further. The Raiders’ brass has to be thrilled. Once the lockout finally ends, this four-day camaraderie builder should give the Raiders a head start.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/40634/seymour-footing-the-ball-for-raiders-camp
According to Maximum Sports Management, Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour is handling the cost of a camp being billed as an Oakland Raiders’ team passing camp.
It will be held next Tuesday-Friday at Competitive Edge Sports in Duluth, Ga. A lot of Oakland’s players are in the East or South and the location is centrally located. The news release said Seymour will be in charge of the defense and quarterback Jason Campbell will lead the offense. It also said the on-field drills will include weight lifting, swimming and nutritional counseling. Essentially, this is a minicamp for the players on their own during the lockout.
Teams are working out in pockets throughout the league. But this four-day program is impressive. This is different than a bunch of guys throwing the ball around on a high school field. It appears this camp will be professional and supervised. The only thing missing will be the Oakland coaching staff.
The news release noted that Seymour invited his teammates to the workout in an email. It opened this way: “Men, I hope everyone is well and is staying in shape because we are going to out-work everyone we face this season, and it starts right now in the offseason.”
Again, every team in the NFL is working out, but this seems to be taking it a step further. The Raiders’ brass has to be thrilled. Once the lockout finally ends, this four-day camaraderie builder should give the Raiders a head start.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/40634/seymour-footing-the-ball-for-raiders-camp
yeah, but other vet WRs haven't specifically come out and say they wanna be a Raider
I really hope we can get this guy... he's not a FA is he? so we'd have to make a trade? I wouldn't wanna give up too much... but he's worth something
I do remember originally reading he wanted to either go to SD or Oak, I think he just wants to be back in Cali... I find it funny he didn't mention the niners, guess he doesn't wanna be a faggot
I really hope we can get this guy... he's not a FA is he? so we'd have to make a trade? I wouldn't wanna give up too much... but he's worth something
I do remember originally reading he wanted to either go to SD or Oak, I think he just wants to be back in Cali... I find it funny he didn't mention the niners, guess he doesn't wanna be a faggot
Richard Seymour: "I was born to be a Raider"
-----------------------------------------------------
364 days ago Raider Nation was gripping over Richard Seymour’s absence at Oakland’s mini-camp. The defensive lineman hadn’t signed his franchise tag and some wondered if he even wanted to be a Raider. What a difference a year makes.
Talking yesterday on SiriusXM radio’s Blitz with Adam Schein and former Raider QB Rich Gannon, Seymour said he was destined to play in Oakland.
“Sometimes I think to myself, I was born to be a Raider,” Seymour said. “As a defensive lineman, you know just the attitude and mentality of the silver and black, the fans…(there’s) no other team I’d want to play for than the Oakland Raiders.”
But Seymour knows that sentimentality doesn’t help get to the playoffs and if the Raiders want to return to glory, the well documented poor run defense has to improve.
“That’s something we have to stop, first and foremost, definitely a thorn in my side,” Seymour said. “We’re one of the most talented groups in the league. When you talk about talent, we have it. We just have to do the little things, and grind it out play after play.”
So while Seymour and some of his teammates convene in Atlanta next week for non-contact drills, conditioning and team bonding, he knows the work they put in now will carry over to the Fall.
“We gotta build during this time, to define what we’ll be all year.”
Raiders' Seymour: "I Was Born To Be A Raider" | Football News Now
http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/raiders-seymour-i-was-born-to-be-a-raider/#.TdbnaM1rPHk
-----------------------------------------------------
364 days ago Raider Nation was gripping over Richard Seymour’s absence at Oakland’s mini-camp. The defensive lineman hadn’t signed his franchise tag and some wondered if he even wanted to be a Raider. What a difference a year makes.
Talking yesterday on SiriusXM radio’s Blitz with Adam Schein and former Raider QB Rich Gannon, Seymour said he was destined to play in Oakland.
