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News Archive
Sept. 1-Dec. 22, 2001
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The injury report for this evening's game is as follows:
Oakland: Out: G Mo Collins (leg). Questionable: T Barry Sims (foot). Probable: FB Jon Ritchie (ankle); K Sebastian Janikowski (groin);CB Charles Woodson (toe).
Tennessee: Out: SS Blaine Bishop (foot/ankle/hand); WR Justin McCareins (ankle); DT Joe Salave'a (ankle); DT Robaire Smith (thumb). Questionable: RB Eddie George (ankle); MLB Randall Godfrey (knee); CB DeRon Jenkins (knee/neck); C Kevin Long (knee); QB Steve McNair (back); CB Donald Mitchell (knee); SS Aric Morris (ankle); G Zach Piller (wrist); S Daryl Porter (knee); CB Samari Rolle (foot); WR Chris Sanders (back).
Source(s): San Francisco Chronicle
Where Are They Now Dept.: Punter Leo Araguz was waived by Detroit.
Source(s): Associated Press
The league injury report for this afternoon's game is as follows:
Oakland: Doubtful: G Mo Collins (leg). Questionable: FB Jon Ritchie (ankle); T Barry Sims (foot); CB Charles Woodson (toe). Probable: TE Roland Williams (ankle).
San Diego: Out: WR Tim Dwight (pneumothorax); RB Terrell Fletcher (hamstring); CB Alex Molden (ankle). Questionable: CB Tay Cody (ankle). Probable: G DeMingo Graham (hip); FS Jason Perry (knee).
Source(s): NFL.com
The injury report for tomorrow's showdown with the Squaws is as follows:
Oakland: Doubtful: G Mo Collins (leg); FB Jon Ritchie (ankle). Questionable: T Barry Sims (foot); CB Charles Woodson (toe). Probable: WR Jerry Porter (ankle); TE Roland Williams (knee).
Kansas City: Doubtful: T Victor Riley (ankle). Questionable: G Donald Willis (calf). Probable: OLB Lewis Bush (groin); DE Duane Clemons (thigh); CB Ray Crockett (groin); DT Nate Hobgood-Chittick (ankle); DE Rich Owens (ribs); WR Larry Parker (shoulder).
Source(s): NFL.com
Where Are They Now Dept: QB Scott Dreisbach signed with the Detroit Lions this past week. He's expected to be their No. 3 quarterback.
Source(s): Associated Press (Nando)
Shuffling bodies: Following the announcement that the pin in T Barry Sims's foot had bent, and that Sims was doubtful as far as playing, the Raiders last week re-signed O-lineman Jerry Crafts (6-6, 330), an Arena League vet who was with the team for a month during training camp. Crafts was not activated last week against San Diego.
Then, this week, CB James Hasty quit the team after talking with Coach Jon Gruden. Hasty, 36, had seen action on only four plays in his two games on the roster, and it's believed he decided that such a limited role just wasn't for him.
But surprise—even though Charles Woodson continues to hobble (and will for the rest of the season), and even though Woodson was only able to play last week after getting a painkilling injection, the Raiders didn't put another DB on the roster. This observer expected to see CB Brandon Jennings back. After all, with Hasty gone, the Raiders have only three cornerbacks on the roster. But instead, the Raiders claimed T Toby Myles off waivers from Cleveland.
Myles was on the Raiders roster last season but was never activated. During pre-season exhibition games this year his play looked just awful to this observer. (He was a late cut.) Let's hope he's not needed on the field.
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times
Bits and pieces:
The Raiders escaped from the San Diego contest without any new serious injuries . . . RB Tyrone Wheatley's knee healed some time ago, but an infection continued to slow him down and he was inactive for the Dolts game. He should be ready to go this Sunday, adding punch (and an important change of pace) to the Raiders' rushing attack. G Mo Collins, sidelined for weeks with a stress fracture in his leg, saw some action last Sunday and played well.
Coach Jon Gruden was unhappy with the recent play of DE Josh Taves. Taves wasn't even activated against San Diego, and Gruden made clear that he expects better performance from Taves.
