When the Raiders open the regular-season on Sept. 9 against the Detroit Lions, half of their running back relay will be missing.
Dominic Rhodes, signed to a two-year, $7.5 million contract in the offseason after an excellent postseason for the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, won't make his debut in silver and black until Oct. 14 after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
The Raiders had no comment other than to confirm the NFL's action, but odds are slim they were surprised.
Rhodes was arrested Feb. 20 for driving under the influence after being pulled over for speeding (81 mph in a 55 mph zone) at 3 a.m. He had a blood-alcohol content of .09, above the legal limit of .08.
He pleaded guilty to reckless driving and paid a $1,000 fine -- which put him under the NFL microscope.
The four-game suspension indicates Rhodes was already in the confidential program. In 2002, Rhodes was arrested for domestic battery and underwent a diversion program and mental health counseling.
Whether that incident is what put him in the program or not, only Rhodes knows -- and he's not saying.
Regardless, the Raiders knew the suspension was a possibility when they signed him.
After a disappointing regular season in which he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, Rhodes had an excellent postseason, averaging 4.9 per try, including a 116-yard effort in the Super Bowl against the Chicago Bears.
Rhodes was added to support LaMont Jordan, who in two years as Oakland's feature back has not produced the way the Raiders hoped when he was signed to a five-year contract worth $25 million.
Jordan has missed nine games due to injury, averaged 3.8 yards per carry and gained 1,459 yards -- or about what the Raiders hoped he would gain in a season after emerging from the shadow of Curtis Martin with the New York Jets.
Jordan almost didn't make it to a third season, opting to accept a $3 million roster bonus rather than the $4.75 million he was due under the terms of his contract.
"It was pretty much take a pay cut or be released," Jordan said.
For the first four games, health permitting, Jordan figures to be the feature runner. Options for his backup include Justin Fargas, who gained a career-high 659 yards last season, or rookie Michael Bush, a fourth-round draft pick out of Louisville.
Michael Bush, originally projected to be a first-round pick until suffering a broken leg in his first game of the 2006 season at Louisville, was rehabbing during organized team activities and minicamps.
Both Michael Bush and coach Lane Kiffin promised he would be ready for training camp, but it remains to be seen how far the Raiders will push a player they hope could be one of the steals of the 2007 draft, provided they show the requisite patience.
--According to the company line, the Raiders don't differentiate between strong safety and free safety.
There's a left safety and a right safety in the same way there is a left cornerback and a right cornerback.
That's why minicamp and Organized Team Activity sessions have featured both Michael Huff and Stuart Schweigert alternately playing as deep safety and as a safety in the box.
Huff, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 draft, played strong safety last season and distinguished himself in coverage against some of the top tight ends in the AFC West. Schweigert was the free safety, and is regarded as a solid player although the occasional blown tackle in space has been a maddening trait.
While no one is saying it, the Raiders appear to be moving toward easing Schweigert out of the picture in an attempt to get more plays out of Huff as a free safety.
The most recent evidence was Oakland's signing of free agent Donovin Darius, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound strong safety who does his best work in the box as a physical presence and run defender.
"This is an organization that I feel is heading in the right direction with the new coaching staff and the players," Darius said. "I am very optimistic about the change that is taking place within the team."
Due a $3.5 million salary from Jacksonville, Darius was cut after playing in just 12 games over the past two years because of a torn ACL, a torn labrum and a broken lower left leg.
That didn't stop the Raiders from giving Darius and his wife a tour of their facility which included a visit with owner Al Davis and the coaching staff. Darius is expected to push Schweigert for the starting job.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin was the defensive quality control coach for Jacksonville in 2000 and did much of his work with the secondary. Darius has 84 tackles for the Jaguars that season, the second-highest total of his career.
Darius turns 32 in August, but there is concern he's older than his years due to his physical style and his problems remaining on the field the past two seasons.
Of course, Davis capitalized once before when the 49ers thought Ronnie Lott was past his prime. The Raiders signed him in Plan B free agency and got two excellent seasons from the Hall of Famer.
Davis also blew it when Rodney Harrison all but declared his love for the Raiders after being released by San Diego. Harrison requested a visit and received it. But Davis didn't even attend the interview, and Harrison ended up signing with New England, where he became a key cog in a championship defensive team.
Even if Darius doesn't pan out, the Raiders have positioned themselves to move Huff to free safety by moving Darnell Bing from linebacker to strong safety, signing free agent strong safety Colin Branch, and signing rookie Eric Frampton of Washington State, who could play either side.
