Oakland Raiders Training Camp Report Day 9: Allen Lets off the Gas

Instead of pads, head coach Dennis Allen had his players in shorts and shells during Wednesday morning’s practice. The players were originally slated to wear pads for the ninth consecutive practice, but Allen decided to ratchet down the intensity because the players had been giving good effort. The injury to Mike Goodson during yesterday’s practice likely factored into Allen’s thinking as well.

Allen said Goodson was sore, but doing better. In the interim, Lonyae Miller, Rashawn Jackson and Marcel Reece split the load at tailback behind Darren McFadden.

Reece was getting work as a tailback on Tuesday prior to Goodson’s injury and Allen said Reece is not only filling in at running back out of necessity. “Some of it is trying to put him back there and hand the ball off to him and see where he’s at and see how he fits the scheme.” Allen said.

Miller has impressed Allen with his understanding of the zone scheme and ability to get yards despite not being as explosive as McFadden, Goodson or Taiwan Jones.  Miller will get extensive action on Monday night against Dallas. “I would expect that he would be tired after Monday night’s game,” Allen said.

The players probably welcomed the lighter practice before Thursday’s day off, everyone except veteran cornerback Ron Bartell who hasn’t worn pads since last September. Bartell missed most of last year with a neck injury and the first six practices of training camp with a hamstring injury. Due to the new collective bargaining agreement, Bartell was eligible to put the pads on for the first time on Wednesday. 

“I was actually looking forward to getting full pads on.” Bartell said. “I’m probably the only guy on the team that felt that way.”

Bartell has performed well the past few days without pads and he might get even better when he can add the physic...