“Sometimes I think to myself, I was born to be a Raider,” Seymour said. “As a defensive lineman, you know just the attitude and mentality of the silver and black, the fans…(there’s) no other team I’d want to play for than the Oakland Raiders.”
But Seymour knows that sentimentality doesn’t help get to the playoffs and if the Raiders want to return to glory, the well documented poor run defense has to improve.
“That’s something we have to stop, first and foremost, definitely a thorn in my side,” Seymour said. “We’re one of the most talented groups in the league. When you talk about talent, we have it. We just have to do the little things, and grind it out play after play.”
So while Seymour and some of his teammates convene in Atlanta next week for non-contact drills, conditioning and team bonding, he knows the work they put in now will carry over to the Fall.
“We gotta build during this time, to define what we’ll be all year.”
Raiders' Seymour: "I Was Born To Be A Raider" | Football News Now
http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/raiders-seymour-i-was-born-to-be-a-raider/#.TdbnaM1rPHk
Jacoby Ford driven to do it all for Oakland
Jacoby Ford made an impact in his first season with Oakland, returning three kickoffs for touchdowns.
If the Mile High air cooperates just a little, Oakland's Jacoby Ford is going to test the NFL’s newest rule on "Monday Night Football" in his team's first game of the 2011 season.
“I’m bringing that first one out,” said Ford, almost in sync with the question when asked his thoughts on the new kickoff rule that is expected to hinder kick returns. “I know it's Denver and I might not have my chance, but I’m bringing it out of the end zone every time I get [a reasonable] chance. That’s what I thought when I first saw the rule. I’m bringing it out.”
This spring, the NFL owners passed a rule that will put the ball at the 35-yard line instead of the 30 on kickoffs. Thus, more touchbacks are expected.
Ford’s aggression is admirable. He is one of the NFL’s premier return men after just one season in the league. He figures to be one of the players most at risk of suffering from the new rule, which is designed around safety.
Ford -- a fourth-round pick from Clemson in 2010 -- returned three kickoffs for touchdowns last season, an Oakland single-season record. All three returns came in the final two months of the season.
“It’s going to be tougher,” Ford said. “But I’ll be ready.”
The beauty of Ford's skill set is that he will not be neutralized totally if the new rule does, indeed, hamper the return game. Ford is not a one-trick pony.
Ford shocked the league with his ability to be a quality receiver last season. He entered the league with a reputation as a super-fast return man (he was the fastest player at the 2010 NFL combine), but was considered an unpolished receiver with poor hands.
“I heard it all,” Ford said this week from California, where is working out. “I was a reverse guy, a screen guy. I was short, I ran horrible routes, I wasn’t polished. I heard every one of them … I think, so far, I’ve proved I can be more than a returner.”
Jacoby Ford made six catches, including this one in the fourth quarter, for 148 yards during an overtime victory against the Chiefs.He started nine games and finished with 25 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns. He took over a game against Kansas City in November, returning the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown before making two huge catches as Oakland came back to win the game in overtime. Ford had six catches for 148 yards that day.
Oakland has a stable of young receivers, but expect the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Ford to be in Oakland’s mix again in 2011.
“I’m going to do what I can to make sure I stay on the field,” Ford said. “That’s my job. I want to be a complete player.”
Given Ford’s speed, having him on the field as much as possible is crucial. Ford ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Yet, he said his 40 time is irrelevant “because I’m still accelerating after 40 yards.” First-year Oakland head coach Hue Jackson, who was Oakland’s offensive coordinator last season, made it clear at the combine in February that he has big plans for Ford in Oakland’s offense moving forward.
“The guy is fast, and he scores touchdowns,” Jackson said. “So there’s no question, anytime I can get the ball in his hands, I want to do that. I mean, he’s a tremendous talent. Obviously we saw him last year at the combine run as fast as anybody in a long time, and obviously he came to the Raiders and proved that to be true. The guy is a tremendous special-teams player and ended up being our starting Z receiver and had a tremendous first year.”
