Coach Lane Kiffin confirmed following practice Tuesday that Daunte Culpepper signed a contract with the Raiders and will compete with Josh McCown and Andrew Walter for the starting position.

Culpepper did not practice and left the building, according to a Raiders official. Kiffin said Culpepper would be back Tuesday night to begin learning the Oakland offense and would practice Wednesday morning and meet with the media later.

Surprisingly, quarterback Daunte Culpepper left the Raiders practice facility in Napa late Tuesday afternoon without signing a contract.

More information will be posted here when it becomes available.

News and notes, sights and sounds from Sunday’s practice at Raiders training camp:

– JaMarcus Russell still isn’t in camp, and unless coach Lane Kiffin was posturing, it doesn’t look like he’ll be in any time soon.

“(Things are) actually going kind of slow right now with him at this time,” Kiffin said. “The last 24 to 36 hours not much progress has been made. We wish he was here. We’re now getting to the point where we’ve had enough practices where it is going to be a disadvantage to him once he does get here because he is going to be behind.”

So what’s the holdup?

Kiffin smiled.

“Money,” he said.

Kiffin said he has spoken to Russell on the phone but is not allowed to get him a playbook or any other information to get him prepared.

“He’s frustrated. He’s very frustrated. He wishes he was here,” Kiffin said. “He’s put it into the hands of the people representing him and he’s completely out of it from his point of view.”

– Neither Russell nor Calvin Johnson, the No. 2 overall pick by Detroit, has signed a contract. Joe Thomas, the No. 3 pick, signed a contract with a reported $23.5 million in guarantees.

Johnson reportedly wants $30 million in guaranteed money, with the Lions claiming they can’t go above $27.1 million because the rest of the draft class is accounted for.

Russell’s magic number is in the vicinity of $30 million. Russell’s agent, Eric Metz has declined comment and it is the Raiders policy not to give particulars of contract negotiations.

– The longer Russell is out of camp, the more comfortable Josh McCown will be and the less likely there will be a frenzy to force the rookie into the lineup. If it doesn’t go on horribly long, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

– Based on what Mario Williams got last season as the No. 1 overall pick by Houston _ $26.5 million guaranteed for a defensive end _ if the Raiders don’t want to pay Russell in the neighborhood of $30 million in bonus money then shouldn’t have drafted him in the first place.

– The blitz-protection drills have been among the most entertaining aspects of camp. Linebackers are given a head start and either come up the middle between two large pylons or veer outsde, attempting to get past a running back.

By coaches count, the offense edged the defense 9-8, with Adimchinobe Echemandu providing the winning margin by walling off Kyle Shotwell.

LaMont Jordan, who struggled in this drill Saturday, fared better on Sunday. Dominic Rhodes, on the other hand, had an embarrassing whiff on a move by Thomas Howard.

Justin Fargas drew the praise of running backs coach Tom Rathman for locking up Isaiah Kacyvenski and staying in front of him, with Rathman shouting, “drive him, drive him, drive him!”

Fullbacks Justin Griffith and Oren O’Neil had solid efforts as well.

While the running backs and linebackers are going at it, safeties are running one-on-one drills against tight ends close by. It is there were Fred Wakefield, a converted tackle, makes his presence felt.

– In punt coverage drills, tacklers were challenged by blockers to get to an imaginary return specialist, with Shane Lechler providing the kicks.

While Lechler was hitting skyscraping punts, prospective gunners were attempting to fight their way past one or two blockers determined to ride them out of bounds or hold them up well short of their goal.

Reserve linebacker Ricky Brown leveled undrafted rookie free agent Chris McFoy, while fifth-round draft pick Eric Frampton rode linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba hard with a borderline hold.

Duane Starks, a 33-year-old cornerback, worked over Chris Clemons along with safety Hiram Eugene.

– The defensive front four on place kicks Sunday consisted of Tommy Kelly, Terdell Sands, Jay Richardson and Sam Williams, although none were actually attempting to block attempts by Sebastian Janikowski.

Janikowski successfully converted several field goals in a row from distances starting inside the 30 with a long of 48 before finally missing wide right. He then adjourned to the field house at 3:15 p.m. _ a half-hour after practice started _ and didn’t return until nearly 4:30.

