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Turner likes multiple choice
Raiders defense won't scrap 3-4
Nancy Gay, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, June 26, 2005
With the last of 14 organized team activity days now behind him, Raiders coach Norv Turner feels pretty comfortable drawing a few conclusions about his revamped team.
Wide receiver Randy Moss, the team's marquee free-agent acquisition, appeared as happy and motivated as any of the rookies, the coach has discovered. The near-perfect attendance record for players throughout the voluntary workouts and the enthusiasm he saw in practices proved to him there is definite commitment to turn around a 5-11 finish in 2004.
And Turner sees significant progress being made toward repairing a sagging defensive unit that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in several categories, not the least of which was points allowed.
Just how bad was it? An undrafted rookie, Tom Kelly, led the team in sacks with four. The defensive line accounted for only 13 sacks as a group, with most of those coming in the final four games.
Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, signed for big bucks to fulfill his self- proclaimed role as a "QB Killa," produced only one sack through his first 11 games and looked lost lining up as an end in the 3-4.
"Last year we were asking guys to play a new system,'' Turner said of the 3-4 defense that coordinator Rob Ryan tried to install in 2004, with little success. "Now we're in Year 2 and that comfort level is higher right now than at any time last year.''
How so? The Raiders, no question, had a spectacular offseason offensively, re-signing playmaking receiver Jerry Porter, trading for Moss and signing free-agent running back LaMont Jordan. Their clock management issues -- the Raiders trailed in time-of-possession in every game in the second half of the season -- should be addressed with the fortified running game and the Pro Bowl-caliber cast of receivers.
But this was a team that sorely lacked a pass rush, standout linebackers other than free-agent surprise Danny Clark and a consistent secondary that could keep opposing offenses from whipping the ball downfield on every play.
To land Moss, the Raiders sent inside linebacker Napoleon Harris -- a major disappointment as a starter in '04 -- to the Vikings. That meant one less body lining up behind the defensive front.
The Raiders drafted a promising inside linebacker in the third round, former Bishop O'Dowd and San Diego State standout Kirk Morrison, and a linebacker project, former Cal defensive end Ryan Riddle, in the sixth round.
They also went strictly for speed in the secondary with their top two picks, taking Nebraska's Fabian Washington in the first round and Houston's Stanford Routt, a top sprinter in Conference USA, in the second round. Routt already has stood out in mini camp and in workouts as a hard hitter with great instincts.
It all looks good on paper. But the question remains: Will the Raiders go back to the 3-4 front or will they scrap that plan and revert to the 4-3?
"We get that question every day,'' Turner said during a break in Alameda last week. "And right now, we're working both equally. We want to play both. We want to be multiple. And play both at a high level.''
A year later, Turner said, converted down linemen and pass rushers such as Tyler Brayton and Sam Williams, both of whom will now play linebacker exclusively, should be more in tune with the scheme.
"Those guys have improved markedly in terms of playing in the 3-4. But no question, we do have a comfort level in terms of the 4-3,'' Turner acknowledged.
That much became clear when the Raiders signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derrick Burgess, who came back strong in 2004 to post 10 tackles (nine solo) and three sacks in the playoffs and Super Bowl XXXIX.
Though Burgess has played linebacker, Turner said he will be used solely as an edge pass rusher at defensive end. "That's where he's at his best,'' the coach said.
With the abundance of multiple-receiver sets the Raiders will see this season, Turner said, Burgess will see plenty of work as a pass rushing end with the nickel defense. Playing opposite a veteran such as Bobby Hamilton also should be a boost for Burgess, who's entering his fifth season.
Then there are the sagas of Travian Smith and DeLawrence Grant, a pair of once-promising Raider linebackers who have fallen off the map because of injury and poor play.
Smith, Turner conceded, continues to have trouble with his chronically sore knee and remains a question mark. Grant, whom the Raiders made inactive the final seven games of last season, returned for the offseason workouts with a renewed attitude. "He's really dedicated himself to being better,'' Turner said.
As for the secondary, everyone acknowledges there is little chance that franchise player Charles Woodson and his $10.5 million salary will be traded. So when Woodson practiced with enthusiasm during the April mini-camp, the Raiders figured that as a bonus.
This was a player, after all, who missed 33 days of training camp in 2004 before signing last season's franchise tender.
"We've had him during the offseason, and we'll have him the entire training camp,'' Turner said. "So that can only help us.''
How much the Raiders helped themselves by trading cornerback Phillip "Showtime" Buchanon to Houston just before the draft remains to be seen. Nnamdi Asomugha likely will enter the preseason as the starting right cornerback. Turner believes a full year in the system for safety Marques Anderson has made him significantly better. And promising safety Stuart Schweigert could challenge for a starting job.
