Anttaj Hawthorne

It's official. The Oakland Raiders signed Matt Leinart to be backup quarterback behind Carson Palmer on Tuesday, May 1. The former Houston Texans' quarterback will be reunited with his teammate from USC, where both players were Heisman Trophy winners.  

The 2012 AFC West head-to-head schedule actually begins on Monday night in Week 1. The San Diego Chargers travel to play the Oakland Raiders with ESPN providing the coverage. In Week 6 of the NFL schedule, the Denver Broncos and Chargers meet up in another Monday night game.  

The Denver Broncos will be favored to defend their AFC West regular-season championship from the 2011 NFL season after they replaced Tim Tebow with Peyton Manning. The San Diego Chargers are looking to rebound following back-to-back seasons without a playoff appearance. The Oakland Raiders are hoping that a new general manager and head coach will push them into the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs should be more competitive since they'll be...  

The Oakland Raiders are in need of a solid backup for running back Darren McFadden. As exceptional as McFadden is out on the field, he's also been prone to injuries. In 2011, McFadden left the game early in week seven against the Kansas City Chiefs after suffering what turned out to be a season-ending Lisfranc injury.  

Jon Alston was a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders for three seasons, from 2007 through 2009. After experiencing four concussions over a 12 month period, Alston decided to leave the game for good, deciding the risk of injury to his brain was no longer worth the rewards that an NFL career can bring.  

Willie Brown has continued to be a big part of the Oakland Raiders' organization since his retirement as a player in 1978 and the decade he spent as a coach through 1988. In recent years, he's represented the franchise at the NFL draft, and just last month he was the man who announced the Raiders' first pick of the 2012 draft.  

This Sunday, May 13, is Mother's Day. As a mom and an Oakland Raiders fan, my favorite gifts over the years have involved the Silver and Black. If you're searching for a gift for that special mom who happens to love the Raiders too, here is a look at the top five items you should consider.  

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh pick in the 2009 NFL draft, was charged on Thursday with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop last month, an official said. Heyward-Bey, who was stopped on April 7 at 2:40 a.m., faces up to six months in jail if convicted, said Stephanie Ong, a representative for the San Francisco district attorney's office. Oakland Raiders...  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain apologized Tuesday for bringing bad publicity to the team following his recent conviction in Alabama for assault and other charges stemming for allegedly threatening to kill a man and firing a gun next to his head.  

The Oakland Raiders released their 2012 preseason schedule on Wednesdsay afternoon, April 4. For those of us impatiently waiting in Raider Nation for the team to get back on the field, this is an exciting step. The regular season schedule is expected to come out just before the end...  

Fans like me of the Oakland Raiders now have a date and a place where the 2012 Raiders preseason will start. The Oakland Raiders will host the Cowboys in Oakland in a nationally televised game on August 13. The game will be the big national Monday night game and will be seen on...  

The Oakland Raiders began their 2012 offseason program on Monday, April 2, with new and returning players getting to know their new coaches as well as their teammates and to get the opportunity to work with equipment manager Bobby Romanski to receive new gear for workouts and get...  

Things are getting serious for the Oakland Raiders and for their fans like me, the powerful group known as the Raider Nation. The team is already into their first week of offseason workouts and a date has been set for the Oakland Raiders to kick off their 2012 NFL preseason...  

Although Oakland Raiders former coach and player Art Shell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, this month he will be honored in his home town of Charleston, South Carolina as a Hometown Hall of Famer. The program is a cool idea from the Hall of Fame, it's...  

Oakland Raiders players and head coach Dennis Allen , as well as anyone who is involved in the NFL, including the fans, have been talking about the recent bounty scandal and the audio that was released that included some disturbing evidence of Greg Williams' involvement.  

When the San Francisco 49ers released their official preseason schedule on April 4, I noticed something peculiar. The NFL and owners made good on their promise to not have the 49ers face the Oakland Raiders in the preseason after the events surrounding their 2011 preseason matchup. There were plenty of fights that broke out during and after the game, including a man beaten unconscious in a bathroom and two men found shot in the parking lot...  

Although Oakland Raiders former coach and player Art Shell was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, this month he will be honored in his home town of Charleston, South Carolina as a Hometown Hall of Famer. The program is a cool idea from the Hall of Fame, it's sponsored by Allstate Insurance and honors some of the football's greatest players in their home towns, with ceremonies and even a plaque. ...  

With the Oakland Raiders starting their off-season workouts and the 2012 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, I think we have a big year coming up. New GM Reggie McKenzie has been building the team, from the head coach, on down and Oakland Raiders fans like me just have to trust his judgement.  