– Rough day for third-year cornerback Stanford Routt, both in coverage and on special teams. In punt coverage, defensive back Chris Johnson blew past Routt with ease, causing Ekejiuba to yell, “Man, you run a 4.2!” Routt is a former college sprinter.

– Al Davis made his first training camp appearance Sunday, which was also attended by what appeared to be the entire scouting department.

– Chris Clemons, a fourth-year player who played in 20 games the past two seasons for the Washington Redskins, is listed as a linebacker and wears No. 48, but is getting work as an edge rusher with the first-team nickel defense.

– How well are things going for Jeremy Newberry in his comeback attempt? He worked as the first team center during most of the team sessions Sunday ahead of Jake Grove.

– The new Jarrod Cooper appears to be B.J. Ward, who is mixing it up both on special teams and during his repetitions in the secondary at safety. On one play, Ward knocked the helmet off wide receiver Ronald Curry.

Ward also laid into Johnnie Lee Higgins on a punt return, with Higgins striking a camera with a huge lens along the sideline. Higgins was fine. The camera and lens, valued at $14,000 according to the photographer, needs work.

– A crew of officials will make their tour through training camp this week to talk with players and coaches about rule changes and points of emphasis.

It will be interesting to see where they stand on holding this year. Judging from drills with the offense line and special teams, the Raiders are grabbing handfuls of jerseys this year without hesitation but are careful to keep their arms from extending around the defender.

– Mario Henderson, who has gotten most of his work at right tackle and fared well, had some reps at left tackle in the second half of Sunday’s practice.

– Tyler Brayton received most of his work at tackle during team sessions and was matched against guards during pass blocking drills.

– Tight end Randal Williams missed his second straight practice to tend to a personal matter. Guard Ben Claxton (knee) did not practice, nor did Derrick Burgess or Michael Bush, both still on PUP.

– Who needs Randy Moss? Two Raiders proved they could go deep after practice Sunday _ Sam Williams and LaMont Jordan.

With defensive coordinator Rob Ryan bravely doing the pitching, Williams and Jordan both cleared the Redwood Middle School fence in the Raiders’ version of “Home Run Derby.”

Jerry Porter even went back to his room and put on a San Francisco Giants jersey before picking up the aluminum bat and getting in the box first. Porter, who in batting practice sessions has hit balls out of Network Associates Coliseum and AT&T Park, managed to put a dent in the scissors lift machine with a shot through the box but did not clear the fence.

Neither did Starks, who hit the ball sharply but was strictly a singles hitter.

“If you want someone on first base, I’m your guy,” Starks said.

Williams said he hasn’t played since before high school at Clayton Valley, but cleared a fence approximately 300 feet away. Jordan said baseball was his No. 1 sport in high school. His blow was a low liner, rather than a towering drive.

Linebacker Kirk Morrison and Brayton had some impressive swings, but their balls died on the warning track.

News and notes from the Raiders’ second day of training camp as relayed by Medianews Regional reporter Steve Corkran:

– Tight end Zach Miller returned to Napa Friday night, signed his contract and was on the field Saturday morning. He got in some work with the first team.

“He was up untill about midnight working with coach (Kelly) Skipper to make sure we could catch him up for this morning’s practice. No updates on JaMarcus (Russell). He’s still not here. Still making movement on his contract but obviously not there yet.”

– The first day in full pads featured RB LaMont Jordan as the recipient of two big hits _ one courtesy of Donovin Darius in a 7-on-7 drill and another by Kirk Morrison in a one-on-one blocking drill in which linebackers get a five-yard head start.

“We got ourselves a hitter, I know that much. He about knocked LaMont out of practice,” Kiffin said of Darius.

– The defense dominated the early portion of practice, with the offense later finding a rhythm and some moderate success.

“This is real football now and they responded,” Kiffin said. “If you noticed there were a lot of one-on-one drills, full speed, live contact drills, running back-linebackers, tight ends-safeties. That was for a purpose. We need to find out who these players are and find out what we have on our team. Then we’ll have to go from there.

– DT Warren Sapp scolded Sam Williams for blowing an assignment. Sapp stormed across the line of scrimmage after the play, said “You can’t tell me a thing if you don’t know the (bleeping) calls” and then slammed his helmet to the ground and stomped away.