Furthermore, the addition of free-agent cornerback Renaldo Hill, a proven performer in the nickel, adds depth to a secondary that can expect to see three-receiver sets throughout the AFC West, Turner said.
Not that the Raiders are scrapping their 3-4 plans. Problem is, it's difficult to practice the 3-4 adequately in mini-camps without pads and hitting. So getting a handle on how much better the Raiders can be in that scheme is hard to gauge at this point.
While Sapp, 32, and Ted Washington, 37, may be in the obvious twilight of their careers, younger tackles such as Kelly and Terdell Sands have made huge strides in the offseason, Turner said, and free-agent addition Kenny Smith should be a big contributor.
"We've gotten a lot of work on the perimeter part of it -- the linebackers and the safeties, everybody understanding everybody's role,'' Turner said. "The 3-4's harder to practice in sweats. We really need to go to camp and get back to work in the run defense part of the 3-4, getting the nose man and the ends playing the run and everybody understanding the assignments.
"The positive thing for me is we finally have (depth) at a lot of positions, and we'll have a lot more competition for positions than we had a year ago. I think it's going to bring out the best in everyone.''
Briefly: The Raiders will open training camp July 25 in Alameda, bringing in only rookies and selected veterans for three days. The entire team will report to the Napa Valley Marriott on July 28, with the first practice scheduled for Aug. 2. ... Turner said the Raiders probably will travel to Houston three days before their Aug. 20 exhibition game vs. the Texans in order to get in some practices against their opponent in the Texas heat. ... WR Ronald Curry, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, is now running at full speed and may participate in limited practices early in training camp, Turner said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A movable object
Players lost
LB Napoleon Harris, CB Phillip Buchanon, S Ray Buchanan, DT John Parrella, S David Terrell.
Players added
DE Derrick Burgess, CB Renaldo Hill, DT Kenny Smith, LB Jay Foreman.
By the numbers in '04
22nd in rushing yards allowed per game (125.8)
30th in total yards per game (371.0)
30th in sacks produced (25)
31st in passing yards allowed per game (245.3)
31st in points allowed per game (27.6)
E-mail Nancy Gay at ngay@sfchronicle.com.
Page D - 12
Raiders defense won't scrap 3-4
Nancy Gay, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, June 26, 2005
With the last of 14 organized team activity days now behind him, Raiders coach Norv Turner feels pretty comfortable drawing a few conclusions about his revamped team.
Wide receiver Randy Moss, the team's marquee free-agent acquisition, appeared as happy and motivated as any of the rookies, the coach has discovered. The near-perfect attendance record for players throughout the voluntary workouts and the enthusiasm he saw in practices proved to him there is definite commitment to turn around a 5-11 finish in 2004.
And Turner sees significant progress being made toward repairing a sagging defensive unit that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in several categories, not the least of which was points allowed.
Just how bad was it? An undrafted rookie, Tom Kelly, led the team in sacks with four. The defensive line accounted for only 13 sacks as a group, with most of those coming in the final four games.
Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, signed for big bucks to fulfill his self- proclaimed role as a "QB Killa," produced only one sack through his first 11 games and looked lost lining up as an end in the 3-4.
"Last year we were asking guys to play a new system,'' Turner said of the 3-4 defense that coordinator Rob Ryan tried to install in 2004, with little success. "Now we're in Year 2 and that comfort level is higher right now than at any time last year.''
How so? The Raiders, no question, had a spectacular offseason offensively, re-signing playmaking receiver Jerry Porter, trading for Moss and signing free-agent running back LaMont Jordan. Their clock management issues -- the Raiders trailed in time-of-possession in every game in the second half of the season -- should be addressed with the fortified running game and the Pro Bowl-caliber cast of receivers.
But this was a team that sorely lacked a pass rush, standout linebackers other than free-agent surprise Danny Clark and a consistent secondary that could keep opposing offenses from whipping the ball downfield on every play.
To land Moss, the Raiders sent inside linebacker Napoleon Harris -- a major disappointment as a starter in '04 -- to the Vikings. That meant one less body lining up behind the defensive front.
The Raiders drafted a promising inside linebacker in the third round, former Bishop O'Dowd and San Diego State standout Kirk Morrison, and a linebacker project, former Cal defensive end Ryan Riddle, in the sixth round.
They also went strictly for speed in the secondary with their top two picks, taking Nebraska's Fabian Washington in the first round and Houston's Stanford Routt, a top sprinter in Conference USA, in the second round. Routt already has stood out in mini camp and in workouts as a hard hitter with great instincts.