With the Oakland Raiders starting their off-season workouts and the 2012 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, I think we have a big year coming up. New GM Reggie McKenzie has been building the team, from the head coach, on down and Oakland Raiders fans like me just have to trust his...  

First, let me say, as an Oakland Raiders fan, I do have some issues with the Pro Football Hall of Fame with regards to their overlooking of far too many Oakland Raiders greats. I think it's a joke that icons like Ken Stabler or Jim Plunkett have still not been recognized. But I'm willing to overlook those omissions and blame the process and nominators, not the institution itself.  

As time progresses in the 2012 offseason, I have more and more confidence in the Oakland Raiders' general manager, Reggie McKenzie. The latest move involves defensive end Dave Tolllefson who signed a two-year contract guaranteeing $1.5 million with the potential of a $3 million...  

As time progresses in the 2012 offseason, I have more and more confidence in the Oakland Raiders' general manager, Reggie McKenzie. The latest move involves defensive end Dave Tolllefson who signed a two-year contract guaranteeing $1.5 million with the potential of a $3 million payout.  

Oakland Raiders players and head coach Dennis Allen, as well as anyone who is involved in the NFL, including the fans, have been talking about the recent bounty scandal and the audio that was released that included some disturbing evidence of Greg Williams' involvement.  

It seems like it's signing season for the Oakland Raiders and after a few days of rumors, the Raiders confirmed on April 9 that they had indeed signed free agent defensive end Dave Tollefson. I think the Raiders defense was a major problem area in 2011 and I like how new GM Reggie McKenzie is attacking the problem and making moves to create a strong unit.  

As an Oakland Raiders fan, I have mixed feelings about the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I respect the institution, but have a lot of issues about how many great Oakland Raiders have yet to be "enshrined." Raider legends like Jim Plunkett, Ken Stabler and Cliff Branch continue to be overlooked, while lesser players get in. Here's a look at five Oakland Raiders greats who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:  

Warren Sapp currently averages more than $100,000 per month in income. Despite having earned millions during his time in the NFL with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders, he has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy will lead to the liquidation of his assets to pay his creditors and some of his back owed child support and alimony. He is far from the only former NFL player to earn millions of dollars during his...  

On Thursday afternoon, April 12, what seemed like some rather bizarre news was released involving the Oakland Raiders. The team signed basketball player Andre Hardy, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound player who spent the past two years playing basketball at Cal State Fullerton.  

The Oakland Raiders' preseason schedule with dates and times as to when they'll face their opponents this summer was released on Monday, April 16. While fans eagerly await the release of the 2012 regular season schedule, many are discussing the glaring omission of the most anticipated exhibition game.  

Former Oakland Raiders running back Napoleon Kaufman, one of my favorite players in the team's history for a number of reasons, has returned to the franchise. Unfortunately, he won't be out on the field making record setting runs, but he will be the team's chaplain.  

With the Oakland Raiders 2012 schedule released just this week, I've already been hearing talk about why and how the team will fail in their first four weeks, "dooming them to disaster." Fortunately most of this is coming from the fans of opposing teams, so it shouldn't be all that surprising.  

The 2012 NFL draft hasn’t even begun, and the Raiders already have a member of their draft class pegged to play an important role next season. Terrelle Pryor, a supplemental pick last August who cost the team its third-rounder this year, is the team’s No. 2 quarterback following the first week of OTAs under new head coach Dennis Allen. Although he has never attempted a pass in an NFL game (preseason or regular season), Pryor is the team’s only...  

The Oakland Raiders' players are showing true dedication to winning in 2012 with an impressive turnout at minicamp. New head coach Dennis Allen was pleased, and if you're a part of the Raider Nation it should give you just one more reason to be excited for the upcoming season.  

What if you could go back in Oakland Raiders history and select the greatest players for each position, from any time period, to assemble the ultimate Raiders all-time dream team. I was having lunch with my friend Raider Rick, a hardcore season-ticket holder with seats in the infamous Black Hole of the O.co Coliseum and we started talking about who we would put on the Raiders' all-time greats fantasy team.  

Heading into the NFL draft, it appeared the largest need for the Raiders was help on defense. In 2011, they finished 29th in yards allowed, 29th in points allowed, and they have lost key players such as OLB Kamerion Wimbley, CB Stanford Routt and DT John Henderson since the regular season ended. With former Raiders LB Reggie McKenzie the new general manager and a former defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, now the head coach, all the signs...  

