Ricky

Brown

John Wade will continue to start at center while Jon Alston draws his third straight start at strong side linebacker.

The coaching staff will still appreciate this. Morrison’s dislocated elbow was supposed to cost him two weeks and possibly threaten his starting job, but he’s doing everything he can to hold off Ricky Brown and not miss any games. Expect Morrison to return to the starting lineup before opening day.

Cable also added that Morrison was ahead of Ricky Brown in their battle for the starting middle linebacker job. Assuming Morrison gets back in time for the preseason finale, which Cable said he could, we expect Morrison to be the Week 1 starter. Brown remains a candidate to start on the strong side.

Ricky Brown won the SLB job, beating out Jon Alston. Morrison has averaged an outstanding 125 tackles per season as a four-year starter in Oakland. He’s not a traditional run-stuffing “MIKE,” but is a clear-cut LB1 in IDP leagues.

Alston is more of a nickel ‘backer, but he doesn’t have much competition in Oakland. Ricky Brown is working behind Kirk Morrison at middle linebacker, calling Sam Williams a productive special teamer would be generous, and rookie Slade Norris isn’t ready. It’s a position of weakness for the Raiders.

The B.C. grad made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2006, and has steadily moved up the depth chart. Former starters Robert Thomas and Sam Williams are behind him, although we wouldn’t expect great production from any of them.

Madsen is basically a wideout playing tight end. He caught eight balls for 102 yards in 2007. Oakland is especially high on Wilson as a left tackle prospect. There’s an outside chance he’ll get a look there along with Kwame Harris.