DT Darrell Russell received an extensive lecture from Gruden this week about his attitude and Gruden's expectations. Russell, still whining about his four-week suspension, had it coming . . .
I wrote here last week that the dropoff in talent from LT Barry Sims to Matt Stinchcomb wasn't huge. Boy, was I wrong! Stinchcomb, a bust considering he was a first-round draft pick, allowed three sacks and numerous pressures against San Diego. How about leaving Frank Middleton at RG and moving Mo Collins back to LT for the remainder of this season?
Here's the NFL preliminary injury report, issued each Wednesday:
Oakland: Questionable: T Barry Sims (foot), CB Charles Woodson (toe). Probable: RB Tyrone Wheatley (knee).
New York: Questionable: CB Will Allen (eye), DT Keith Hamilton (chest), RB Damon Washington (hamstring). Probable: DE Cedric Scott (hand), CB Jason Sehorn (knee), C Dusty Zeigler (concussion).
Source(s): NFL.com
Does DE Regan Upshaw suck, or does Regan Upshaw suck? Read this excerpt from the Nando SportsServer, published last Friday:
"SEATTLE left tackle Walter Jones received a perfect 9.0 grade from line coach Tom Lovat after paving the way for Shaun Alexander's 266-yard rushing game against Oakland on Sunday. It was the first perfect grade issued by Lovat in 20 years of coaching. Jones shut out Raiders defensive end Regan Upshaw. The effort vaulted Seattle from 27th to 17th in total offense and from 15th to fifth in rush offense."
Jon Gruden certainly noticed . . . Rookie Chris Cooper started at DE in Upshaw's place the following Sunday.
Source(s): Scripps Howard News Service
Bad news for an already depleted offensive line . . . Barry Sims's foot, held together by a metal pin since he had offseason surgery, has given out. As San Francisco Chronicle reporter Brian Murphy put it, "Sims' tender foot, burdened by a stress fracture, finally gave way after eight consecutive starts . . . ."
T Matt Stinchcomb will fill in for Sims, which isn't a huge dropoff in talent—but the loss of Sims is a blow nevertheless in that it further reduces the Raiders' depth in the line.
It sounds from news accounts as though the wise thing for Sims would be to have surgery, which would of course mean he went on injured reserve and missed the rest of the year. Check today's Articles and Previews sections for more details on Sims' condition.
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, Press Democrat
Perhaps the only other NFL team with as many serious injuries as the Raiders is Sunday's opponent, San Diego. The Dolts started off hot this season but have lost four of their last six games.
Here's the midweek NFL injury report:
Oakland: Doubtful: T Barry Sims (foot). Questionable: OLB Elijah Alexander (knee), G Mo Collins (leg), CB Charles Woodson (toe). Probable: FB Jon Ritchie (groin), OLB William Thomas (hamstring), RB Tyrone Wheatley (knee).
San Diego: Out: CB Alex Molden (ankle), MLB Carlos Polk (shoulder-injured reserve). Doubtful: WR Tim Dwight (collapsed lung), SS Rodney Harrison (ankle). Questionable: TE Freddie Jones (ankle). Probable: RB Terrell Fletcher (ankle), FB Derrick Harris (hamstring), TE Steve Heiden (hamstring), RB Ronney Jenkins (concussion), MLB Orlando Ruff (neck).
Source(s): NFL.com
CB James Hasty, an old nemesis of the Raiders when he played for Kansas City, was signed on Wednesday.
You can check his career stats here.
The list of 2002 nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been released, and in all, it includes 21 players who are former Raiders.
The ex-Raiders on this year's list are: DE Sean Jones; QBs Jim Plunkett and Ken Stabler; RBs Mark van Eeghen, Roger Craig, and Greg Pruitt; WRs Cliff Branch and James Lofton; TEs Dave Casper and Todd Christensen; Cs Dave Dalby and Don Mosebar; LBs Rod Martin, Matt Millen, Jerry Robinson, and Phil Villapiano; CB Lester Hayes; S Jack Tatum; punter Ray Guy; coach Tom Flores; and "contributor" Ron Wolf.
