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HOT TOPIC
It's an embarrassing statistic Oakland Raiders defenders are aware of, but it hasn't been a big topic of conversation in the off-season.
No sense dwelling on being the NFL's pick-less wonders, to whom interceptions were a rare occurrence.
In 2005, the Raiders intercepted just five passes -- the lowest team total in NFL history over a 16-game season, one less than the St. Louis Rams had the previous year.
One of those was a Charles Woodson theft in the end zone at the end of a half on a Hail Mary pass. The other was a ball plucked out of the air by Warren Sapp on a play that was originally ruled a Donovan McNabb fumble.
Free safety Stuart Schweigert had two interceptions and nickel back Renaldo Hill had one.
"I really don't understand how a team can not have any interceptions," Schweigert said. "It's not like we were missing opportunities, dropping balls and that sort of thing. I don't know what we can attribute that too. It's been a huge emphasis (this off-season)."
The talk has been about getting interceptions, rather than how they somehow managed to not get them at a record rate.
"We kind of think, 'It's done, it's over with, let's start over,'" Schweigert said. "Let's just get as many interceptions as we can. Our goal is to lead the NFL in interceptions this year."
For the record, the Cincinnati Bengals led the NFL with 31 interceptions in 2005 -- three more than Oakland's total for the last 48 games.
It's not as if 2005 was as aberration. It was in fact a bottoming out of a downward spiral. Oakland dropped from 21 interceptions in the AFC championship season of 2002, to 14 in 2003 and nine in 2004.
The last two seasons are the only two in club history in which the Raiders failed to intercept 10 passes in a season -- including a nine-game strike season in 1981 when they had 18.
In their last 32 games, the Raiders have 14 interceptions in 996 attempts by opposing quarterbacks, or one every 71.1 attempts. The Bengals in 2005, by contrast, had an interception every 16.7 pass attempts.
Theories abound on why the Raiders have so few interceptions. They play a lot of man-to-man defense, which often leaves defenders with their backs to the ball. Their pass rush has been anemic, giving quarterbacks more time to throw.
AFC West quarterbacks haven't thrown many interceptions.
Still, that doesn't explain why Oakland's interception total would drop after signing Derrick Burgess, the NFL's leading sacker with 16. Or why cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha could play in 47 games in three years with 23 starts and still not have an interception.
The Raiders imported two veteran players that they hope will add to their total. Free agent Duane Starks had 25 career interceptions -- three more than the combined total of the rest of Oakland's secondary. And that includes 17 by Tyrone Poole, another free agent import.
"Look, we know we have to get more interceptions," Schweigert said. " The name of the game is turnovers, and we can't survive with a fumble here, a fumble there.
PLAYER NOTES
--Quarterback Aaron Brooks professes no worries regarding his ability to satisfy three ultra-talented but moody receivers in Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry.
"My relationship with my receivers has always been a very tight, close-knit relationship," Brooks said. "I've never had problems with my receivers. They do what they're supposed to do and I try and get them the ball. I'm pretty good with players and wonderful with coaches."
--There has long been talk that Art Shell's first tenure as Raiders head coach was undermined by some assistants who had designs on getting him fired.
When Shell was let go, assistant Mike White took over. At a recent Raiders' charity event, Raiders defensive backs coach Willie Brown hinted Shell didn't get what he deserved the first time around.
"Art is coming back with a different attitude than he had," Brown said. "That was his first coaching job. I am not sure all the people around him worked hard enough for him."
--Kevin McMahan thoroughly enjoyed the festivities in his honor as the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2006 NFL Draft, earning gifts such as a $1,500 watch, a PlayStation portable and a laptop computer. His mother and grandmother also received gifts simply because McMahan was the final pick of the draft.
In complimenting Newport Beach, McMahan, a wide receiver from Maine and a native of Rochester, N.Y., also inadvertently took a shot at the home of his new team.
"Everybody is so nice," McMahan said. "It's almost weird being around so many nice people. California is a lot different than what I thought. All I had experienced of California was Oakland. That's not what California is like."
--Randy Moss has a new clothing line, and now Warren Sapp is hoping to set himself up for the future if his surgically repaired shoulder does not respond. It also appears Sapp has hired a P.R. form which can match him bluster for bluster.
Referring to a string of "HipHopSoda Shops" in Central Florida and Jacksonville, the H3 Enterprises release stated the shops would "combine the urban swell of the hip-hop music, Pro-Ball, healthy fast food, CyberSports, merchandising and pre-downloadable cash-cards into the hottest phenomena since the cultural revolution of Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe and Starbucks."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--S Calvin Branch (not tendered June 1).
--RB Omar Easy (not tendered June 1).
--TE Zeron Flemister (not tendered June 1).
--LB-DE DeLawrence Grant (not tendered June 1).
--DT Kenny Smith (not tendered June 1).
--S Reggie Tongue (not tendered June 1).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--TE James Adkisson is a converted wide receiver, strictly a project.
--DT Anttaj Hawthorne was elevated from practice squad last season, played sparingly. Has chance to stick.
--DE Tommy Kelly is a starter with great potential, undrafted in 2004, can play base end and tackle.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Jarrod Cooper: UFA; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--FB John Paul Foschi: ERFA; terms unknown.
--S Derrick Gibson: UFA; terms unknown.
--OG Corey Hulsey: UFA; terms unknown.
--DE/LB Grant Irons: RFA; terms unknown (had been tendered at $721,600).
--OT Brad Lekkerkerker: ERFA; terms unknown.
--DT Terdell Sands: RFA; terms unknown, had been tendered at $721,600.
--OT Chad Slaughter: UFA; terms unknown.
--TE Randal Williams: UFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--QB Aaron Brooks; FA Saints; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--DE Lance Johnstone: UFA Vikings; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--CB Tyrone Poole: FA Patriots; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--TE Marcellus Rivers: UFA Texans; terms unknown.
--TE O.J. Santiago: FA; terms unknown.
--RB Rod Smart: FA Panthers; terms unknown.
--OG Cameron Spikes: FA; terms unknown.
--CB Duane Starks: FA Patriots; terms unknown.
--LB Robert Thomas: FA Packers; terms unknown.
PLAYERS LOST
--QB Kerry Collins (released).
--DB Renaldo Hill: UFA Dolphins; $6M/3 yrs, $2M SB.
--DT Ed Jasper: UFA Eagles; $750,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB.
--LB Tim Johnson: UFA Ravens; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--OG Ron Stone (released).
--CB Denard Walker (released).
--DT Ted Washington (released).
--CB Charles Woodson: UFA Packers; $52M/7 yrs, no SB; $10.5M combined RB/salary 2006.
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