Williams sought out Sapp across the field, on the sideline, and Sapp used the time to show him hands-on what he was talking about. They seemed to reach some kind of accord, with Sapp patting him on the helmet.

Sapp later pushed rookie tackle Mario Henderson for getting in his way when Sapp was engaged with Gallery in a one-on-one pass-rush drill.

– Wide receiver Ronald Curry made a great play on a deep pass from Josh McCown, blowing past Stanford Routt and Stuart Schweigert, adjusting to the ball’s flight and hauling in the pass for a long touchdown.

– Veteran cornerback Duane Starks made a nice interception of a McCown pass earlier in practice.

– Line coach Tom Cable was permitted to talk to the media after the morning practice and spoke of building the line back up after a difficult season. His story will be featured in Sunday’s Medianews newspapers.

– Cornerback Fabian Washington, who left Friday afternoon’s session after an unspecified “tweak,” was back at practice. Isiah Ekejiuba, carried back to the field house after practice Friday with a “body cramp” was back on the field Saturday morning.

– The portable lights were in position for Oakland’s second practice, and first at night. Kiffin wondered aloud how much of the media contingent would show up to watch.

The Raiders confirmed the signing of running back Michael Bush Wednesday as well as the releases of safeties Jarrod Cooper and Darnell Bing.

Cooper’s status was in jeopardy from the moment it was announced he had received a four-games suspension for violating the NFL’s steroid policy.

The release of Bing, a fourth-round draft pick out of USC last season, came as at least a mild surprise.

The Raiders attempted to make Bing a weakside linebacker after a career as a safety at USC. He was placed on injured reserve following a neck injury during the preseason.

Bing was moved back to safety when Lane Kiffin came aboard, and he seemed to make his share of plays during OTAs and minicamps.

Kiffin, when asked about the shift of Bing during the offseason, said simply and without enthusiasm it was Bing’s best chance to make the team.

The exit of Cooper and Bing reduces the glut at safety. Remaining on the training camp roster are 2006 starters Michael Huff and Stuart Schweigert, veteran free agent acquisitions Donovin Darius, Colin Branch and B.J. Ward, holdover Hiram Eugune and rookie fifth-round draft pick Eric Frampton.

(Fifth in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)

Projected starters: Robert Gallery, Paul McQuistan, Jake Grove, Cooper Carlisle, Barry Sims.

The competition: Kevin Boothe, Ben Claxton, Cornell Green, Mario Henderson, Chris Morris, Jeremy Newberry, Chad Slaughter, Albert Toeaina, Adam Treu, Mark Wilson.

Summary: The Raiders will be better up front in 2006, because they only way they could be worse is . . . oh, never mind. There is no clever line to end that sentence, because they couldn’t possibly be worse.

It was easily the most atrocious unit play in the NFL last season, perhaps the worst in NFL history. So from that perspective, new line coach Tom Cable is in a pretty good position. Reduce the sacks from 72 into the 30s and show some signs of joining the pack in the run-happy AFC West and Cable is the NFL’s assistant coach of the year.

The player watched most closely, of course, will be Gallery. He will start, but where? He played left tackle, left guard and right tackle during minicamps and OTAs and a case could be made for any one of the three.

Galllery should play left tackle because it’s hardly fair to give him one year under the Art Shell-Irv Eatman-Jackie Slater disaster. Using last year as a guide, those three could turn Jonathan Ogden into a turnstile.

Gallery should play right tackle becuase that’s where played as a rookie (and Year 2) when he looked good enough as a pass blocker that non one was yet calling him a “bust.”

Gallery should play left guard, because his agility and physical attributes could make him a devastating cut blocker, and everyone knows the real stars of an offense that features pulls, traps and one-cut runs are the guards.

There is a fourth conclusion, one that many Raiders fans have already reached but one I consider premature.

Gallery is another Tony Mandarich. Beyond hope.

If he doesn’t settle in as at least a solid pro this year, then it’s time to jump on that bandwagon.

Until Gallery settles in at one spot, it seems the only set-in-stone positions are Grove at center and Carlisle at right guard. Everybody raved about Grove’s mean streak in college. But the problem is he simply doesn’t have the kind of brute power to be a center in the Barret Robbins mold.

