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Oakland Raiders

8-8, 3-3 AFC West (3rd)
Team RankingOverallRushingPassing
Offense9th131.9 (7th)247.6 (11th)
Defense28th136.1 (27th)251.4 (27th)
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Notes, Quotes

 
Strategy And Personnel · Notes, Quotes · Rookie lineman could make early impact
 

--Defensive tackle Richard Seymour will be paying for teammates to come to Atlanta next week for a conditioning camp that will include swimming, weight lifting and nutritional counseling.

Seymour sent an email to teammates that said, "Men, I hope everyone is well and is staying in shape because we are going to out-work everyone we face this season, and it starts right now in the offseason."

--To all those that said the Raiders selected cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke in the third round of the draft only because of his speed, coach Hue Jackson said that's simply not the case.

Jackson told Sirius NFL Radio, "(He) obviously was the fastest young man at the combine and people believe that's why we took him. That's not the reason why we took him. We took him because I sent (cornerbacks coach) Rod Woodson down to the University of Miami to work this young man out. The speed at the combine got our attention, watching video got our attention, but Rod went down and came back and said, 'Hue, this guy can do it.' He said, 'This guy has the hips, he has the feet, he has the wherewithal, and he has the smarts to go cover receivers, and he understands the game.'

"So I'm taking this advice from a Hall of Famer, somebody who has done it in this league at a very high level, who told me without a shadow of a doubt that this young man can get it done. I believe in our coaches and so that is the decision we made. I know people think we made it for other reasons, it just happens that this guy can run in the 4.2s. So it added up for us and we think we're getting a tremendous player."

Jackson also said Van Dyke can do more than cover. He said, "The thing I like about him is that he's feisty. I mean, this guy will stick his body in there. He's not afraid to tackle. He played on special teams and made numerous plays. I'm very excited about him, what he'll bring to the table."

--Second-round pick Stefen Wisniewski isn't daunted by the legacy of his uncle Steve Wisniewski in Oakland because he's already gone through it in college.

"That's exactly the kind of situation when I came to Penn State," Wisniewski said. "I was coming to a place where my father and uncle had left quite a legacy, and there's expectations behind that. To be honest, I like that.

"The bar was set high, and I made it my goal to exceed those expectations and be better than they were at Penn State."

--Raiders coach Hue Jackson began Day 2 of the draft talking to a few players and eagerly getting the offseason underway, only to have a court ruling reinstate the lockout at least temporarily.

"You get excited one moment and you've got to back down the next moment," Jackson said. "We have to abide by the rules. It's unfortunate. I want our guys as fast as I can get 'em here, but there are rules in place and we have to abide by them."

--Chemdi Chekwa, the first of two fourth-round draft picks, wasn't about to speculate regarding the possibility of being part of the solution to replace Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.

"I'm not getting ahead of myself right now," Chekwa said. "Really, at this point I'm just trying to go out there and compete for a starting position, continue to work on my craft and be ready to play once I go there and it's time top lay in the NFL.''

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