It all looks good on paper. But the question remains: Will the Raiders go back to the 3-4 front or will they scrap that plan and revert to the 4-3?
"We get that question every day,'' Turner said during a break in Alameda last week. "And right now, we're working both equally. We want to play both. We want to be multiple. And play both at a high level.''
A year later, Turner said, converted down linemen and pass rushers such as Tyler Brayton and Sam Williams, both of whom will now play linebacker exclusively, should be more in tune with the scheme.
"Those guys have improved markedly in terms of playing in the 3-4. But no question, we do have a comfort level in terms of the 4-3,'' Turner acknowledged.
That much became clear when the Raiders signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derrick Burgess, who came back strong in 2004 to post 10 tackles (nine solo) and three sacks in the playoffs and Super Bowl XXXIX.
Though Burgess has played linebacker, Turner said he will be used solely as an edge pass rusher at defensive end. "That's where he's at his best,'' the coach said.
With the abundance of multiple-receiver sets the Raiders will see this season, Turner said, Burgess will see plenty of work as a pass rushing end with the nickel defense. Playing opposite a veteran such as Bobby Hamilton also should be a boost for Burgess, who's entering his fifth season.
Then there are the sagas of Travian Smith and DeLawrence Grant, a pair of once-promising Raider linebackers who have fallen off the map because of injury and poor play.
Smith, Turner conceded, continues to have trouble with his chronically sore knee and remains a question mark. Grant, whom the Raiders made inactive the final seven games of last season, returned for the offseason workouts with a renewed attitude. "He's really dedicated himself to being better,'' Turner said.
As for the secondary, everyone acknowledges there is little chance that franchise player Charles Woodson and his $10.5 million salary will be traded. So when Woodson practiced with enthusiasm during the April mini-camp, the Raiders figured that as a bonus.
This was a player, after all, who missed 33 days of training camp in 2004 before signing last season's franchise tender.
"We've had him during the offseason, and we'll have him the entire training camp,'' Turner said. "So that can only help us.''
How much the Raiders helped themselves by trading cornerback Phillip "Showtime" Buchanon to Houston just before the draft remains to be seen. Nnamdi Asomugha likely will enter the preseason as the starting right cornerback. Turner believes a full year in the system for safety Marques Anderson has made him significantly better. And promising safety Stuart Schweigert could challenge for a starting job.
Furthermore, the addition of free-agent cornerback Renaldo Hill, a proven performer in the nickel, adds depth to a secondary that can expect to see three-receiver sets throughout the AFC West, Turner said.
Not that the Raiders are scrapping their 3-4 plans. Problem is, it's difficult to practice the 3-4 adequately in mini-camps without pads and hitting. So getting a handle on how much better the Raiders can be in that scheme is hard to gauge at this point.
While Sapp, 32, and Ted Washington, 37, may be in the obvious twilight of their careers, younger tackles such as Kelly and Terdell Sands have made huge strides in the offseason, Turner said, and free-agent addition Kenny Smith should be a big contributor.
"We've gotten a lot of work on the perimeter part of it -- the linebackers and the safeties, everybody understanding everybody's role,'' Turner said. "The 3-4's harder to practice in sweats. We really need to go to camp and get back to work in the run defense part of the 3-4, getting the nose man and the ends playing the run and everybody understanding the assignments.
"The positive thing for me is we finally have (depth) at a lot of positions, and we'll have a lot more competition for positions than we had a year ago. I think it's going to bring out the best in everyone.''
Briefly: The Raiders will open training camp July 25 in Alameda, bringing in only rookies and selected veterans for three days. The entire team will report to the Napa Valley Marriott on July 28, with the first practice scheduled for Aug. 2. ... Turner said the Raiders probably will travel to Houston three days before their Aug. 20 exhibition game vs. the Texans in order to get in some practices against their opponent in the Texas heat. ... WR Ronald Curry, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, is now running at full speed and may participate in limited practices early in training camp, Turner said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A movable object
Players lost
LB Napoleon Harris, CB Phillip Buchanon, S Ray Buchanan, DT John Parrella, S David Terrell.
Players added
DE Derrick Burgess, CB Renaldo Hill, DT Kenny Smith, LB Jay Foreman.
By the numbers in '04
22nd in rushing yards allowed per game (125.8)
30th in total yards per game (371.0)
30th in sacks produced (25)
31st in passing yards allowed per game (245.3)
31st in points allowed per game (27.6)
E-mail Nancy Gay at ngay@sfchronicle.com.
Page D - 12
