Oakland Raiders: Recapping the Latest Buzz Heading into Training Camp

A dead period in the NFL hasn’t stopped the Oakland Raiders from the grind of building a successful franchise.

Players are partaking in unofficial workouts, coaches continue to assess talent and the front office continues to scout new talent.

For Oakland, all these activities are signs of an organization diligent in rebuilding its brand. It’s possible the culture has already made a shift months before the season. The buzz around Oakland maintains an outlook of positivity and development.

We’ll touch on all the news that got the blogosphere chirping about the Silver and Black.

Trent Richardson Making Positive Strides?

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Trent Richardson

All arrows point toward running back Latavius Murray leading the Raiders backfield. That premise hasn’t wavered, but Trent Richardson’s name circulated heavily over social media in the past week.

Offensive line coach Mike Tice made reference to Richardson regaining his step and dropping some pounds, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Raiders.com):

“I thought the young man out of Alabama [Trent Richardson] came on. He lost some weight, his quickness came around.”

It was short and succinct, but any good assessment of Richardson’s work ethic will help him rehabilitate his confidence on the field.

The Raiders offensive line is constructed to help Richardson succeed as the second heaviest in the league, per Raidersbeat.com. It's a line protection reminiscent of his days running behind massive offensive linemen at Alabama.

Of course, it’ll take more than losing weight and a little zip to regain a footing in the running back competition, but it’s good to hear Richardson taking steps in the right direction.

Tice Acknowledges Gabe Jackson’s Offseason Work

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Gabe Jackson

Tice gave an extensive critique of two-year guard Gabe Jackson, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Raiders.com):

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[I’ve] had some familiarity with him in the Senior Bowl two years ago, when we coached the Senior Bowl when I was in Atlanta, he was on the opposing team and I got to spend some time with him. Gabe is a big, athletic, strong — great football background. His dad was a high school football coach. I think he’s a rising star. I think he has a chance to be a really good one. 

"

The Raiders haven’t solidified the right side of the offensive line, but Jackson likely becomes a mainstay to the left of center Rodney Hudson. As a rookie, Jackson graded as a 7.8 in pass blocking, per Pro Football Focus, and he will hopefully make strides to improve his run blocking, which graded as a minus-3.8.

Jackson’s improvement in run-blocking schemes will help both Murray and Richardson balance the offense—alleviating some pressure off quarterback Derek Carr’s arm. Overall, the left side of the offensive line is the strength of the line protection. Expect more designed run plays headed left than right.

Raiders Scouting Talent at Supplemental Draft

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General Manager Reggie McKenzie

Raiders representatives attended the supplemental draft to scout Connecticut tight end Sean McQuillan’s workout. Who knows what the Raiders had in mind with their loaded stable of tight ends that include: Clive Walford, Mychal Rivera and Lee Smith who are all expected to make the 53-man roster.

It’s more surprising considering McQuillan had a recent run-in with the law, per Courant.com reporter Christine Dempsey. 

However, you can never have too many talented players, and Oakland likely did their due diligence on this matter. ESPN’s Bill Williamson raised the question whether Oakland should consider Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle:

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I'm sure the Raiders are studying Battle, along with every other team in the NFL. The Raiders need young players. They are trying to build an offensive line for the future. Yet, they have Menelik Watson vying for a starting job at right tackle and they drafted Anthony Morris in the seventh round, who they want to develop more.

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According to Williamson, Battle also had issues off the field, but he’s talented enough to draw interest. Wide receiver Josh Gordon was the last player selected in the supplemental draft. The future seemed bright for Gordon, but a year-long suspension may derail his momentum.

The Raiders won’t likely sacrifice a draft pick on either McQuillan or Battle.

Mario Edwards Jr. Still Working out

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No. 97 Mario Edwards Jr.

As mentioned, official workouts are over. But perfecting your craft involves extracurricular activities to keep yourself sharp.

Second-round pick Mario Edwards Jr. came into the league with a reputation of being lackadaisical and lazy when it came to applying his physical talents.

Fortunately he has done everything in his power to dispel those perceptions. Of course he has the benefit of working out with his father who’s a former NFL cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys. Either way, it’s a good sign to see Edwards taking his professional career seriously from the beginning.

In a short video via Edwards' Instagram (h/t Raiders.com), he’s working on his footwork and agility. He prepares for a season in which the Raiders expect him to make an immediate impact as a pass-rusher and run defender on the edge.

Rod Streater and Derek Carr Getting Familiar

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Rod Streater

Edwards isn’t the only player taking offseason workout matters into his own hands. Wide receiver Rod Streater and quarterback Carr continue to work on their aerial chemistry, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair.

Streater and Carr have been alternating shifts on the field since 2014 when the receiver suffered a foot injury in Week 3, which eventually ended his season. When the two returned to the practice field during the offseason, Carr remained sidelined for much of organized team activities with an injured finger.

The fourth-year wide receiver placed high expectations on himself and his team for the upcoming season, per 95.7 The Game FM Radio (h/t Raider.com):

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I’ve been putting the pressure pretty hard on [myself],” Streater told 95.7 The Game FM during an interview Wednesday morning. I’ve been changing my workout habits, my eating habits. After breaking the foot, I really changed a lot. That was a wake-up call for me and I had to get things in order.

Me and Derek have been working very hard every day. We’ve been in the gym together. We’ve been on the field together. I’m trying to pick up that timing that we lost.

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Finally both players are healthy at the same time and getting some work done on their timing in preparation for training camp and the 2015 season.

Streater could put together his most productive season in a contract year with a quarterback looking to solidify himself as a franchise player.

You can follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for the latest news on the Raiders.

All statistics are provided by Profootball-reference.com unless otherwise noted. 

Player contracts courtesy of Spotrac.