Go ahead and assume the Raiders will introduce their defense Sunday to the sold out crowd at McAfee Coliseum.

Because if things go in the direction they were headed Friday, the starting quarterback for the Raiders against the Denver Broncos will be Josh McCown.

Culpepper didn’t practice Friday, with McCown getting most of the work with the first team offense despite a broken left pinky finger.

“Daunte did not practice today,” Kiffin said. “We’ll evaluate him again tonight, evaluate him again in the morning. See how he feels. He came in today and felt he couldn’t go during practice. So Josh took the majority of the snaps, and there’s more information to come in. I don’t have an answer for you who’s 1, 2 and 3 right now.”

Whatever it is that Culpepper did to his right quadriceps, it appears to be getting worse. He said Thursday the injury probably occurred during the Kansas City game, and seemed minor enough in nature that he didn’t even mention it to the training staff.

Culpepper practiced Wednesday, and said it began to bother him Wednesday night. He was limited Thursday, didn’t practice at all Friday and is listed as questionable.

Kiffin said if Culpepper could not play, McCown would be the starter and did not anticipate his left hand being a problem. McCown told reporters Thursday that when the injury occurred, the bone was sticking through the skin and stitches were needed.

“He’s been fine the last two days, taking snaps, so it’s not an issue,” Kiffin said.

What will be an issue, with the fans at least, will be McCown starting over Russell, who could well be listed as the backup and be a snap away from playing.

After practice ended Friday, Culpepper was not on the field with the team, while McCown and Andrew Walter walked off together. On a distant field, Russell got extra work.

It’s worth noting that Russell wasn’t throwing to starters such as Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry _ as would be the case if he were being prepared for a major role Sunday _ but was working with practice squad wide receivers Marco Thomas, Chris McFoy and Drisan James, practice squad tight end Daniel Fells and rookie fullback Oren O’Neal.

Kiffin would not commit to Russell as the backup, saying he wouldn’t know the quarterback order until Culpepper’s availability is resolved.

McCown said he hasn’t had any problems during practice with the broken pinky, noting that it is more of an issue on handoffs than with center snaps or anything else. He said he hoped to find out Saturday if he will be starting, although that information is likely to be kept under wraps until game time.

“You’d like the mindset to stay that way the whole way,” McCown said. “Obviously, when you take the majority of the reps for the week and kind of get your mind right that it’s probably going to go that way. I’m ready to roll, whatever they need.”

Kiffin indicated McCown may have to wait until Sunday for something definitive.

“I’ll always keep getting information,” Kiffin said. “If it goes down to taking it to warm-up, we’ll do that.”

You wonder how Culpepper’s lack of practice time will factor into Kiffin’s decision making. In Week 2, when the Raiders played the Broncos, McCown missed most of the week of practice with a foot injury and was listed as doubtful.

But by game time, McCown was the starter and Culpepper was the backup. McCown passed for just 75 yards _ 46 of them on a touchdown pass to Jerry Porter _ and threw three interceptions in a 23-20 overtime loss.

McCown realizes he could be asked to step aside for a few series to allow Russell some game experience. He said he read about Joe Montana getting a series here or there before taking over as the starter and thinking it was a good approach.

“It takes a little bit of pressure off the kid to be able to get his feet wet,” McCown said. “The bottom line is obviously he’s the future here, so for me I’m going to do everything I can to win the ballgame and they’ve got to do everything they can to get ready. I think that obviously they’ve got to get him some reps . . . at some point he’s going to have to take over.”

News, notes:

– Kiffin said Stuart Schweigert and Hiram Eugene would both see time at free safety against Denver and that a starter had not been determined.

– The following players made it all the way through practice and were listed as probable: LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (foot), DE Derrick Burgess (Achilles), Schweigert (calf), C Jake Grove (knee) and McCown (finger).

– Jarrod Cooper (torn ACL) is listed as out, and no roster move is likely before Sunday. Cooper will probably be put on injured reserve next week, opening up a roster spot.

– Center Jeremy Newberry is making his presence felt off the field. He’s hosting a toy drive for foster kids. For information on how you can contribute to the cause, check out this item from our “AParently Speaking” blog.

Three quarterbacks _ JaMarcus Russell, Josh McCown and Andrew Walter _ went through warmup drills Friday, which included some light sideways jogging at a low intensity level.

Daunte Culpepper, meanwhile, stood to the side, wearing a baseball hat, tossing a football with an assistant coach.

Culpepper has a right quadriceps injury which kept him out for most of Thursday’s practice. McCown sustained a dislocated left pinky finger while playing catch with Walter on Wednesday, an injury the Raiders apparently deemed so minor they didn’t even list it on the injury report. McCown practiced with the injury Thursday and coach Lane Kiffin never mentioned it.

As warmups ended, Russell, McCown and Walter jogged over to the middle field, with Culpepper trailing behind, walking.

More to come following practice . . .