Grove could, however, fare well in a Tom Nalen sort of way in the Lane Kiffin offense. Carlisle came from Denver, where they’ve been pushing the envelope of blocking ethics since Alex Gibbs and Mike Shanahan went there in 1995. (Gibbs, by the way, did some consulting in Atlanta when Cable was the line coach there).

Barry Sims, pushed out by Shell and Co., should start at left or right tackle. Paul McQuistan, a left guard last year, could be the right tackle if Gallery becomes a guard.

It’s been interesting to note that Boothe, the closest thing to a bright spot the Raiders had on the offensive line, has been consistenlty running as a second-team guard after starting 14 games at guard last year.

The Raiders took a shot in the dark in bringing aboard Newberry after missing the better part of the last three seasons following microfracture knee surgery. If he makes it through camp and is on the team, it’s a plus.

If Newberry were to claim a starting job, either pushing Grove to guard or starting at guard himself, it’s a miracle.

Green, also schooled on blocking techinique in Denver, has the look of a backup tackle in Oakland _ a veteran who along with Sims can work with third-round pick Henderson of Florida State.

Slaughter is a career backup.

Treu, who has been a Raider since 1997, could see his run end if the Raiders settle on Morris or Jon Condo as the long-snapper.

The bottom line: Better? Sure. But the only way the Raiders approach .500 is if Gallery and Grove become the cornerstones they were expected to be.

Coming Sunday: Tight ends

Talked to Jarrod Cooper awhile back. Can’t remember if it was an organized team activity or minicamp.

I remember being surprised at some extremely close-to-the-vest, conservative answers from a guy who revels in saying exactly what he thinks.

I figured at the time Cooper simply wanted to play it safe under a new head coach, but maybe something else was at work.

The Raiders announced Friday that Cooper had been suspended for the first four games of the 2007 season for violating the NFL Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related Substances, forwarding a statement from the league to members of the media.

Cooper will serve a four-game suspension. He is eligible to return to the active roster on Oct. 1 after Oakland’s game Sept. 30 against the Miami Dolphins.

He is eligible to participate in all practices and pre-season games, but is far from a lock to make the 53-man roster.

Odds are Cooper has known for awhile about the positive test and was waiting for the appeals process to work itself out.

Cooper lectured the 2006 rookie class at the NFL rookie symposium about making the right choices, talking candidly about his own experiences with substance abuse while a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Having exited that program, he finds himself in another.

Will this affect Cooper’s status as a member of the Raiders?

Maybe, maybe not.

As much as the NFL will frown on this offense, the 32 NFL teams don’t look down on steroid abuse as much as they do substance abuse.

They’ll never admit it, of course, but the reason is obvious. Steroid abusers are selling out for the team, attempting to get an edge. Substance abusers will have their performance adversely affected _ at the expense of their team.

The problem for Cooper is the Raiders have a number of players with similar physical traits to Cooper. They signed Donovin Darius, Colin Branch and B.J. Ward in free agency. Converted Darnell Bing from linebacker to safety. Drafted (and signed) Eric Frampton.

There are more safeties on the Raiders roster than at any time in recent memory, and Cooper is ineligible for the first four games.

(First in a series analyzing Raiders position groups heading into training camp)

Starters: Place kicker_Sebastian Janikowski; Punter_Shane Lechler; Long-snapper_Adam Treu; Return specialist_Chris Carr.

The competition: Long-snappers Jon Condo and Chris Morris; return specialist Johnnie Lee Higgins (rookie).

Possible core special teams players: S Jarrod Cooper, LB Isiah Kacyvenski, LB Isaiah Ekejiuba, CB Stanford Routt, S Stuart Schweigert, S Colin Branch, LB Ricky Brown, S Darnell Bing, TE John Madsen, FB Oren O’Neil, DE Jay Richardson, DB B.J. Ward.

Summary: Janikowski and Lechler are running unopposed. That’s fine in Lechler’s case, even if he seemed to be aiming many of his kicks for empty seats in the third deck in 2006.

As for Janikowski, not so much.

