Raiders- Porter not being traded yet

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Raiders nix trade offers for Porter, source says

Raiders notebook

NAPA -- Disgruntled wide receiver Jerry Porter streaked across the middle of the field, snared a pass with his fingertips, split the defenders and sprinted toward the end zone in a recent practice.

Safety Jarrod Cooper seized upon the opportunity to chide Porter, saying, "Hey, why don't you do that with the (first team)?"

Porter responded by saying, "I'm not with the (first team) anymore."

True, Porter has not practiced much with the first-team offense since he sustained a calf injury the first day of training camp, July 25. Doug Gabriel has teamed opposite Randy Moss with the projected starters.

Porter has bounced in and out of practice since his injury, and he has not played in Oakland's first two exhibition games. That begs the question: Has he played his last game, period, in a Raiders uniform?

Porter demanded a trade after an offseason meeting with coach Art Shell ended with Shell dressing down Porter and kicking him out of his office.

Raiders managing general partner Al Davis said Aug. 5 that Porter is free to leave as long as he repays the $4 million bonus he received for this season and the Raiders get adequate compensation from another team.

Therein lies the problem. A person close to Porter's situation said the Raiders have been presented several trade proposals and have nixed every one. The Raiders simply are "making it difficult" to trade Porter, the person said.

It is unknown what the Raiders want in compensation for Porter. They spent a second-round selection in the 2000 NFL draft to get him. Raiders personnel executive Michael Lombardi said earlier in camp that the Raiders haven't had any inquiries from teams about Porter.

Therefore, unless the Raiders lower their asking price or a team that loses a front-line receiver feels compelled to up the ante, it appears Porter is here for the next two seasons.

Porter can opt out of the five-year contract extension he signed before last season after the 2007 season. Until then, he runs the risk of being kept on ice by the Raiders.

"I feel good about our offense," Shell said, when asked about Porter's absence. "I feel good about the people that have been playing."

Porter bristled when asked for an interview Thursday.

"I'm not talking to (the media) ever again," Porter said as he looked away and kept walking into the team's hotel.

Cooper said Porter is welcome as long as he doesn't let a business decision affect his on-field performance.

"You want someone who's going to contribute any way that they're asked, no matter where it's at," Cooper said. "That's what you want. If they're not like that, then they can get out of here. It's about winning as a team, it's not what you're doing."

No Shell game

Shell praised his players for the way they practiced Thursday morning. Five hours later, he kicked them off the field for not practicing to his standard.

"You've got to work when you're out here," Shell said as he marched off the field.

Shell called his players together at midfield about halfway through practice, spoke to them for a short time and then dismissed them. The players jogged off the field without saying a word.

"I apologize for that (stuff) today," quarterback Aaron Brooks said, unsolicited.

None of the players interviewed wanted to go into specifics as to what irritated Shell enough to end practice 45 minutes or so early.

"He said everything that needed to be said," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "He made a statement that was pretty well felt throughout the whole team. If it wasn't, then we're in trouble."

Sapp said "that's the first," when asked if he had ever experienced that in his NFL career. "It was a new experience for me."

Extra points

Running back Joe Hall left early from the morning practice after sustaining an undisclosed injury. He also missed the afternoon practice. Left guard Barry Sims "got dinged a little bit" during the morning practice and missed some reps. Sims left practice with an ice pack on his right elbow