camp toss-up: Strongside linebacker"

There’s one good thing about summer when it comes to the NFL: You can turn almost any negative into a positive.At this time last year, the and Lane Kiffin, then their rookie head coach, were dealing with what, at that time, seemed to be an encouraging little road bump. They had too many players -- which meant too many camp battles -- for nearly every position.Even at this time in 2007, Kiffin still hadn’t figured out who’d be his starting quarterback for the year -- and who’d be the backup, for that matter. He headed into preseason having to deal with the flux of having three QBs -- Josh McCown, Daunte Culpepper and Andrew Walter -- all battling for one spot.It all seemed hopeful back then. There were so many capable players on one roster, which encouraged a 10 Santonio Holmes White jersey
competitive atmosphere and forced Kiffin to choose the one who emerged as the best player.Or … there just wasn’t one player good enough.After another 4-12 season, we’ve all found out that was the reason why there were so many camp battles. Looking back, having to choose among McCown, Culpepper and Walter is no fantasy camp.Luckily, just two days after the Raiders’ first official 2008 depth chart was released, that won’t be a problem this year. A quick glance reveals only two positions up for grabs heading into preseason: Center (which I discussed last week) and strongside linebacker, which I’ll examine now.Currently, there are three applicants up for the final linebacker spot alongside standouts Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard. The three are Sam Williams, Robert Thomas and Ricky Brown; Williams and Thomas have starting experience with Oakland, while Brown has only seen time on special teams in the NFL. That doesn’t mean, however, that Brown is out of the race. In fact, he may be leading it.? Sam Williams: The 28-year-old Williams has the most starting experience with the Raiders of the three linebackers, filling a No. 1 role in 20 games with the silver and black over the last five seasons. Unfortunately, the former third-round pick hasn’t used that starting time very effectively, never emerging as the type of dynamic player the Raiders had hoped he'd be when drafting him out of Fresno State.Williams’ best season came back in 2006, when the 260-pounder started 12 games and recorded 44 tackles (38 solo) and a sack. Last season, his production saw a major drop-off, with just four starts and 16 tackles to show for the year. In the end, Williams will likely to a back seat to both Thomas and Brown. The Clayton, Calif., native has become the player who's always there, but he's never quite good enough in Oakland. Unfortunately for him, nothing has changed that this year.? Robert Thomas: The most experienced of the three, Thomas has started in 49 games with three different teams since entering the NFL in 2002. The 28-year-old started 10 games with Oakland last season and posted his most productive season in the league since 2003 with the St. Louis Rams. The 6-feet, 235-pounder registered 62 tackles (51 solo) as the team’s primary starter, proving to be a reliable option at outside linebacker.Thomas, though, doesn’t quite fit in with the Raiders' linebacking corps. Though dependable, he doesn’t possess the explosiveness and playmaking ability that both Morrison and Howard have, making him appear as the odd man out. As the season rolls along, Thomas will undoubtedly see his share of time on the field. To start, though, his name may sit No. 2 on the depth chart.? Ricky Brown: The young wild card of the three, Brown is the type of player coach’s and fans can get excited about. The 24-year-old hasn’t played strongside linebacker since his days at Boston College three years ago, but the former undrafted free agent has been taking the bulk of reps this camp with the first-team defense. A native of Cincinnati, Brown has spent his first two years with Oakland almost exclusively on special teams, playing in 19 games (with one start in Week 16 last year) and registering 21 total tackles.Brown came out of the same draft as Howard in ‘06, and, surprisingly, he isn’t far off in the measurables department. Howard (6-3, 240) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds; Brown (6-2, 235) ran it in 4.48. 10 Santonio Holmes black jersey
Howard ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.29 seconds; Brown topped that, recording a 3.96-second shuttle. In addition, they also differed by just one one-hundredth of a second in the three-cone drill.With the ‘08 preseason just one day away, don’t expect Brown’s undersized résumé to prevent him from beating out the aged veterans. This deep into camp, it’s a testament to his work ethic that he’s even leading this tight race. Expect Brown to hang on, and join the two explosive linebackers he’s watched from the sidelines since becoming a Raider two short years ago.Anthony Carroll can be contacted at Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game! (21)