Source(s): Raiders.com
Oakland: Doubtful: OLB Elijah Alexander (knee); QB Bobby Hoying (elbow). Questionable: G Mo Collins (leg); T Lincoln Kennedy (shoulder); T Barry Sims (foot); RB Tyrone Wheatley (knee). Probable: WR David Dunn (quadriceps).
Denver: Doubtful: WR-KR Kevin Kasper (ankle). Questionable: G Lennie Friedman (knee). Probable: WR Chris Cole (back); RB Terrell Davis (knee); G Steve Herndon (knee).
Source(s): NFL.com
Two different Donks got fined by the league this week, one for a cut block. See the Articles section for more . . .
It's nice to see that the subject of cut blocking has gotten some media scrutiny this week. It's a particularly dangerous practice and should have been outlawed years ago. This observer has vivid memories of Howie Long railing at the SF Whiners for cutting him during a Monday night game.
Here's the final injury report for tomorrow's game:
Oakland: Doubtful: QB Bobby Hoying. Questionable: RB Tyrone Wheatley (knee), G Mo Collins (calf), SS Marquez Pope (hamstring), T Barry Sims (foot), LB Elijah Alexander (ankle). Probable: SS Derrick Gibson (hand).
Philadelphia: Questionable: DT Corey Simon (concussion/neck), WR Todd Pinkston (wrist). Probable: DT Paul Grasmanis (Achilles), DE N.D. Kalu (ankle), WR Gari Scott (ankle), RB Duce Staley (shoulder), T Tra Thomas (eye)
Source(s): (Sonoma County) Press Democrat, PhiladelphiaEagles.com
The major news development since the last game has been the injury status of RB Tyrone Wheatley and G Mo Collins, each of whom received results from an MRI exam done the day following the Indianapolis game.
Wheatley has a sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his knee. He isn't saying much about the injury. He might well be inactive for tomorrow's game. This would give backup RB Terry Kirby the opportunity to dress for the game.
(Kirby is a mild favorite of this observer: he runs hard and has great hands, a nice combination.)
Collins, who was a last-minute scratch for the past two games, turns out to have a stress fracture in his leg. This injury was causing pain to radiate through his calf, confusing the diagnosis at first. (Coach Jon Gruden at one point had told reporters that the injury was hamstring tendinitis.) The parameters of the injury still aren't entirely clear.
Backup G Frank Middleton has been filling in very well for Collins—a pleasant development since offensive line depth has proven to be critically important to the Raiders this season.
Source(s): San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, Associated Press
Roster: Someone had to go when Darrell Russell saw game action against Indy following a 4-game suspension. That someone was CB Brandon Jennings. This time the Raiders won't be able to re-sign Jennings to the practice squad—Cleveland claimed him on waivers. That makes Eric Johnson the 'permanent' fourth corner.
Alumni news: Blockhead James Trapp is in the news this week after drawing a $12,500 fine from the NFL for a helmet-to-helmet hit on someone. Trapp never did have any self-restraint . . . While we're on the subject of hotheads, Regan Upshaw drew another fine from the league ($5,000).
Practice squad: Signed: T James Wagstaff of North Carolina. Cut to make room, presumably, was T Chad Slaughter. The Raiders have been playing musical chairs with one of their five permitted slots, trying out different O-linemen. Omar Smith, Terrance Sykes, Slaughter, now Wagstaff . . .
Source(s): Contra Costa Times, ESPN.com
Here is Wednesday's preliminary injury report from the league office for this weekend's game:
Oakland: Doubtful: QB Bobby Hoying (elbow). Questionable: T Barry Sims (foot), DT Rod Coleman (hamstring), SS Derrick Gibson (hand), FS Johnnie Harris (sternum), RB Randy Jordan (knee), and RB Tyrone Wheatley (wrist). Probable: G Mo Collins (hamstring), FS Anthony Dorsett (ribs).
Indy: Out: OLB Sean Harris (neck). Doubtful: WR Jerome Pathon (foot). Questionable: DE Mark Thomas (groin), WR Terrence Wilkins (chest). Probable: TE Ken Dilger (knee), FB Jim Finn (hamstring), CB Nicholas Harper (groin), and K Mike Vanderjagt (toe).
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, NFL.com
DE Darren Mickell's latest stay with the Raiders was brief. Signed Oct. 2, he was released Oct. 9 . . .
