Wide receiver Kris Durham (83) climbs the ladder over the defensive back to make a catch and qualify for our Play of the Day.
The Oakland Raiders hit the practice field for their last full practice before this Friday night's preseason opener against the St. Louis Rams at O.co Coliseum in Oakland. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
Throughout camp we have brought you the observations of the sights and sounds from the sidelines. When possible we have added the perspective of visitors who attend camp. ESPN's Adam Caplan, the longtime sports writer has been a frequent guest during our NFL Combine coverage and he says he really enjoys visiting Oakland Raiders training camp in Napa.
"There's a lot of energy here, there's just a new belief here that they can turn this thing around. I think Jack Del Rio has brought a lot of energy into the building," Caplan said. "This is my West Coast swing, this is year 11 of visiting the Raiders, I always like to go here, the setting is terrific, it's good to see this. This is a camp I wanted to see. There's a lot to grasp and look in here."
Caplan said there is a positive vibe about the Raiders in the circles in which he travels.
"Most people believe that the Raiders are going to be much improved, how that equates to wins is very hard to say," Caplan said. "The roster has been upgraded, you see the team speed, and they've got a good young quarterback. There's a direction here. This has been a problem for many years. They didn't have a direction. They have a direction now and it's good to see.
Here are today's observations:
Safety Brandian Ross, tight end Lee Smith, running back Roy Helu, Jr., fullback Jamize Olawale and wide receiver Rod Streater did not participate and could be seen working out with team trainers.
The Raiders preseason TV team of Beth Mowins, Tim Brown and Matt Millen were on hand getting ready for Friday night.
QB Derek Carr rolled out to his right and hit tight end Clive Walford in stride. Walford was introduced to the sideline rather rudely.
The defense jumped offsides and promptly did a set of push-ups.
Running back Latavius Murray took a hand off, slashed through the defense, made a nice cut and bounced it outside for a big gain before getting knocked out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
Linebacker Ben Heeney stepped in front of a pass intended for tight end Gabe Holmes and returned it for a touchdown.
Defensive back Tevin McDonald continues to give wide receiver Austin Willis fits, denying him by swatting the ball away on an out route.
Tight end Clive Walford made a sweet catch deep down the left sideline.
Play of the Day
Wide receiver Kris Durham climbed the ladder and made a great catch over the top of a defensive back on a pass from quarterback Matt McGloin.