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. believes Ford is ready to be a solid contributor as a starting receiver. Williamson admitted that he wasn’t expecting Ford's receiving skills to be as polished as they were his rookie year. Williamson thinks Ford can be an effective No. 2 receiver.
“I am surprised, but I am also very much a fan of Ford. Pure electricity,” Williamson said. “One of the fastest players in the NFL -- and he plays like it in pads. He just runs away from people, but he isn't only a straight-line guy. He certainly has some wiggle and vision with the ball in his hands. But I don't see him as a No. 1 receiver. He’s a complementary piece -- but a good complementary piece.”
Ford is working toward being an Oakland mainstay at receiver, and he will join quarterback Jason Campbell in workouts next week on the East Coast.
Ford is hopeful to add one more duty to his Oakland role in 2011: punt returns. The Raiders have toyed with the idea, but they are leery of injury. Ford joked that he “has to convince Al Davis” to let him return punts. Ford said he plans to talk to Jackson about it and have Jackson talk to Davis. Ford said he is willing to compromise and return punts only occasionally.
“I just want to do whatever I can to make this team better,” Ford said. “I want to show that what I did as a rookie is just the beginning of my success as a Raider.”
Jacoby Ford made an impact in his first season with Oakland, returning three kickoffs for touchdowns.
If the Mile High air cooperates just a little, Oakland's Jacoby Ford is going to test the NFL’s newest rule on "Monday Night Football" in his team's first game of the 2011 season.
“I’m bringing that first one out,” said Ford, almost in sync with the question when asked his thoughts on the new kickoff rule that is expected to hinder kick returns. “I know it's Denver and I might not have my chance, but I’m bringing it out of the end zone every time I get [a reasonable] chance. That’s what I thought when I first saw the rule. I’m bringing it out.”
This spring, the NFL owners passed a rule that will put the ball at the 35-yard line instead of the 30 on kickoffs. Thus, more touchbacks are expected.
Ford’s aggression is admirable. He is one of the NFL’s premier return men after just one season in the league. He figures to be one of the players most at risk of suffering from the new rule, which is designed around safety.
Ford -- a fourth-round pick from Clemson in 2010 -- returned three kickoffs for touchdowns last season, an Oakland single-season record. All three returns came in the final two months of the season.
“It’s going to be tougher,” Ford said. “But I’ll be ready.”
The beauty of Ford's skill set is that he will not be neutralized totally if the new rule does, indeed, hamper the return game. Ford is not a one-trick pony.
Ford shocked the league with his ability to be a quality receiver last season. He entered the league with a reputation as a super-fast return man (he was the fastest player at the 2010 NFL combine), but was considered an unpolished receiver with poor hands.
“I heard it all,” Ford said this week from California, where is working out. “I was a reverse guy, a screen guy. I was short, I ran horrible routes, I wasn’t polished. I heard every one of them … I think, so far, I’ve proved I can be more than a returner.”
Jacoby Ford made six catches, including this one in the fourth quarter, for 148 yards during an overtime victory against the Chiefs.He started nine games and finished with 25 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns. He took over a game against Kansas City in November, returning the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown before making two huge catches as Oakland came back to win the game in overtime. Ford had six catches for 148 yards that day.
Oakland has a stable of young receivers, but expect the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Ford to be in Oakland’s mix again in 2011.
“I’m going to do what I can to make sure I stay on the field,” Ford said. “That’s my job. I want to be a complete player.”
Given Ford’s speed, having him on the field as much as possible is crucial. Ford ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Yet, he said his 40 time is irrelevant “because I’m still accelerating after 40 yards.” First-year Oakland head coach Hue Jackson, who was Oakland’s offensive coordinator last season, made it clear at the combine in February that he has big plans for Ford in Oakland’s offense moving forward.
“The guy is fast, and he scores touchdowns,” Jackson said. “So there’s no question, anytime I can get the ball in his hands, I want to do that. I mean, he’s a tremendous talent. Obviously we saw him last year at the combine run as fast as anybody in a long time, and obviously he came to the Raiders and proved that to be true. The guy is a tremendous special-teams player and ended up being our starting Z receiver and had a tremendous first year.”
Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. believes Ford is ready to be a solid contributor as a starting receiver. Williamson admitted that he wasn’t expecting Ford's receiving skills to be as polished as they were his rookie year. Williamson thinks Ford can be an effective No. 2 receiver.
“I am surprised, but I am also very much a fan of Ford. Pure electricity,” Williamson said. “One of the fastest players in the NFL -- and he plays like it in pads. He just runs away from people, but he isn't only a straight-line guy. He certainly has some wiggle and vision with the ball in his hands. But I don't see him as a No. 1 receiver. He’s a complementary piece -- but a good complementary piece.”
Ford is working toward being an Oakland mainstay at receiver, and he will join quarterback Jason Campbell in workouts next week on the East Coast.
Ford is hopeful to add one more duty to his Oakland role in 2011: punt returns. The Raiders have toyed with the idea, but they are leery of injury. Ford joked that he “has to convince Al Davis” to let him return punts. Ford said he plans to talk to Jackson about it and have Jackson talk to Davis. Ford said he is willing to compromise and return punts only occasionally.
“I just want to do whatever I can to make this team better,” Ford said. “I want to show that what I did as a rookie is just the beginning of my success as a Raider.”
Seymour's solo act sets intense tone during Raiders' workout
BUFORD, Ga. -- There are certain guys in the NFL who make a difference with their play. There are others, like Richard Seymour who make a difference with their presence.
NFL players descend on Atlanta
An estimated 25 players who train with Tom Shaw at the Disney Sports Complex in Orlando have arrived via bus in suburban Atlanta to train with the more than 30 players from the Raiders on Wednesday and Thursday.
Plans are still being formulated as to whether the groups will train together -- the Raiders are expected to go through seven-on-seven drills as a team. All players will lift weights and be put through positional training drills by Shaw's staff as well as coaches and trainers from Chip Smith's Competitive Edge Sports in Atlanta.
-- Steve Wyche
He's undoubtedly helped the Raiders improve on defense since he was acquired in a trade with the Patriots in 2009. It's his veteran influence, though, that's helped set the wayward organization toward a path of potential success.
No one will ever have more sway than owner Al Davis, who dictates everything Silver and Black. However, during this lockout, when Davis' reach can't touch the players, it's Seymour who wields respect and is using it to generate momentum so the team can build off its 8-8 record in 2010.
That was evident when 32 of Seymour's teammates -- most of them frontline starters and the top two draft picks -- showed up for a three-day minicamp in suburban Atlanta, near where Seymour lives. He footed the bill for accommodations, food and for the training staff that is putting the team through its paces.
A lot of players take part when someone else is paying. A lot probably also don't mind coming to the ATL, where it seems at least a third of all pro athletes reside, in large part because of the region offers several samplings of the lifestyle that young, well-paid athletes tend to enjoy.
Despite all that, most of his teammates paid their own way to get there.
Jason Campbell, Darren McFadden, Rolando McClain, Louis Murphy, Marcel Reece, Jacoby Ford, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kyle Boller, Bruce Campbell and draft picks Stefan Wisniewski and Damarcus Van Dyke were among those who showed. Players arrived to the first day of unexpectedly challenging on-field workouts in a convoy of silver and black vehicles. Whether that was coincidental or planned, the symbolism set the tone.
Photo gallery
» NFL's player-only workouts
» NFL.com's complete photo archive
Seymour was the focal point, throughout. Before being put through two hours of mostly positional drills by Competitive Edge Sports founder Chip Smith and his staff, they rallied around Seymour, who reminded players it was a non-contact session and that they were there to get better, not get hurt.
