Team moves on without Penn
Pro-Bowl left tackle is officially a holdout as practice begins in Napa; other key players are also missing
Jack Del Rio hates talking about who isn’t practicing on a given day for the Raiders, but that was a prevailing theme as the team officially kicked off training camp.
Pro Bowl left tackle Donald Penn is officially a holdout, with the team placing him on the reserve/did not report list. They are able to fine him $40,000 per day, should they choose, and he doesn’t currently count as part of the 90-man roster.
With Penn looming as the largest topic, here are three things we learned on Saturday: The Raiders were forced to shift Marshall Newhouse over to left tackle and lineup Vadal Alexander at right tackle as they open camp without the man who has started every game of Derek Carr’s career as his blind side protection.
Del Rio, the Raiders’ coach, said he didn’t learn of Penn’s hold out until Friday morning.
“We love Donald, he’s a good Raider, a good player,” Del Rio said. “What’s important for us is to focus on the work here, on the guys that are here, and that’s how we’re going to approach it. There’s a business side, there’s a time for pay and a time for play and once we get to camp, my focus has to be for our team on just growing and going forward. Obviously we love Donald, we love to have him and hopefully that gets resolved shortly.”
Carr, who this offseason became the highest paid player in NFL history, took his turn at the podium clearly intent on not stirring the pot on the issue.
“I’ll never put my hand in an-
other man’s pocket, so I’ll stay far away from that,” Carr said. “Everyone here, top to bottom, loves him. He knows that, but we’re focused on just who’s here and getting better. He knows how everybody feels about him, but I’ll never step into another man’s situation like that.”
Khalil Mack, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who the team has decided to wait until next off-season to reward with a contract, also downplayed Penn’s holdout — though he does want him back in Napa soon.
“Obviously he wants to be placed in that situation where he’s getting what he wants in that regard, but at the same time, it is what it is,” Mack said. “Ain’t nothing but love for DP, but he need to hurry back whenever they get that done.”
Carr did make it clear he’s confident in the rest of the roster should the Penn holdout linger.
“Good thing it’s professional football,” he said. “You have to have a lot of good players because if that’s his decision, that’s his decision. But with that said, he knows how I feel about him.” 2. SEVERAL OTHER IMPACT PLAYERS ARE OUT >> It’s normal for a few guys to land on one of the respective injured lists, but the volume of significant players the Raiders are without right now is at least somewhat startling.
First round pick Gareon Conley, who signed his rookie deal Friday night in Napa, was placed on the physically unable to perform list and linebacker Bruce Irvin and defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. — both key defensive starters — opened on the nonfootball injury list, meaning they were hurt during offseason workouts.
The Conley injuring is concerning because he also missed the last two days of the mandatory mini-camp in June and so this is a carryover from that ailment some six and half weeks later.
“We expect to get him back shortly,” Del Rio said of Conley. “He’s on the mend right now, we knew that and we’re glad to have him here in camp. Obviously being here and being around the guys, being able to hear and see what we’re doing and how we’re doing it certainly helps. But he’s a bright guy and he was doing a really good job prior to having the setback in the off-season.”
For Irvin and Edwards, it’s less clear what they are dealing with and what timeline they are on. Edwards worked out on the side as practice began and Irvin was champing at the bit so much that he was on the field hovering during most of the drills.
“You don’t understand how itchy he was on the sideline looking at us today,” Mack said of Irvin. “He’s good. He’s going to be out there in a few days.”
Also placed on the PUP list were defensive lineman Jihad Ward, who started 13 games as a rookie last year, and Jon Feliciano, the team’s
backup center and guard. Ward had foot surgery in the off-season and Feliciano suffered a knee injury during organized team activities. 3. MARSHAWN LYNCH BRINGS
SOME CHARACTER >> The real fun with Lynch will be to see him put the pads on Monday and watch how much he seeks out contact, but the Raiders are encouraged about him after seeing his first training camp practice.
“He’s been great just from Day 1,” Del Rio said. “Everything has been outstanding with him and him joining us and him fitting in with our guys. I think they love him, we love having him, so it’s great. He’s healthy and in good shape and ready to have a good year for us.”
Carr has some very specific expectations for Lynch.
“He’s going to run through some people’s faces,” Carr said. “I think that’s what he’s going to do. He’s going to protect the quarterback, which he did today. He’s very good at that. Very physical. That part of
the game is fun to him, I guess. I tend to like to slide or go over the top of people. He likes to go through them, so I think that’s what he’s going to bring.”
After finishing practice, Lynch strolled over to the NFL Network set to chat with good friend Michael Robinson and spent a couple of hilarious minutes there where he cursed twice (Robinson quickly scolded him) and tried to ask host Colleen Wolfe out on a date.
• The Raiders claimed running back George Atkinson III off waivers Saturday from the Cleveland Browns. The son of the Raiders legendary safety, Atkinson III spent parts of three seasons for the Raiders from 201416, playing in five games in 2014. He was claimed last season by the Browns and played in all 16 games, getting the first seven rush attempts of his career and gaining 34 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He could help the Raiders on special teams, where they have lost several experienced players.
• There was a larger than ordinary throng of media as cameras, many from Las Vegas media outlets, crowded around the post-practice media sessions. That could be fairly common until the Raiders relocate to Nevada. Del Rio is trying to keep the focus away from that eventual relocation.
“We’re about investing in the here and now,” he said. “Obviously there are people in our organization that have to work on things that pertain to that, but that’s not where we are. Players and coaches, we’re locked in. Our focus is on being as good as we can be here and now and right now we’re in Napa. We need to get our work done here in Napa and then we’ll be the Oakland Raiders this year. I talk all the time with people that want to talk about it, I say, an NFL season is almost like how you look at dog years. Add seven to it. We’re going there in like 21 years. Right now, we’re just going to focus on becoming a really good football team and learning how to sacrifice and how it all fits together.”