Raiders report: Renfrow may have more tricks up his sleeve

RAIDERS REPORT

All practices at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center, unless noted:

■ Friday — Practice, 11 a.m.

■ Saturday — Off

■ Sunday — vs. Chicago Bears, Allegiant Stadium, 1:05 p.m. (CBS)

Quote of the day

Raiders rookie Nate Hobbs has expressed confidence in his ability to make an immediate impact since the night he was drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round in May.

He has backed it up. Hobbs was recently named a second-team All-Pro for the first quarter of the season by Pro Football Focus.

The former Illinois standout believed in himself and knew all he needed was an opportunity. The Raiders have given him that.

“I just felt like I hadn’t played my best ball in college,” he said. “I knew what I was capable of and what I could do. People just didn’t see it or didn’t recognize it yet. I just knew what I could do if I worked hard enough and put my mind to it. But I still have to get way better. I’m striving for that every day.”

High praise for Hunter

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley may have found a new free safety if needs one in an emergency situation.

Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow made one of the best defensive plays of the season when he came up from his deep spot on a return and broke up a pass on a fake punt against the Chargers to give the Raiders possession.

“That’s a perfect strike-zone tackle, head up and everything,” Bradley said.

Apparently, Renfrow had already been lobbying to take some reps on defense.

“He mentioned to me a couple weeks ago that if we needed a free safety in a pinch, (he’d be available),” Bradley said with a laugh. “When I saw that, I thought ‘He wasn’t lying.’ He’s just a good overall football player. It’s not surprising just the way he understands the game so well. He’s great for a coach to have that security back there to know if you need it that he kind of fixes things.”

As for Renfrow’s more customary role on offense, coordinator Greg Olson is in no danger of not having him full-time on that side of the ball.

Renfrow has scored in consecutive games using essentially a triple-move that was invented on the practice field. Now that the unique route is on film and being scouted, Olson said the Raiders have options.

“He developed it off what originally was a double move. Now it’s a triple,” Olson said. “So now you go back to maybe just running the singular move. We like to do things that look the same to the defense, but are different. If we can kind of give them the similar looks, but give them something different off of it, then we are doing the right things. He’s a guy that’s been able to master some of those inside slot moves.”

Ready for duty

Bradley didn’t rule out the possibility of cornerback Brandon Facyson playing on Sunday after he was signed off the Chargers’ practice squad Wednesday.

Facyson has familiarity with the system from Bradley’s time with the Chargers, and the Raiders could have a need in the secondary with several players ailing.

“We’ll see,” Bradley said. “He’s a guy that’s got a quick learning curve. He understands a lot of the things when we reviewed it with him. Obviously, we are doing some things different, but he’s a quick study on that part of it. That’s why he was so beneficial. Plus, he was a talented player. We liked him when we were there. He’s a long, tall type of corner. He’s got some length to him and he’s very sharp. So, hopefully we can get him schooled up here real quick.”

Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal