Some NFL teams have confidence. Some have big dreams. Some have hope that they'll be this year's surprise. And some teams are just looking for any sign at all that they might not be a complete embarrassment to their sport. The Oakland Raiders fall into the last category, and JaMarcus Russell is offering such a sign.According to Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune, Russell is organizing a special minicamp for the Raiders' quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends at an undisclosed location sometime before training camp begins on July 30. The fact that Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, is taking this upon himself is seen as a sign that he is trying to show the kind of leadership expected of an NFL quarterback. This in turn is seen as good for the Raiders and good for Russell, who will enter training camp with veteran backup Jeff Garcia breathing down his substantial neck.
From Corkran's story:
It's May, NFL practices are voluntary, and they mainly consist of 80 or so players running around in shorts and t-shirts trying not to get hurt. Despite barely resembling football, organized team activities (OTAs) are an opportunity for coaches to install new schemes, and new faces to get acclimated to their surroundings.
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Oakland Raiders wide receiver
Coming off their sixth consecutive non-playoff season, the Oakland Raiders entered the 2009 NFL draft with a number of holes. With the seventh overall pick, they couldn't have made a bad selection in terms of position. Offensive tackle, wide receiver, defense ... all would have been wise choices.
Because the NFL season never ends, we present our
The Raiders have finally
Four months after
Adam Schefter of NFL.com and Michael David Smith of ESPN are
No one ever really knows what's going on in the mind of 


