In seven seasons, Janikowski has never hit 90 percent of his field goal attempts _ a figure which would put him in the upper eschelon of place kickers. Janikowski has hit 90.7 percent of his career attempts (98-for-108) from inside 40 yards and just 59.1 percent (58-for-98) from 40 and beyond.

In other words, he’s made most of the kicks he is supposed to make and hasn’t come close to being the consistent long-distance threat the Raiders expected.

Remember how Janikowski’s endless stream of touchbacks were going to keep opponents deep in their own territory? In the last four seasons, Seabass has hooked 37 touchbacks in 259 kickoffs _ or 14.2 percent.

Janikowski has stayed out of trouble the past few years, but the bottom line is he has performed like a garden variety kicker taken in a later round or signed off the waiver wire, and nothing like the 17th overall selection of the 2000 draft , taken before Chad Pennington (No. 18 to the New York Jets) and Shaun Alexander (No. 19 to Seattle).

Alexander has reached the end zone more times on touchdowns (107) than Janikowski has on touchbacks (85).

Touchbacks were an issue for Lechler last season because he had too many of them. He hammered a career high 19 punts into the end zone with only 19 punts inside the 20-yard-line _ a 50-50 ratio which was by far the worst of his career and came just one season after having just nine touchbacks and 26 punts inside the 20.

Lechler’s gross avearge of 47.5 yards was a career high, in part because he looked as if he were engaged in a weekly long-driving contest.

A more competitive team would likely mean a punter more focused on getting good field position.

Brian Schneider, in his first season as an NFL coach, takes over for the hugely unpopular Ted Daisher as special teams coach. Daisher’s dictatorial style seemed to pay off during training camp and in the first few games of the season, but as the Raiders went south, special teams play declined as well.

It remains to be seen how coach Lane Kiffin will assemble his roster with regard to special teams. Is he beholden to veterans such as Cooper and Treu, or will newcomers Kacyvenski and Ward become the new leaders?

Which rookies will play prominent roles? Does Higgins replace Carr as either the punt return or kickoff return specialist, or both?

The Raiders pay plenty of lip service to special teams each year, and always seem to come up short. Whether it’s the key penalty, the one big return allowed or the killer turnover, inconsistent special teams play has been a constant theme the past four years.

Coming Wednesday: Defensive line

(Note: Last call for readers to submit lead blog items. Send to jmcdonald@angnewspapers.com. Regular blogs will resume soon with breakdowns of each position group heading into training camp, plus news updates as warranted)

By Jason Villeneuve (jjvill)

Al Davis is a man who relishes history, especially the history of the Oakland Raiders. This has been both a benefit and bane for those of us living in Raider Nation.

It is a benefit because the Nation gets to root for the NFL team with the most unique legacy in the game. It can also be a bane at times. Like when Al tries to recapture the past with coaches who haven’t stepped on the sidelines in a decade or whose prior job was scrambling eggs at a bed and breakfast.

I’m sorry those Tom Walsh jokes never get old.

My point here is that it is always a boom or bust proposition when the Raiders dip back into their past to try and create future glory. A popular Raider move in the last couple of decades has been the signing of a veteran safety to solidify the defense. Enter Donovin Darius.

Darius could be a boom prospect that brings a talented, young secondary the veteran savvy it needs along with a little Tatum- ike intimidation for the opposition. Or he could be breaking down, as his last two years in Jacksonville might suggest, and be a Raider bust.

Only the future will reveal what reality the Raiders will face with Darius. I can only hope that his signing follows recent Raiders history and has boom written all over it. Let’s take a step back into the archives and see what these veteran safeties have done for past Oakland squads.

In 1991 the Raiders, sadly the L.A. version, were coming off a spectacular 12-4 season that ended with a thrashing in the AFC Championship game at Buffalo. Actually it probably ended one week earlier when Bo Jackson’s hip went pop.

So in 1991 we had no Bo, the Marcus Allen feud was in full effect, and Jay Schroeder was still our QB, sadly the same Schroeder version from every other year. This was not looking like a playoff year.

The Raiders did squeak into the post-season in 1991 mainly because of a stingy defense led by off-season pickup, and future Hall of Famer, Ronnie Lott. Lott led the Raiders charge all year picking off eight passes and had singular game winning efforts with an overtime interception in Seattle and also led a dominating defensive performance in a win over his former 49er team.

