Raiders coaches, players share field for 1st time in 2019
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Jon Gruden added wide receiver Antonio Brown to his roster in mid-March.
Not until Monday morning did the two share a field.
The Raiders coach and his staff led drills at team headquarters for the first time this offseason. This activity correlated with the second phase of the team’s voluntary workout program. For the past two weeks, in the first phase, coaches were permitted only to run meetings while players conducted sessions with the strength and conditioning staff.
Back like we never left.
📸 » https://t.co/4IeaDlAYV7 pic.twitter.com/lwlI6nZ84W
— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) April 30, 2019
The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement restricts when and how offseason work is conducted.
For voluntary workouts, action is split into three phases.
Coaches are limited to classroom instruction in the first one. In the second, drills such as “perfect play” are allowed — the offense and defense separately run plays as a unit to test playbook recall and execution — but no direct competition between groups is allowed. No helmets or pads can be worn. Footballs can be used for the first time.
So, Gruden can call a play.
Quarterback Derek Carr can line up behind center Rodney Hudson, take a snap and throw a pass to an uncovered Brown.
When the third phase begins May 21, cornerback Gareon Conley can face Brown in coverage. The kickoff team can face the kickoff return team. Helmets are allowed. These four weeks of workouts — called organized team activities, or OTAs — resemble a more traditional practice.
Rookies can join veterans after rookie minicamp.
The Raiders will hold theirs this weekend, beginning Friday.
Notable
■The team reached terms Saturday with several undrafted free agents. Perhaps none was a greater surprise to be available than former UC Davis wide receiver Keelan Doss. It’s unclear why he went undrafted; he strained his pectoral at the scouting combine, but that isn’t considered a long-term issue. Regardless, the Raiders were one of 18 teams who pursued him as a free agent. The Alameda native chose them. Gruden coached him at the Senior Bowl, too.
— Given the Doss market, he surely attracted a fair amount of guaranteed money to sign. His exact total is not yet known. The numbers are in for a few others. Here are some signing bonuses: $10,000 for former Wisconsin fullback Alec Ingold, UCLA offensive tackle Andre James and Penn State linebacker Koa Farmer; $9,000 for former Notre Dame linebacker Te’von Coney; $7,500 for ex-Alabama guard Lester Cotton, $5,000 for Louisville offensive tackle Lukayus McNeil; and, $2,500 for ex-San Diego State offensive tackle Tyler Roemer.
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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