Oakland Raiders' former running back, Napoleon Kaufman, one of the best players in the history of the NFL, likes to visit the team's Alameda facility and O.co Coliseum as often as he can. On Monday, April 9, he paid a visit and spoke with Jeanette Thompson.  

Oakland Raiders fans have the reputation of being loud, well-costumed, and sometimes even obnoxious. Now, they will also be known as supporters of education. Every season ticket purchased and paid in full between May 1 and June 30 will have 10 percent of its gross donated to the Oakland public schools. With season tickets starting at $260 a piece and costing as much as $1,510, the donation to the schools can be substantial. The schools...  

As an Oakland Raiders fan, I'm excited about the 2012 NFL season. I think the team has grown and developed since the end of the 2011 season and will see what I like to call "Raiders 2.0," the new Oakland Raiders that will take the field later this year. I feel Mark Davis has really grown and developed as an owner since taking over the team after his legendary father's passing. His hiring of new GM Reggie McKenzie was a great move and we will...  

The Oakland Raiders' former head coach and player Art Shell will be honored once again by the Pro Football Hall of Fame where he'll be given recognition as a Hometown Hall of Famer in North Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, April 6, at 2 pm.  

There's no denying it, the Oakland Raiders have a bad reputation. Starting with the hardcore teams of the 1970s with guys like Jack Tatum (aka The Assassin) and George Atkinson, I think some of that reputation may have been well-deserved.  

With the Oakland Raiders required to wait until late in the third round to take their first draft pick in 2012 instead of talking about some of the best players who were drafted in the first round, let's take a look at the worst.  

Entertainment conglomerate AEG (Anschultz Entertainment Group) is attempting to take over the management of the O.co Coliseum, where the Oakland Raiders play. The facility has been managed by another company, SMG, for 13 years.  

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has been charged with misdemeanor drunken driving following his arrest last month after a traffic stop on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.  

While I like to follow along with the Oakland Raiders' latest signings and draft prospects, I also like to look at the bigger picture and how the team stands historically against other teams in the league.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders' draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.  

NEW YORK (AP) A person familiar with the decision says Jets vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales is leaving New York to take a position with the Oakland Raiders.  

MIAMI (AP) The NFL has moved the kickoff for Miami's game in Week 2 against the Oakland Raiders from 4:15 p.m. EDT to 1 p.m. because of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders are finally getting a chance to see what their offense can look like with both Carson Palmer and Darren McFadden on the field.  

Quarterback Matt Leinart signed with the Raiders. A seventh-year veteran, Leinart spent the past two seasons with the Houston Texans before being released in March.  

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed defensive end Dave Tollefson, the latest New York Giants free agent to land in the Bay Area this offseason.  

The Oakland Raiders announced Saturday that for a limited time they would donate 10 percent of the proceeds from every season ticket to Oakland public schools.  

The Raiders officially announced the restructuring of their player personnel department, naming several people to new positions and finalizing other hirings.  

Jets vice president of college scouting Joey Clinkscales is leaving the club to take a position in the Raiders’ front office, according to multiple reports.  

The 2012 San Diego Chargers' schedule begins against the Oakland Raiders in Week 1. That game is on Monday night football, aired by ESPN at 7:15 p.m. PT.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have added 13 undrafted free agents to the roster before the start of the team's rookie minicamp.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed former Cal State Fullerton basketball player Andre Hardy to a free-agent contract.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have selected defensive lineman Chris Bilukidi with their sixth-round pick of the NFL draft.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have selected Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford with the 158th pick in the NFL draft.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have selected Arizona receiver Juron Criner with their second pick in the fifth round.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Coach Dennis Allen will get a prime-time stage to the start of his tenure with the Oakland Raiders.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders used their final pick of the NFL draft on Penn State linebacker Nathan Stupar.  

The Oakland Raiders signed free agent center Colin Miller, who was in training camp with the Steelers last season.  

Despite the massive hype and media attention it received, the uniform unveiling that the NFL and Nike hosted on...  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The rookies for the Oakland Raiders are getting a crash course on the NFL this weekend.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have re-signed safety Matt Giordano to a free-agent contract.  

The Raiders have added depth to their offensive line, reaching a deal with OT Ed Wang on Wednesday.  

Former first-round pick QB Matt Leinart will sign with the Raiders, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed offensive lineman Ed Wang to a contract.  

The Sports Xchange  

A look at the prospects that fit in Oakland.  

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed wide receiver Duke Calhoun.  

Free agent quarterback Matt Leinart is scheduled to visit the Oakland Raiders next week.