Training Camp Roundup: Aug. 15
RAIDERS DISPLAY NEW BLITZ LOOK WITH NEW COORDINATOR (10:42 p.m. ET)
Ricky Brown burst up the middle, eluded a block from running back Tashard Choice and sacked Dallas quarterback Jon Kitna.
A blitz from an Oakland Raiders linebacker once was a rarity. That could all change this season under new defensive coordinator John Marshall, who is bringing the blitz to an organization that has long eschewed the strategy.
"I think our personality is becoming that of an attacking group," coach Tom Cable said. "We like who we have in the secondary, so why not use those other guys as weapons, certainly."
-- The Associated Press
RAIDERS SIGN CB MANNING, RELEASE FOSCHI (10:19 p.m. ET)
The Oakland Raiders have signed cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. and released tight end John Paul Foschi.
The move announced Saturday improves Oakland's depth in the secondary. Manning has 14 interceptions in six seasons. He went to the Super Bowl with Carolina following the 2003 season and Chicago following the 2006 season. He is best remembered for intercepting three passes from Donovan McNabb in the 2003 NFC championship game against Philadelphia.
Also, backup quarterback Jeff Garcia missed practice to attend to a personal issue. Garcia has been sidelined with a calf injury since Aug. 2 and coach Tom Cable says he's concerned about all the time he has missed.
-- The Associated Press
SAINTS SIGN VETERAN KICKER CARNEY (8:10 p.m. ET)
The New Orleans Saints say they've signed veteran free agent kicker John Carney.
Carney was selected for the Pro Bowl last season after he converted 35 of 38 field goal attempts and all 38 extra-point kicks for the New York Giants.
Carney is rejoining the Saints after spending six years in New Orleans from 2001 through 2006. The 45-year-old is the second-leading scorer in franchise history with 661 points. He ranks fourth in NFL history with 1,995 career points and 460 field goals in 289 regular-season games.
-- The Associated Press
JETS SIGN CONLEY, RELEASE TWO IVY LEAGUERS (7:45 p.m. ET)
The New York Jets have signed guard Dennis Conley and released two players from the Ivy League.
Conley, who played at Hampton, was waived by the Bears on July 31 after being signed as an undrafted free agent in April. He was added by the Jets on Saturday, one day after they lost their preseason opener to St. Louis.
Chris Pizzotti, a quarterback from Harvard, also was an undrafted free agent and did not play against the Rams.
Paul Raymond, a wide receiver from Brown, re-signed with the Jets in January. He spent much of last season on practice squads of the Jets, Lions and Giants.
-- The Associated Press
COLTS' BROCK INJURES HAND VS. VIKINGS (6:51 p.m. ET)
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Raheem Brock injured his left hand in the first half of Friday night's 13-3 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Brock's status for Thursday's home game against the Philadelphia Eagles has not been determined.
"He has been evaluated. I'm not quite certain of the extent of his problem. But he's got a problem with his hand. I'm not certain exactly what the proper medical term would be for it. I'm not certain how long he is going to be out," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said Saturday after a short workout at the team's headquarters.
"I'm not certain if it's something he can play with. They'll let me know when the [team] doctor really gets finished with his examination. So it's kind of up in the air a little bit."
-- The Associated Press
JAGS HOLDING FIVE STARTERS OUT OF PRESEASON OPENER (5:29 p.m. ET)
The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without five players, including starting receiver Mike Walker, for their preseason opener at Miami.
Walker, receiver Mike Thomas, fullback Montell Owens, defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis and defensive back Don Carey won't travel for Monday night's game.
Walker missed practice all week because of a sprained left ankle sustained in last weekend's scrimmage. Thomas (hamstring) and Carey (shoulder) also haven't practiced this week. Owens tweaked a knee Monday, and Lewis (ankle) turned his right ankle during a goal-line drill Friday night.
Coach Jack Del Rio said many of his starters will play only the first quarter against the Dolphins. His offensive line, though, could play the entire first half.
-- The Associated Press
JONES-DREW MOVING AROUND TO STAY HEALTHY (4:49 p.m. ET)
When the Jacksonville Jaguars break the huddle, Maurice Jones-Drew can be difficult to find.
Not just because he's small.
The Jaguars are lining up Jones-Drew all over the field, an effort to keep the 5-foot-7, 208-pound running back from taking so many punishing hits in his first season as the team's offensive centerpiece.
Jacksonville's philosophy has nothing to do with Jones-Drew's durability. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio believes the former UCLA standout is probably the toughest runner in the NFL.
But without Fred Taylor sharing carries, the Jaguars want to ensure that Jones-Drew stays healthy all season. So they're trying to minimize the number of times he's tackled by mammoth defensive linemen and hard-hitting linebackers.
-- The Associated Press
PATRICK'S SHOT WITH GIANTS GETS BOOST (2:49 p.m. ET)
An injury to Adrian Peterson gave Allen Patrick his shot at running back at Oklahoma.
His chances of making the New York Giants got a boost late Friday night when fourth-round draft pick Andre Brown was lost for the season with a ruptured left Achilles' tendon.
Until the freakish injury, Patrick looked like one of the odd men out in a backfield led by Brandon Jacobs. Ahmad Bradshaw moved into the No. 2 spot with the loss of Derrick Ward to free agency and Danny Ware seems entrenched as the No. 3 back.
-- The Associated Press
BUCCANEERS CAUTIOUS WITH CADILLAC (2:21 p.m. ET)
Coach Raheem Morris has decided running back Cadillac Williams won't play in the first two preseason games.
"That's me being soft," Morris said. "He's been fine, he's been great, but I don't think Caddy needs to be hit right now. He's doing so well.''
Williams has had two major knee injuries in the past two years, the second of which was a patellar tendon tear in December 2008. He has been in full-contact drills during training camp, and everything has gone according to plan, and Morris does not appear to be worried whether Williams will be prepared enough for the regular season.
-- ESPN.com news services
DAVIS NEEDS TO GET A GRIP (2:13 p.m. ET)
Second-year Redskins tight end Fred Davis has his work cut out for him. "There's two things that people noticed," Davis said, "that I need to fix."
That would be two fumbles, on the same drive, in the Redskins' 23-0 preseason loss Thursday night to the Ravens.
"It's a first-game type of situation for him," coach Jim Zorn said. "One of the things that he knew coming into this camp is that he was a better player than he was last year. The other thing that he knew was that we were throwing him the football, and then the thing that I think he was excited about was that we continued to do that in the game.
"Now I think he realizes full-speed NFL game is different than full-speed practice. And putting the ball away, making sure he secures that is something that was a learning lesson for him."
So Davis spent Saturday reminding himself to hold the ball "high and tight," especially when defenders are converging. It's been a long time since he's needed such a reminder -- Davis wasn't a fumbler at Southern California, where he won the Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end.
-- The Associated Press
SCHILENS MAKING A CONNECTION (1:37 p.m. ET)
Chaz Schilens entered his first NFL training camp a year ago as a little-known seventh-round draft pick from San Diego State just hoping to win a spot on the Raiders roster.
Schilens is emerging in his second year as a key component of Oakland's passing game and one of JaMarcus Russell's most-trusted receivers.
"With all the work I put in during the offseason I feel like I'm better prepared and obviously I know the offense a lot better because I studied it hard," Schilens said. "It's the second year. I feel more comfortable with a lot of things."
That was clearly the case in Oakland's 31-10 victory over Dallas in the exhibition opener on Thursday night. Russell, who focused heavily on tight end Zach Miller in his first full year as a starter, was often looking in Schilens' direction first against the Cowboys.
-- The Associated Press