This observer was happy to see CB Brandon Jennings promoted from the practice squad. Hopefully coach Jon Gruden will find a way to activate him for games. The thought of Eric Johnson—his special teams prowess notwithstanding—in man-to-man coverage is unsettling. :-(
Source(s): Sacramento Bee
So, you ask, why don't I write about Dumbkowski's latest embarrassing episode? It's really not worth wasting words on the loser. The guy is a jackass, and at the rate he's going, he'll likely be out of the NFL within another couple years. Move over, Marinovich . . .
This observer had wondered whom the Raiders would cut when DT Darrell Russell returned from his suspension yesterday. It turns out that the NFL has given the Raiders a temporary exemption for Russell's spot, which is due to expire Monday, or on Sunday if Russell is activated for Sunday's game. So within the next few days the Raiders will have to cut a player to bring their roster down to 53.
Source(s): Oakland Tribune
Was yesterday's effort sloppy or what?!?!?
DT Darrell Russell's suspension ended after yesterday's game and coach Jon Gruden himself will personally pick up Russell at the airport today when he flies in from San Diego.
The Raiders will have to cut a player from the active roster to make room. This observer's guess: 3rd-round draft pick DE DeLawrence Grant. Grant has yet to be activated for a game despite all the injuries the team has suffered in its defensive line.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times
Sunday's game will be televised locally!
The game did not quite sell out, but the Raiders agreed to purchase any remaining tickets and the NFL agreed that no blackout will be imposed. Various reports say there were between 1000 and 1500 tickets remaining unsold as of last night.
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Raiders Fans Mail List, San Francisco Chronicle
Personnel stuff: DE Trace Armstrong's MRI showed a ruptured Achilles tendon, and the team placed him on injured reserve status Tuesday. He underwent surgery yesterday, a procedure which was described by coach Jon Gruden as having gone well.
Successful reconstruction or not, Armstrong turns 36 next month, and the chances are greater than 50-50 that his NFL career has ended. It has to be a discouraging way to go out for him; Armstrong has 99 career sacks and this observer suspects he would at least have liked to get that 100th . . .
To replace him the Raiders re-signed DE Darren Mickell, the 9-year veteran out of Florida who was with the team throughout training camp. Mickell wore No. 70 in camp; now he'll be No. 98.
The Raiders also talked with currently unemployed DT Russell Maryland, who was a training camp casualty of the Packers. Sources said the team will wait to evaluate the injuries to Rod Coleman (hamstring) and Grady Jackson (shoulder) before considering the possible signing of Maryland to provide DL depth.
The Raiders jockeyed their practice squad again this week. Waived were RB Jabari Jackson and T Terrance Sykes. Sykes had been signed just last week.
Signed to fill their spots were CB Brandon Jennings and T Chad Slaughter, formerly with Dallas. This observer would have thought Jennings was not eligible for the practice squad . . . to qualify a player must not have played in more than some very minimal number of regular season NFL games (1 or 2?). Apparently Jennings was inactive for virtually every game last season. (Funny, because I seem to recall seeing him on special teams on occasion. . . ??)
If any readers can help with information on the foregoing eligibility rule, please send me an e-mail.
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee, Oakland Tribune
Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski was named a co-AFC Player of the Month. He's 8 for 8 on field goal attempts and has an NFL-high eight touchbacks on kickoffs.
Source(s): Sacramento Bee
The NFL's injury report for Sunday, as of Wednesday:
Oakland: Doubtful: DT Roderick Coleman (hamstring). Questionable: DT Grady Jackson (shoulder), G Mo Collins (calf), QB Bobby Hoying (elbow), RB Charlie Garner (shoulder). Probable: TE Roland Williams (ankle).
Dallas: Out: WR Raghib Ismail (knee). Questionable: DE Byron Frisch (knee), LB Orantes Grant (ankle), QB Quincy Carter (thumb), SS Darren Woodson (hand). Probable: TE Jackie Harris (groin).
Source(s): CNNSI
Defensive co-captain DE Trace Armstrong left today's game late in the fourth quarter with what is probably a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He is likely gone for the year.
