Mike Jenkins News

For years, media talking heads have only discussed and judged Defensive backs based off interceptions.

The Oakland Raiders finished their final practice of mandatory mini-camp Thursday, entering a six-week break until the start of training camp on July 25. Just having three days of practice in non-padded work only provides a small sample of what the Raiders will be working with in 2013, but it does give a glimpse of certain strengths and weaknesses.

Coach Dennis Allen is pleased with the progress he's seen the past two months during the offseason program for the new-look Oakland Raiders.

Practice started with no changes to the injured list, either adding or returning.

He has played for eight head coaches, seven special teams coordinators and with countless teammates since entering the NFL in 2000 as the first kicker taken in the first round of the draft in 21 years.

Twenty-three teams started mandatory minicamps Tuesday. That means there was a dizzying amont of news, practice nuggets and press conferences, even when very little was said.

Raiders 101 provides 24/7 obsessive sports coverage of the Oakland Raiders as a part of Sports Media 101 .

THE CAREER OF JASON GARRETT: Dallas head coach Jason Garrett talks with officials after a pass interference call on Mike Jenkins during Cowboys-Giants game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on Dec. 11, 2011.

During the 2012 campaign, it wasn't hard to see snaps as part of the Oakland Raiders ' defensive backfield.

The Oakland Raiders have always been a proud franchise with die-hard, dedicated fans.

Cowboys fourth round pick B.W. Webb will compete for a starting job with Orlando Scandrick in 2013, but Scandrick isn't exactly worried about it.

And so it goes for the Oakland Raiders : another long season; another strange offseason; another chance to look ahead to the future of the franchise.

With tomorrow being June 1, the Raiders about to receive $8 million in relief from Michael Huff's June 1st cut designation, it is a good time to do a 'Best free agents available' update.

In a year of rebuilding there is no question the area in which the Oakland Raiders have most improved is in the secondary.

Former Green Bay safety Charles Woodson brings experience and ideas to a revamped Raiders secondary in 2013.

I have to admit, this was a thought that was spurred by an excellent article by Calvin Watkins.

It's not very often that a football player can come within minutes of death and end up a first-round pick only a few months later.

Oakland's signing of Charles Woodson Tuesday is the latest and likely final move by general manager Reggie McKenzie to put together a new defensive backfield that should be far less leaky than the version cobbled together with castoffs and backups in 2012.

Now that Charles Woodson is back with the Oakland Raiders, it's time to identify how he fits with the Silver and Black.