http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp/stor...s&confirm=true Quote: First-round pick Heyward-Bey struggling to get a grip at Raiders camp Associated Press NAPA, Calif. -- Oakland coach Tom Cable insists he is not concerned about wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, even as the Raiders' first-round draft pick struggles through the first few days of training camp. Heyward-Bey dropped four passes on Monday in Oakland's first full-contact practice, one day after dropping a trio of throws as owner Al Davis looked on. "He understands his job is to catch footballs and for him it is just a process of gaining confidence and getting comfortable every day at this level," Cable said. "And he is doing that by leaps and bounds. I am really not worried about it. He is just pressing. He just wants to impress you. That is what it is." The seventh overall pick in the NFL draft, Heyward-Bey has been the most closely watched player in Oakland's camp this year. He missed the team's first practice while his agent hammered out the details on a five-year deal that will guarantee Heyward-Bey at least $23.5 million, then joined the team for a light workout later that same afternoon. On Monday, Oakland donned full pads but the results weren't what the offense had been hoping for. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell missed open receivers on a few throws, backup Jeff Garcia sat out with a strained calf muscle and Heyward-Bey had more drops than he did catches. After practice, Cable pulled his young receiver to the side for a quick pep talk. At the end of the brief discussion, Cable patted Heyward-Bey on the back as the former Maryland star headed for the locker room to get treatment on the hamstring that sidelined him during the offseason. "I wouldn't say I'm pressing, I'm just trying to work through the kinks," Heyward-Bey said. "That's football. It happens. They tell me all the time, 'Forget about that."' Russell knows a thing or two about scrutiny and trying to do too much as a rookie. Drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2006, he missed all of training camp in a contract holdout and played sparingly his first season while the criticism increased each week. Oakland's third-year quarterback said it's important for Heyward-Bey to not listen to what is being said or written about him. "He's very anxious to succeed," Russell said. "I don't know anyone who's not going to be anxious to succeed, but I told him make it easy for yourself. Sometimes you jump for passes you don't have to. The ball's going to be in places where you expect it to be so just run through your routes and do what got you here. Those guys know you can catch so go out there and show them." Heyward-Bey did make two nice grabs, hauling in a 20-yard completion from Russell on a crossing route. After catching the ball, Heyward-Bey quickly accelerated and split through a trio of defenders on his way to the end zone. "I'm still thinking, because it's still fairly new, but I'm out there trying to run full speed, trying to show the coaches what I can do," Heyward-Bey said. "They want us to go out there, and run as fast as we can, come off the ball hard, and that's what I'm doing." Still, Russell knows the questions about Heyward-Bey won't stop until the receiver starts making plays. He also hopes the rookie avoids the temptation to try to do too much too soon because of the growing criticism. "At times there are because everybody is asking the question, 'What is he going to do?"' Russell said. "Hey, you've got to go out there and relax yourself and be poised. just go out there and make plays. He's there to make 'em. Now he's just gotta go out there and do it." Notes: Cable gave no timetable for how long Garcia would be out. ... WR Javon Walker continues to work out on his own while recovering from offseason knee surgery. ... Two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess' holdout extended into its sixth day.
Dhb just needs to be consistant. OIne day he catching everything, next he dropping everything. DHB, receivers catching on By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 7:01 pm in Oakland Raiders. Quick hits following Tuesday’s second practice: Looking for some good news about Darrius Heyward-Bey? How about 16 passes targeted, 14 receptions. No. 11 was a one-handed snag near the sideline. One of the misses was on a low pass, the other could well have been a pass interference penalty on Chris Johnson, with the ball falling to the ground. – DHB wasn’t the only one. It’s possible Will Franklin has dropped as many passes as Heyward-Bey since the beginning of camp, but no one knows it because, well, he’s Will Franklin. Franklin caught everything thrown his way Tuesday afternoon, including one sideline dart from JaMarcus Russell in front of Nnamdi Asomugha. – Russell wasn’t as sharp in full team sessions as he was in 7-on-7 and drills, but there were sequences where he threw the ball very well. Better than at any open sessions during the offseason, and more consistently than any time during training camp last year.
So a thread gets started to inform us of a WR beating a CB who might be 3rd on the Dept Chart by the time the season begins? And then, basically, it concludes with reports of that WR having stone-hands. Awesome. Just.... awesome.
Actually Jeaux, it's not "OIne day he catching everything, next he dropping everything." It's more like..."FOirst day he dropping everything. Second day he dropping everything. Third day he dropping everything. Fourth day he catching almost everything. Can you say Championship?"
They don't need him to catch everything. Remember that thread as to why he was the better fit for the raiders as an inferior reciever to crabtree? They just need him to stretch the field and open up everything got All-Universe TE Zach Miller, and the 6 Headed threat DMacFadden. He doesn't actually have to catch the ball just run with his 3.4 speed straight ahead down the field.
It's a similar concept to drafting a DE at #6 (one spot higher than DHB was picked) who doesn't actually sack, tackle or even get on the field. Just his imposing workout warrior physique on the sideline scares offenses to death. Sorry, couldn't resist the cheapie.
First off, I hope you meant 4.3 speed. Second, using the above logic, why not just sign a track runner from the US Olympic team? Apparently he can catch as well as DHB (maybe better) and run faster. And I bet he'd sign a hell of a lot cheaper. If you drafted a WR in the first round, he damn well better catch the ball. Reminds me of the receiver in that movie Necessary Roughness that couldn't catch the ball, so no one covered him.
Where did I use the "B" word? Since you asked, I'm observing Gholston after 16 games that count. You guys are gleeful over a rookie dropping some balls in the first week of his first training camp. Bust? Please. Good thing they didn't have twitter when Nnamdi Asomugha was getting burned in his rookie training camp.
Not gleeful, just pointing out that the thread title is almost the complete opposite of reality up to this point.
What? You act like we're the ones concerned about DHB. I don't think many/anyone here has gone to Raider forums to inform them that Dustin Keller is catching everything in practice...
I don't understand Hater logic. You're declaring he can't catch the ball because he struggled for a couple of days in his first training camp? Conversely, what about the fact that he's been catching the ball consistently and looking good for the last 3 days? Too late for the kid to "salvage his career"?
I think the fact that he couldnt catch in college was more then enough to realize that he's got shitty hands. Expect nothing more then speed....
No, I'm responding to the implication that a receiver doesn't need to catch the ball. I don't care if you are talking about DHB or Jerry Rice. DHB may turn it around and have hands of glue, I don't know. But I do know that if he doesn't catch the ball well, he won't last in the NFL, no matter how fast he is. It is indeed too early to tell, but not too early for me to rag on him and how fat your QB is to get my jollies off.
