Oakland Raiders Mandatory Mini-Camp: News and Notes

Stuart Kovacs – Jun 12, 2012

Late Tuesday morning, The Oakland Raiders began their first of three mandatory mini-camps that are occurring this week. Here are a few notes from various Raiders’ reporters.

The two biggest stories of the mini-camp session come from the injury front. While one is a pleasant surprise, the other will make many Raiders’ fans hold their collective breath.

To begin with, wide receiver Denarius Moore left practice with an apparent right hamstring injury, according to Levi Damien’s Twitter page. The second-year receiver made a sharp cut which caused the injury.

He walked off the field with trainers with a limp in his step. There is no further information on the injury at this time.

On the positive side, defensive end Matt Shaughnessy returned to practice today to the surprise of many, according to Steve Corkran’s Twitter page.

This signifies that Shaughnessy is done rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder that kept him out of action for the final 13 games of the 2011 NFL season. Fellow defensive linemen Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour were also practicing.

In other injury related news, fullback Manase Tonga and safety Mike Mitchell were the only two players who were not in attendance, according to Corkran.

Second-year center Stefen Wisniewski and defensive end Dave Tollefson did not take part in practice. Instead, they ran on the side of the field.

According to head coach Dennis Allen, both Mitchell and Wisniewski will be out until training camp.  Alex Parsons is currently taking Wisniewski’s place at starting center while he is injured, according to Corkran.

In terms of special teams, Shane Lechler and rookie Marquette King were both "bombing punts from the endzone," Corkran observed. He also noted that Jacoby Ford, LeQuan Lewis, Bryan McCann and Chaz Powell were the ones fielding the punts.

At one point, the Raiders had three-straight muffed punts by Powell, McCann and Ford, according to Levi Damien.

At the tight end position, Brandon Myers and David Ausberry both got time with the first-team offense, according to Corkran. On one play he observed, he said that Ausberry beat linebacker Rolando McClain on a sideline route.

After practice, Dennis Allen said, “Practice is the only way we can get better.” This is a bold statement coming from the head coach signifying how players will have to prove themselves during mini-camps and other practice sessions.

The Raiders will resume their three-day long mini-camp tomorrow.  

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