It was newly acquired QB Jason Campbell’s turn to step to the mic for some grilling. The big subject in Raiderland is who will be starting at the quarterback position come the start of the season. Campbell initially understood the job to be his to lose. Let’s see what he has to say now:
Q: Looked like you were familiar with the playbook already, what’s the deal?
Campbell: I’ve been through about 10 of them, so somewhere along the like I’ve run a lot of these plays, trying to find the rhythm, get used to the guys around me and get back into the groove.
Q: Said originally you thought you were starter, feel it’s your position to lose?
Campbell: I’m just here to work. Just here to work, get better every day. I’ll let coach Cable make that decision and Mr. Al Davis. My job is to come out here every day and compete, keep working on things and try to improve the offense.
Q: Take us back to when first learned trade was going down . . .
Campbell: It was a conversation that went on during that morning, Saturday, between my agent and the Raiders and the Redskins. They told me they were trying to work out a deal, work out some type of situation to try and make the trade happen, and I pretty much stayed out of the way. It was pretty much a waiting game for myself.
Q: How did you look at it?
Campbell: I just feel like it’s a great opportunity to be able to come here, to a young team that’s going to continue to get better, work each and every day. I feel like it’s a good opportunity for me to come in and be a part of.
Q: First impression of this playbook?
Campbell: You have to study a lot. You definitely have to study a lot, because each playbook is different. Some have similarities, a lot of them have some of the same names and a lot of them changes. So for me, with the Raiders, it’s pretty much just learning the new language of this offense. But I’ve done a lot of it before so hopefully once I get back to used to playing, used to practicing with the team, it will work out.
Q: Can you look at the playbook and envision what the team will look like?
Campbell: We have an opportunity to be a real good football team. Just by seeing how the guys were working in the offseason program here this week when I was here and the way the guys practiced every day, and practiced today. You saw a fast tempo, you saw the DBs playing a lot of bump and run with the receivers, and that’s only going to make the guys better because that’s going to make every pass and every throw competitive, guys are going to play tight coverage.
Q: Do you see it as a downfield offense . . .
Campbell: A mixture of everything. A lot of stuff will go off our run game. You try to set the run game up and we’ll play action off of it. I think it’s definitely going to be an offense that can stretch the field.
Q: JaMarcus No. 1 pick of the draft, talked last year about how he shouldn’t get down on himself, now you’re competing with him . . .
Campbell: You understands that in the NFL, anything is possible. A lot of things happen that are out of your control. One thing you can’t do is fight back a situation. You just have to keep moving forward, keep pushing yourself and stay competitive, no matter what the circumstances turn out to in the end, you can’t worry about the things that you can’t control. Right now, we’re all in different positions. Even when I was in Washington, things happen and you always have to be moving forward because you can’t control it, you can’t dwell on it.
Q: Five different QBs, how are you different?
Campbell: Each one has their own ability. Each one does something different. My mindset right now is to focus on what I can do better as far as my footwork as far as improving and try to fit myself within the offense. That’s the only thing I can worry about at this standpoint.
Q: Fair chance in Washington?
Campbell: It’s just something . . . I can’t answer that.
ALSO SEE:
JaMarcus Russell mini camp Q&A
Raiders Mini Camp Day 1 Practice Notes
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