You can expect the Raiders to place him on injured reserve once they have MRI results.
Source(s): USA Today, Sports Network, Associated Press, KPIX-TV
Several media broke a story late Friday that backup QB Bobby Hoying apparently strained a ligament in his right (throwing arm) elbow during practice Thursday. It appears doubtful that he will be available to play Sunday.
"Nobody hit him, nobody touched him," said coach Jon Gruden. "He just threw a pass and experienced pain. That's all I know, other than that we are very concerned."
"Any time an injury occurs to a quarterback's shoulder or elbow, you've got to be concerned with that."
The Raiders acted quickly, re-signing veteran QB Rodney Peete. To make roster room they waived second-year CB Brandon Jennings.
(Cutting Jennings is somewhat paradoxical. He improved a great deal during his rookie year and the 2001 camp, and—in this observer's view—is a substantially better cornerback than Eric Johnson, who was burned repeatedly during the preseason but remains on the team. Johnson is a special teams fixture, and that dimension alone clearly makes him more valuable in Gruden's view.)
In an apparently unrelated move, T Shar Pourdanesh was waived from injured reserve.
Source(s): Raiders.com, Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle
The NFL's preliminary (Wed.) injury report for Sunday's game:
Oakland: Out: C Barret Robbins (knee). Doubtful: QB Bobby Hoying (elbow). Questionable: FS Johnnie Harris (shoulder); T Lincoln Kennedy (shoulder). Probable: RB Tyrone Wheatley (neck).
Seattle: Questionable: MLB Isaiah Kacyvenski (concussion); CB Shawn Springs (hamstring). Probable: TE Christian Fauria (hip); CB Willie Williams (arm).
Source(s): Associated Press
Source(s): San Francisco Chronicle
According to ESPN writer Len Pasquarelli, the Raiders have signed C Aaron Graham, who was on the team's roster throughout training camp until the final cut on Sept. 2. Graham will handle the long snapping duties so that new starter C Adam Treu can concentrate on his regular assignment.
Pasquarelli writes that the team's long-term adjustment will involve moving LT Matt Stinchcomb to center, and that Stinchcomb was so informed on the flight home from Miami Sunday. (Meaning that coach Jon Gruden's hedging about his plans in Monday's press conference was largely BS. :-) The Raiders hope Stinchcomb can take over after a week or two's learning.
Treu is not a starting lineman in terms of ability.
The Raiders themselves have made no announcement of the signing. It is known that they worked out both Graham and lineman Jason Watts on Tuesday.
Source(s): ESPN.com, Contra Costa Times
It's almost certain that C Barret Robbins, anchor of the Raiders offensive line, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. An MRI was performed yesterday, but results were not available.
Coach Jon Gruden seemed pretty certain that the worst case scenario was true. "Barret Robbins appears to have torn his ACL ligament, the anterior cruciate," he said. "He's getting an MRI, but that's what it looks like. And that is a very serious injury, obviously. . ."
"He (Robbins) felt it was just a bruise", Gruden said. "You know Barrret . . . Barret is a tough guy."
The loss of Robbins is a killer. Not only does he call the blocking assignments, but he's the Raiders' most dominant guy up front these days. There is a substantial dropoff in ability if backup Adam Treu has to take over.
Gruden did his best to complement Treu's abilities: "He's a smart guy. He's athletic. He'll do a good job. . . . Those are big shoes to fill, but we'll show confidence in Adam."
Gruden impliedly contradicted his endorsement of Treu when he indicated the Raiders might also consider moving G Steve Wisniewski or T Matt Stinchcomb to center. And he said the team would also be looking for outside players who could help.
Then he flat out contradicted it: "We'll show confidence in Adam, but at the same time we'll look into the center position to see how we can best make our offense as good as it can be."
This observer sees the loss of Robbins—assuming the worst—as serious enough to negatively affect the Raiders' chances of getting to the Super Bowl this season.
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Sonoma County Press Democrat
Other injuries from Sunday's game: RB Tyrone Wheatley (neck), SS Marquez Pope (left shoulder), FS Anthony Dorsett (ribs), LB Bobby Brooks (hamstring), and S Johnnie Harris (left shoulder).
