Raiders receiver makes long-anticipated return
Raiders wide receiver Ronald Curry shook hands with Hall of Fame assistant coach Willie Brown then walked over and lined up opposite cornerback Duane Starks. A few seconds later, Curry sprinted downfield, cut right on a short in-pattern and caught a quick pass from quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo.
It was nothing more than a simple one-on-one receivers' drill, but for Curry the return to the practice field was a major accomplishment. Exactly four weeks after Oakland opened training camp, Curry made his first appearance of the preseason after being activated from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday.
"It's finally here," Curry said after the Raiders' afternoon workout. "The season was creeping closer and closer and I just wanted to get out there. I haven't felt this good in a long time. I'm just ready to go out there and put on a show."
Curry had not practiced since Sept. 18 when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg in the second regular season game last year. It was the same injury that prematurely ended Curry's 2004 season as well and left his playing future in doubt.
After rehabbing over the summer Curry reported to Oakland's training camp in late July and declared himself healed and ready to play. The Raiders had different plans, though, and Curry stayed on the PUP list until Tuesday despite repeated attempts to convince the coaching staff otherwise.
"I've been ready for the last couple of months," Curry said. "I think last year kind of scared them a little bit, me getting out there and not being ready. They just took all the time they could. It was just a matter of when they felt like bringing me out."
Curry was one of Oakland's top young receivers in 2004 when he started 12 games and set career-highs for receptions (50), receiving yardage (679) and touchdowns (six). Before tearing his Achilles tendon in early December, the former North Carolina quarterback had supplanted Jerry Porter as the Raiders' biggest downfield threat.
Since then the 27-year-old's career has been in constant rehab mode.
Now that he's back on the field, however, Curry finds himself in the middle of a logjam at wide receiver. The Raiders have already penciled in Randy Moss and Doug Gabriel as the likely starters in the regular season, with Jerry Porter and Alvis Whitted waiting in reserve.
"It can be tough but the kid has talent, I've heard," Shell said. "I watched him when he played here in the past ... and everybody is ranting and raving about his talent, so that's a big plus. But hey, we'll look at him and continue to evaluate."
Curry's progress in the next few weeks could determine Porter's fate with the team. The disgruntled wide receiver has been seeking a trade since the offseason but Oakland has been hesitant to deal him, partly due to Curry's status.
If Curry can stay healthy and regain the form he had in 2004, it's conceivable the Raiders would be willing to part ways with Porter, who ironically had his most impressive practice of training camp on the same day that Curry returned. Working strictly with the second-team offense, Porter made two catches on crossing patterns then ended practice with a 40-yard touchdown catch at the back of the end zone.
But Curry isn't even secure in his own status. While he put up solid numbers in 2004 — highlighted by a one-handed leaping touchdown catch in the snow at Denver — Curry is playing for a coaching staff that hasn't seen him except on videotape.
"I have good film but that's (from) two years ago," Curry said. "We'll see how it unfolds. I've seen a lot of guys sit around here and get healthy and get released."
It was nothing more than a simple one-on-one receivers' drill, but for Curry the return to the practice field was a major accomplishment. Exactly four weeks after Oakland opened training camp, Curry made his first appearance of the preseason after being activated from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday.
"It's finally here," Curry said after the Raiders' afternoon workout. "The season was creeping closer and closer and I just wanted to get out there. I haven't felt this good in a long time. I'm just ready to go out there and put on a show."
Curry had not practiced since Sept. 18 when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg in the second regular season game last year. It was the same injury that prematurely ended Curry's 2004 season as well and left his playing future in doubt.
After rehabbing over the summer Curry reported to Oakland's training camp in late July and declared himself healed and ready to play. The Raiders had different plans, though, and Curry stayed on the PUP list until Tuesday despite repeated attempts to convince the coaching staff otherwise.
"I've been ready for the last couple of months," Curry said. "I think last year kind of scared them a little bit, me getting out there and not being ready. They just took all the time they could. It was just a matter of when they felt like bringing me out."
Curry was one of Oakland's top young receivers in 2004 when he started 12 games and set career-highs for receptions (50), receiving yardage (679) and touchdowns (six). Before tearing his Achilles tendon in early December, the former North Carolina quarterback had supplanted Jerry Porter as the Raiders' biggest downfield threat.
Since then the 27-year-old's career has been in constant rehab mode.
Now that he's back on the field, however, Curry finds himself in the middle of a logjam at wide receiver. The Raiders have already penciled in Randy Moss and Doug Gabriel as the likely starters in the regular season, with Jerry Porter and Alvis Whitted waiting in reserve.
"It can be tough but the kid has talent, I've heard," Shell said. "I watched him when he played here in the past ... and everybody is ranting and raving about his talent, so that's a big plus. But hey, we'll look at him and continue to evaluate."
Curry's progress in the next few weeks could determine Porter's fate with the team. The disgruntled wide receiver has been seeking a trade since the offseason but Oakland has been hesitant to deal him, partly due to Curry's status.
If Curry can stay healthy and regain the form he had in 2004, it's conceivable the Raiders would be willing to part ways with Porter, who ironically had his most impressive practice of training camp on the same day that Curry returned. Working strictly with the second-team offense, Porter made two catches on crossing patterns then ended practice with a 40-yard touchdown catch at the back of the end zone.
But Curry isn't even secure in his own status. While he put up solid numbers in 2004 — highlighted by a one-handed leaping touchdown catch in the snow at Denver — Curry is playing for a coaching staff that hasn't seen him except on videotape.
"I have good film but that's (from) two years ago," Curry said. "We'll see how it unfolds. I've seen a lot of guys sit around here and get healthy and get released."
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home