But the most poignant moment of the first day of workouts was provided by Seymour. Every position group -- no kickers or punters were there -- had at least three players except the defensive line (defensive tackle Tommy Kelly arrived well into the workout).
Seymour, 31 years old and 10 seasons in the league, got after it solo, with Smith putting him through some lung-expanding, quadriceps-punishing drills. As hard as his teammates were pushed -- McClain openly asked "What the (heck) have we gotten ourselves into?" -- they all saw Seymour going at it alone.
When I joked with McClain that he needed to call in a few more linebackers so he could take a break, he pointed at Seymour and without a word, made his point abundantly clear.
Follow Steve Wyche on Twitter @wyche89.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...ne-during-raiders-workout?module=HP_spotlight
BUFORD, Ga. -- There are certain guys in the NFL who make a difference with their play. There are others, like Richard Seymour who make a difference with their presence.
NFL players descend on Atlanta
An estimated 25 players who train with Tom Shaw at the Disney Sports Complex in Orlando have arrived via bus in suburban Atlanta to train with the more than 30 players from the Raiders on Wednesday and Thursday.
Plans are still being formulated as to whether the groups will train together -- the Raiders are expected to go through seven-on-seven drills as a team. All players will lift weights and be put through positional training drills by Shaw's staff as well as coaches and trainers from Chip Smith's Competitive Edge Sports in Atlanta.
-- Steve Wyche
He's undoubtedly helped the Raiders improve on defense since he was acquired in a trade with the Patriots in 2009. It's his veteran influence, though, that's helped set the wayward organization toward a path of potential success.
No one will ever have more sway than owner Al Davis, who dictates everything Silver and Black. However, during this lockout, when Davis' reach can't touch the players, it's Seymour who wields respect and is using it to generate momentum so the team can build off its 8-8 record in 2010.
That was evident when 32 of Seymour's teammates -- most of them frontline starters and the top two draft picks -- showed up for a three-day minicamp in suburban Atlanta, near where Seymour lives. He footed the bill for accommodations, food and for the training staff that is putting the team through its paces.
A lot of players take part when someone else is paying. A lot probably also don't mind coming to the ATL, where it seems at least a third of all pro athletes reside, in large part because of the region offers several samplings of the lifestyle that young, well-paid athletes tend to enjoy.
Despite all that, most of his teammates paid their own way to get there.
Jason Campbell, Darren McFadden, Rolando McClain, Louis Murphy, Marcel Reece, Jacoby Ford, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kyle Boller, Bruce Campbell and draft picks Stefan Wisniewski and Damarcus Van Dyke were among those who showed. Players arrived to the first day of unexpectedly challenging on-field workouts in a convoy of silver and black vehicles. Whether that was coincidental or planned, the symbolism set the tone.
Photo gallery
» NFL's player-only workouts
» NFL.com's complete photo archive
Seymour was the focal point, throughout. Before being put through two hours of mostly positional drills by Competitive Edge Sports founder Chip Smith and his staff, they rallied around Seymour, who reminded players it was a non-contact session and that they were there to get better, not get hurt.
But the most poignant moment of the first day of workouts was provided by Seymour. Every position group -- no kickers or punters were there -- had at least three players except the defensive line (defensive tackle Tommy Kelly arrived well into the workout).
Seymour, 31 years old and 10 seasons in the league, got after it solo, with Smith putting him through some lung-expanding, quadriceps-punishing drills. As hard as his teammates were pushed -- McClain openly asked "What the (heck) have we gotten ourselves into?" -- they all saw Seymour going at it alone.
When I joked with McClain that he needed to call in a few more linebackers so he could take a break, he pointed at Seymour and without a word, made his point abundantly clear.
Follow Steve Wyche on Twitter @wyche89.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...ne-during-raiders-workout?module=HP_spotlight