Source(s): Contra Costa Times, Sonoma County Press Democrat
The preliminary injury report for Sunday's game has DE Roderick Coleman (pectoral muscle), SS Johnnie Harris (hamstring), and T Lincoln Kennedy (shoulder) listed as questionable. All will play this Sunday, as will C Barret Robbins (thumb).
For Miami, out are DT Tim Bowens (knee) and SS Trent Gamble (shoulder). Listed as probable: G Mark Dixon (back), LB Morlon Greenwood (foot), QB Ray Lucas (back), WR James McKnight (hand), WR Dedric Ward (foot), and FS Shawn Wooden (hamstring).
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle, ESPN.com
The rescheduling of the Oct. 21 Dallas game to the previous bye date of Oct. 7 changes once again the date for DT Darrell Russell's return. As things now stand, his suspension will end following the game on October 7.
For you roster watchers, I neglected to mention this tidbit previously, which wasn't reported in the media . . . At some point during the week prior to the first regular-season game, OL Darryl Ashmore switched from No. 73 to 77. Newcomer G Frank Middleton then ditched his No. 78 for No. 73. And while we're on the subject, Marcus Knight, originally reported to have picked No. 85, settled on 83.
The Raiders released practice squad lineman Omar Smith and in his place signed T Mark Bristol of Mansfield College.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times
Last night an NFL source told the AP that the owners and officials had reached a contract agreement. There's been no official announcement. The report said the agreement would have to be ratified by the 119 officials involved, who were to vote by e-mail, with ratification expected to be official today.
The deal is reportedly for the same amount of money the league had offered on Sept. 4, although some details of the new package differ. It calls for a 50 percent raise this season and 100 percent by the fourth year of a six-year contract.
Source: Associated Press
Likewise the NFL is expected to announce today that the games from last weekend will be made up on Jan. 5-6, 2002, thus eliminating all but two wild-card teams—one from each conference—from the playoffs. The Players Association recommended that plan to the league, and you can bet the owners also want the additional revenue those games would mean.
Former Raider great and current NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw said, "I'd be awfully surprised if they went any other way. . . . It's the cleanest (solution) for everyone."
Sources: San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune
Another ex-Raider has died in his 40s . . . CB Dwayne O'Steen, 46, started for the 1980 Raider team that went on to win Super Bowl XV, and played for the team in 1981 as well. He died of a heart attack Saturday night.
For the last decade or so he had worked in medical sales in Fairfield, CA (in the Bay Area).
Former teammate and Raiders exec Morris Bradshaw said, "He was a good guy. This is almost overwhelming. Succumbing in your 40s is a little ridiculous. . . . He's only a couple years behind me in age. That's even more unsettling."
Source: Contra Costa Times
An NFL official clarified yesterday that DT Darrell Russell's suspension will now run through October 14 as a result of the rescheduling of games in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. Simply put, the suspension is for 4 games, not 4 weeks, and the Raiders don't play their fourth game until Oct. 14.
Sources: Sacramento Bee, Contra Costa Times
Finally, the Raiders should be in good shape physically for Sunday's game at Miami. Both C Barret Robbins (broken thumb) and T Lincoln Kennedy (shoulder bruise) welcomed the unanticipated few days off they've had.
Sources: San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times
It's unclear following today's terrorist bombings whether the NFL will play or cancel the coming weekend schedule. A league VP said the league would take 48 hours to consider the question.
Source: NFL.com
C Barret Robbins broke his thumb in Sunday's contest but says he'll play this weekend against the Jets.
"I'd play right now," Robbins said. "You can't cast it because you can't snap if you cast it. It can't be a problem. It's pretty painful but you've just got to medicate it right. It's not going to stop me from playing."
DL Josh Taves and RB Zack Crockett each sustained bruised ribs, and T Lincoln Kennedy had a bruised shoulder. S Johnnie Harris underwent an MRI for a hamstring injury.
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune
Injury report for Sunday's game:
Oakland: Doubtful: DT Roderick Coleman (torn pectoral muscle). Questionable: RB Terry Kirby (hip), LB Greg Biekert (hamstring), WR Jerry Porter (shoulder). Coach Jon Gruden said Porter will be a "game-time decision."
