Other stuff

The first thing we learned at training camp was well advertised, but it was important to see live and in the flesh. The Raiders are a lot faster than they were last year.

I made a list of 20 things that I learned at camp in Napa this year. The Raiders packed up the moving trucks and headed back to Alameda on Monday after 28 days for rookies and quarterbacks, 24 days for the other players and 16 days for media slappies making the commute.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s No. 1 goal this offseason was to get faster, like the Chiefs. And that comes after two other things that I won’t even officially count but must list:

Helmet specifications and safety guidelines, thanks to Antonio Brown.

Causes and treatment of frostbite. See above.

OK, now to the official 20 things …

1. Gruden learned the team is faster, too.

He was asked to name some position groups that have stood out in terms of speed and, in order, he said the defensive line, secondary, receivers and tight ends are all much faster than they were.

“I mean I could say that every position is faster,” Gruden said Saturday. “We had to get faster and we have to keep getting faster. We needed to get bigger and we have to keep getting bigger. Big and fast is a big part of the Raider image.”

2. Raiders players and coaches don’t like to give rookie safety Johnathan Abram compliments because he already is super confident and likes to talk trash. But they still have to do it anyway.

“He has an extreme confidence,” linebacker Vontaze Burfict said. “I love it, though, because he shows it. He shows it in film room and film study. Like (Sunday), we had a play and he opened his mouth up and obviously said something in front of the defense that kind of gave me the chills. I don’t want to say it because it’s kind of just in-house, but he’s going to be a great player for us.”

3. Gruden found two players even nicer than Derek Carr and it’s killing him.

Backup quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman almost defer to teammates at times, and Gruden wants them to be jerk-ier. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders can get Peterman through waivers and back on the practice squad, because Gruden really is excited about his upside.

4. Arden Key is playing with some power. That’s new. The second-year defensive end was one of the bright spots of camp.

“He looks a lot stronger to me,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said Sunday. “He’s another guy that can keep getting better because he can play first, second and third down now. That’s good to see.”

Remember, before camp, Guenther was just hoping Key could be a third-down pass rusher, so that’s real progress.

5. DeAndré Washington is totally over the knee surgery from before last season and looks much faster and crisper than he did last season.

He made the roster last year as the No. 4 running back, and either Gruden is carrying four again or Washington is beating out Doug Martin. And the vet Martin is a Gruden Grinder, so that’s why we went with four on the most recent 53-man projection.

6. I knew Lamarcus Joyner was good, but not this good.

The safety is happy to be playing nickel cornerback, and has shown stickiness. And Joyner can get home on the blitz, something Guenther will use more often this season.

“(He’s) fast, instinctive, a leader,” Burfict said of Joyner. “Everything you want at nickel back. He puts his hands on receivers, doesn’t let them get free access. Obviously, I have to communicate pre-snap and it does wonders for me. It takes a lot of stuff off of my plate to have him next to me.”

7. Tight end Luke Willson is very funny, going off the other day on “Hard Knocks” setting him up with a misleading clip.

And that will be missed, because the Raiders have to carry extra players at other positions and are only carrying three tight ends, I believe.

8. Rookie defensive end Clelin Ferrell has great pursuit skills and can chase down running backs and quarterbacks.

I am curious to see the sack numbers, but he is pretty good already against the run, as is Josh Mauro, who will be starting on the opposite end.

Yeah, the pass rush is still a concern.

9. I have been writing all month that Keith Smith will hold off rookie Alec Ingold for the fullback job, largely because Smith was brought in by special teams coach Rich Bisaccia a year ago.

But Gruden really loves the rookie, who has shown toughness on his blocks and sure hands. There’s no way the crazy coach keeps two fullbacks … nah.

The coach might be able to sneak Ingold onto the practice squad because only half the league even uses fullbacks and there can’t be a high demand if Ingold gets cut.

10. Maxx Crosby is another very popular rookie.

Not only for his rapping skills, but also because he wears his heart on his sleeve like all those tattoos, has a great motor and is very burst-y. Yeah, I made up a word. Plus, he came back into the first preseason game with a broken hand.

“He’s a crazy son of a bitch,” Guenther said. “He’s a great kid. He has tons of energy and I really admire him trying to get back in the game. He really wanted to get back in there. He’s just going to have to play with a cast to get used to it in practice. But I admire it. He’s a tough guy, loves ball.

“I can’t say enough about the kind of guys we brought in here, in free agency and the draft. It just changed the whole complexion of the team. It’s just a whole different vibe with this team right now.”

11. The Raiders miss Marshawn Lynch.

No, not at running back. They are thrilled with rookie Josh Jacobs. But they miss Lynch as their marquee star. Gruden let Lynch do whatever he wanted and I don’t think Lynch missed a single practice at camp, and he took the younger running backs under his wing at times. Antonio Brown needed general manager Mike Mayock to call him out Sunday.

Brown filed another grievance Monday night against the NFL to wear a newer version of his old helmet, Pro Football Talk first reported, and the Raiders just hope he is at practice on Tuesday.

If he is, with the frostbitten feet pretty much healed up, Brown will show again why he will be a fantasy football steal. Gruden may have Carr throw to him every play.

12. A.J. Cole beat out Johnny Townsend for the punting job, but that doesn’t mean Gruden won’t pick up a veteran off the waiver wire.

It’s a big two preseason games coming up for Cole.

13. Same goes for second-year offensive tackle Brandon Parker.

He needs to play better because everyone just assumed he had the swing-tackle job sewn up. I am not so sure after watching him at camp and in the first two games.

14. This is far too low to mention Trent Brown.

Like Joyner, I had no idea the highest-paid tackle in the league was this good. We all know he is huge, but his technique and hands are so good that he makes it look easy when he brushes aside a pass rusher. He also can just stonewall defenders or drive them to the ground and jump on them. Which he enjoys.

15. Burfict and Richie Incognito have been angels and leaders at camp.

Must be a Napa thing. Or Gruden.

Plus, they are both in great shape.

16. I learned that I can’t write a long-snapper story.

I tried to write one about the battle between Andrew DePaola and Trent Sieg but …

They’re both interesting guys, but … nothing … I might try again next week.

17. Carr looks great (as a veteran quarterback should at camp).

“Yeah, I just think he’s playing with a lot of confidence right now and practicing with a lot of confidence,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “I think, again, just a better overall feel for the expectations that Jon has of him on each and every play. … Where does Jon want you to go with the football? And I think he has a real good feel for that right now.”

18. Undrafted rookie run-stuffer Anthony Rush is making the team.

I have no idea how the Eagles cut him or the Lions dragged their feet in signing him.

19. Jacobs improved every day at training camp, and will be fresh and healthy come the season opener, since I don’t plan on seeing him play the rest of the preseason.

20. I’m getting soft in my old age.

The only things that concerned me at camp were the offensive-line depth and pass-rush upside? Must be a Napa thing.