Walker, other Raiders receivers a big concern

For a team that went 4-12 last season and that has won an NFL-low 19 games in the past five seasons, there is a surprising amount of excitement building in Oakland after the minicamp season.

The consensus in the Raiders' offices is that this team is ready to leave the AFC West cellar and become relevant again. Although far from a legitimate playoff contender, this team is trying to turn the corner.

Oakland spent a whopping $255 million this offseason in an attempt at a quick fix. It drafted running back Darren McFadden, overlooking more pressing needs, to give quarterback JaMarcus Russell a playmaking boost.

New No. 1 receiver Javon Walker's status is still a bit uncertain after he reportedly was beaten, robbed and left unconscious on a Las Vegas street on Monday. Walker reportedly suffered "significant injuries" but was recovering quickly. Coach Lane Kiffin offered more good news Tuesday, saying he expected Walker to be ready for the start of training camp.

Still, Walker's situation casts some clouds over the team's offseason. The Raiders hope their new additions and an easy schedule help them post a winning season again.

What we learned from minicamp

McFadden is the real deal. The Raiders were criticized often during draft weekend for taking McFadden, the versatile star tailback from Arkansas, with the No. 4 overall pick. They could have had LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, who unexpectedly was still on the board. AFC West rival Kansas City took Dorsey with the next pick.

Kiffin has said repeatedly that his team had a greater need on the defensive front than in the offensive backfield. After all, the Raiders just re-signed running back Justin Fargas and have a promising prospect behind Fargas in Michael Bush. But Oakland needs game-changing talent such as McFadden.

He is going to raise the Raiders' scoring average, and what team doesn't need that? McFadden showed in the minicamps that he's very versatile. Kiffin even had him working at receiver. Kiffin is going to have to rein himself in and try not to use McFadden too much.

With Fargas and Bush getting plenty of carries, McFadden is going to be a headache for teams to produce a game plan against.

Still unresolved

There are plenty of trouble spots on this roster. The offensive and defensive lines are mostly unproven. The offensive line has struggled in recent years, but Oakland did add tackle Kwame Harris from San Francisco. The former first-round pick, however, has yet to live up to potential. The Raiders have to replace retired Warren Sapp on the defensive line and will give that job to Tommy Kelly, who is moving from end and recovering from a torn ACL.

The Oakland receivers also have to show they can be relied upon. Even before the Las Vegas incident, Walker appeared rusty in the minicamp as he recovers from a knee injury. No. 2 receiver Ronald Curry is coming off a foot injury. Drew Carter, who was working with the first team in Curry's absence, looked good in minicamp, but the free agent from Carolina hasn't caught more than 38 passes in a season. Curry came back for the organized team activities last week and is expected to be ready for training camp.

Injury analysis
One of the Raiders' biggest injury issues revolves around Kelly. The team believes he'll be ready for training camp, but he wasn't working during the minicamp season. Still, the team would be surprised if Kelly suffered a setback once training camp starts. The Raiders need Kelly to come back. Not only is he replacing Sapp, but Oakland gave him a $50 million deal.

Walker already had big questions about his physical health before the Las Vegas incident. After Denver dumped Walker, the Raiders stunned the league by giving him a six-year, $55 million contract with $16 million in guaranteed money. Walker, who tore his right ACL in 2005 while with Green Bay, had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee last season and missed seven games. When he returned, Walker had just seven catches in six games. Kiffin has said twice that Walker appeared heavy in the minicamp season. Walker seemed as though he was having problems separating from defenders. He practiced just once a day when the Raiders had back-to-back two-a-day practices in early June.

The quarterback

Although the Raiders have plenty of hope, a lot of it will ride on Russell. It's his team. Many Raiders sensed a more confident Russell this spring now that he knows he'll be the quarterback. Russell, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007, didn't start playing until late last season after a contract holdout extended into September.

Kiffin, who was hard on Russell at times last season, has praised him often this offseason. Kiffin said that Russell has a good grasp of the offense. In the June minicamp, Russell displayed his cannon arm, but he did have problems in completing midrange passes. Russell, who seems to be in decent physical shape, has ability, but as with every young quarterback, there will be a learning curve. How Russell reacts will go a long way in determining how good Oakland is this year.

Training camp start date: July 24