Kansas City: Out: C Casey Wiegmann (abdomen), LB Mike Maslowski (knee). Questionable: WR Derrick Alexander (ankle), LB Larry Atkins (foot), DT Eric Downing (ankle). Probable: LB Donnie Edwards (ankle), WR Chris Thomas (calf).
Sources: Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle, NFL.com, kcchiefs.com
With Rod Coleman, filling in for the suspended Darrell Russell, almost certainly out for Sunday, Gruden said DE Josh Taves will move inside to fill the tackle spot alongside Grady Jackson. Greg Biekert will probably play, but if he can't, outside LB Elijah Alexander says he thinks Gruden would tap Bobby Brooks to start in the middle. Gruden himself has been evasive this week about possible replacements for Biekert, who hasn't missed a start in 8 NFL seasons.
Sources: Raiders.com, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle
The Raiders signed five players to their practice squad this week, two of whom who were in their training camp: RB Jabari Jackson and 5th-round draft pick S Raymond Perryman. The others signed were WR Phil McGeoghan (Univ. of Maine, was in New York Jets camp); WR Elijah Thurman (Howard, Philadelphia camp); and G Omar Smith (Kentucky, St. Louis camp).
The team also worked out CB George McCullough, a backup for Tennessee the past four seasons who was released Sunday by KC.
Raiders draft picks Ken-Yon Rambo and Derek Combs both ended up elsewhere. Rambo was signed to the Dallas active roster. Combs was signed to Tennessee's practice squad.
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, Sacramento Bee
Where Are They Now Dept: Former Raider and all-around nice guy Russell Maryland was cut by Green Bay.
Source: Associated Press
As of midday the Raiders had still not announced their practice squad designees. According to the Contra Costa Times, the team said it hadn't received the names of those cut by other NFL teams until late Sunday and needed additional time to make its choices.
This observer's likely candidates, assuming they haven't already been claimed by other teams: WR Ken-Yon Rambo, RB Derek Combs, WR Andy McCullough, and perhaps S Raymond Perryman.
Source: Contra Costa Times
Word from the players is that coach Jon Gruden has told Barry Sims that he, and not Matt Stinchcomb, will start at left tackle. Gruden is also reported to have told Eric Barton that William Thomas will continue to start at weak side LB. Barton had waged a spirited battle to try to unseat Thomas.
Gruden told reporters that he has still not decided on the starter at the second WR position—opposite Tim Brown—between Jerry Rice, James Jett and Jerry Porter. Gruden said he would make his decision known by tomorrow.
Source: Contra Costa Times
The only surprise to this fan in Sunday's final roster cutdown was LB Ryan Phillips. He's big (roughly 250 pounds), started for the Giants last year, and could play any of the three linebacking positions. I frankly expected Phillips to make the team as a backup both in the middle and on the strong side, with either Bobby Brooks or Travian Smith getting cut instead.
Apparently special teams play was the deciding factor. It must have been, for Smith, in particular, has never been able to learn the mental aspects of the defense well. He frequently overruns plays, and he's a disaster in pass coverage. Brooks, for his part, is undersized for the middle.
New numbers: WR Marcus Knight will wear No. 85. Rookie SS Derrick Gibson has switched from No. 43 to 26. Perhaps he's indifferent to Raiders history: 43 was worn by George Atkinson, a very fine strong safety for the Raiders during their glory years and still around doing broadcasting work. (Although Vann McElroy did wear 26.)
Source: Contra Costa Times
Yesterday the Raiders released S Calvin Branch and offensive lineman Nate Parks. Parks was a promising Stanford grad who spent 1999 on the team's practice squad. He missed virtually the entire 2001 pre-season following arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
Branch, a college running back whom the Raiders converted to safety, put on a truly awful performance in the Mexico City loss to Dallas. He was beaten repeatedly and also run over by Dallas QB Quincy Carter at the 1-yard line.
These cuts weren't mentioned on the team's web site until late last night.
Today the team cut eight more players, most of whom had played in NFL Europe and were thus exempt from the prior cutdown. See Personnel Changes for these names. There weren't any surprises.