Ronnie Lott may have only worn the Silver and Black for two years, but he was definitely a boom signing for the team. Without him I doubt they make the playoffs in 1991, that is the ultimate impact free agent.

My favorite, and maybe least appreciated, veteran safety that had a positive impact on the team was Eric Turner in 1997. Turner was the ultimate case of not realizing what you have until it was gone.

His play wasn’t extremely noticeable that first year in Oakland mainly because he was surrounded by maybe the worst set of Raider defenders ever, led by that big turd Chester McGlockton. But in 1998 and 1999 Turner was a big part of a defensive turnaround along with Charles Woodson and Eric Allen.

Turner was one of the leaders of a Raider team that was just about to turn that corner into playoff contention when he was suddenly and tragically taken from us in the spring of 2000. All of Raider Nation mourned for Turner the man. I don’t think any of us really mourned his loss as a football player until we watched Shannon Sharpe run 96 yards in the 2000 AFC Championship game.

No way Sharpe gets that much yardage if E-Rock is still prowling the secondary. Eric Turner was definitely a Raider boom _ RIP my Raider brother.

The most recent boom signing at safety is someone every Raider fan remembers is Rod Woodson. Who can forget his game changing, possibly season saving, play on a Monday night in November 20,02? Rod stepping in front of the Brian Griese pass and streaking down the Mile High, Invesco, whatever, sideline is something Raider Nation will never forget.

Even if he was a hated Steeler and one of those bum Ravens from 2000, Rod Woodson should always be thought of fondly in the hearts of the Nation. He helped carry Oakland to the Promised Land and for that he is a boom signing to remember.

The 2007 version of the Oakland Raiders look like it’s all about the future with young, unproven characters like Lane Kiffin and JaMarcus Russell, but with Al and the Raiders there is always a little bit of history in the mix. Will Darius be a boom or bust? Only the future will reveal that question.

(Note: Got a lead item for the blog? Send e-mails to jmcdonald@angnewspapers.com for consideration. I’ll begin posting regularly as training camp approaches. Until then, I’ll chime in occasionally, but it’s your show.)

By Jeremy Palguta
Baltimore, MD

One of the biggest questions heading into the 2007 season that might have been being overlooked is whether the Raiders can repeat their defensive performance from a year ago.

The third rated defense according to yards-per-game statistics (first passing/25th rushing), the Raiders defense showed signs of dominance yet enough glaring weaknesses that cause concern for the upcoming season.

The number one cause for concern has to be their run defense. Despite having a line that consists of Warren Sapp and Derrick Burgess, Oakland still lacks a proven run
stopper and a pass rushing threat opposite of Burgess.

The Raiders re-signed Terdell Sands and are hoping he can take on the lead role in a defensive tackle rotation that consists of Sapp, Anttaj Hawthorne, and Tommy Kelly. With the same cast of characters, the Raiders will need to see improved performances across the board.

Oakland also added a couple of defensive ends in the draft in hopes of teaming Burgess with a
legitimate passing threat, so he can avoid double teams.

The run-heavy AFC West has three of the best backs in the NFL with LaDainian Tomlinson, Travis Henry, and Larry Johnson.

It is imperative that the Raiders look to stop the run first and dare the inexperienced
quarterbacks in their division to beat them (Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, Brodie Croyle). Although the
defense ranked near the bottom of rushing yards allowed per game, they were on the field more than any other defense in the NFL and held them to a
respectable yard per carry average.

On the bright side, Oakland saw the emergence of several players in 2006, most notably Nnamdi Asomugha and rookie Thomas Howard. Asomugha had eight interceptions in 2006, and Howard had one of the most productive rookie seasons recording 110 tackles.

The Raiders have improved in each of the past three seasons under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Stockedpiled with first- and second-round draft picks, the Raiders not only have the talent but have been building a chemistry over that past three to four years that few teams have under today’s current NFL structure.

The defense has a solid mix of veteran leadership with Burgess, Sapp, and newly acquired
Donovin Darius, and exiting youthful talent with Howard, Kirk Morrison, Asomugha, and last year’s first round pick Michael Huff.

Despite some questions, look for the Raiders to improve upon their chemistry and become an even more dominant defensive unit in 2007.