Bengals pick veteran Gradkowski as rookie QB Dalton's tutor

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals reached an agreement with quarterback Bruce Gradkowski on Wednesday, giving themselves an experienced passer who knows their new offensive system and will help rookie Andy Dalton develop.

The 28-year-old quarterback was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008 and 2009, when he worked under Jay Gruden, who was hired as the Bengals' offensive coordinator in February. The Bengals drafted Dalton in the second round in April, but he has been unable to learn Gruden's system from the coaches because of the NFL lockout.

Teams aren't allowed to sign players until Friday. After agreeing to terms, Gradkowski tweeted: "BENGAL fans let's get ready to rock n' roll!!! Can't wait for this great opportunity!!"

Bengals owner Mike Brown indicated Tuesday that Dalton would have a chance to start, though the rookie has a lot of learning to do in just a few weeks.

Veteran quarterback Carson Palmer has told the team he would retire rather than play the last four seasons of his contract with Cincinnati, which has two winning seasons in the last 20 years. Palmer asked for a trade, but Brown insisted Tuesday that he won't deal the franchise quarterback as a matter of principle.

Palmer's younger brother, Jordan, is the only other experienced quarterback on the Bengals' roster. He became the offense's leader in the offseason, organizing workouts near his home in California and leading the unit through voluntary workouts for two weeks in Cincinnati.

The Bengals got Gruden's playbook during the one day the lockout was lifted in April, allowing players to have contact with coaches. Jordan Palmer learned the playbook and helped install the system during the voluntary workouts. Dalton participated in the workouts, giving him a taste of what to expect.

Gradkowski was Tampa Bay's sixth-round pick out of Toledo in 2006. He started 11 games as a rookie, his career high. He also played one season for Cleveland Browns in 2008 and the last two with the Oakland Raiders.

Two shoulder injuries limited Gradkowski to four starts last season. He completed 83 of 157 passes for 1,059 yards and five touchdowns with seven interceptions.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Raiders QB Gradkowski re-injures shoulder in return

Bruce Gradkowski is likely headed back to the bench for the Oakland Raiders. But it doesn't have anything to do with the quarterback's performance.

The Contra Costa Times reported on Sunday night that Gradkowski re-injured his throwing shoulder in Oakland's 33-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Gradkowski told the paper that his shoulder felt similar to when he suffered a third-degree separation against the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. That injury cost him five weeks.

The fifth-year pro was back into the starting lineup on Sunday in place of Jason Campbell. For the season, Gradkowski is 66 for 125 (52.8 percent) for 807 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.

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Boller, Campbell or Gradkowski? Raiders will wait to decide

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders quarterback Kyle Boller could make his first start of the season Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Or it could be Jason Campbell under center. Injured starter Bruce Gradkowski hasn't been ruled out, either.

For a second consecutive day, Raiders coach Tom Cable put off making a decision on who will start after all three quarterback practiced in some fashion Thursday.

Boller, who started four games with the St. Louis Rams in 2009 after four years as a starter for the Baltimore Ravens, took the initial snaps in practice with the Raiders' first-team offense and alternated reps with Campbell. Gradkowski worked out on his own in individual drills.

Boller is the healthiest of the three. Campbell injured his left knee during last weekend's 17-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and has been limping noticeably since. Gradkowski hasn't played since reinjuring his right shoulder in the first half of a Oct. 10 game against the San Diego Chargers.

"They all did a little bit more today, but it was kind of like yesterday in terms of rep breakdown and all that," Cable said. "It was pretty even for Kyle and Jason. Bruce did a lot of individual work and some light throwing but nothing more than that."

Cable hasn't ruled out any of the three quarterbacks, saying Gradkowski would be the starter if he's healthy. If he's unable to play and Campbell can, then the job is his.

Gradkowski would need to make significant progress in his recovery to be in the lineup Sunday.

"He felt really good today," Cable said. "Yesterday, it didn't bother him, and if he can do a lot tomorrow, who knows?"

Campbell, handed the starting job in the offseason after being acquired in a trade with the Washington Redskins, also is hurting but is closer to playing than Gradkowski.

Cable said Campbell wouldn't have been able to play if the game was Thursday. Since the Raiders have a day before they fly to Denver, the coach will wait to see how Campbell is doing before making a decision.

Campbell earlier this week underwent an MRI, which was negative.

"I don't know that he could have (played) today," Cable said. "He could go back, call plays and throw it, but to be able to run and do the things he's got to be able to do, it'd be pretty iffy."

Even if Campbell is healthy, the Raiders might turn to Boller.

In last Sunday's loss to the 49ers, Campbell completed just 8 of 21 attempts for 83 yards and a career-low 10.7 rating. He has been booed during home games and was benched at halftime of Oakland's Week 2 victory over St. Louis, when Cable handed the job to Gradkowski.

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Regardless of who starts, the Raiders say they won't change their offense. That bodes well for Boller, who previously worked with Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson when both were in Baltimore.

"I've pretty much stayed on top of it over the last six weeks, and that's part of your job," Boller said. "(It) doesn't matter if you're a starter, second-stringer or third-stringer. You have to always be into the game plan and doing just the same things the starter's doing, so I don't think I'll miss a beat."

Boller has made 46 career starts but never passed for more than 2,559 yards in one season. The 2003 first-round draft pick, by the Ravens, has more interceptions (50) than touchdowns (48) and possesses an NFL rating of 70.6 over six years.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Raiders' Gradkowski still can't practice; McFadden questionable

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski missed practice for a second consecutive day Thursday with an injured shoulder, and running back Darren McFadden said he is questionable for Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers with a hamstring injury.

Gradkowski was knocked out last week after taking a hard hit from San Diego Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips. The quarterback has only been able to watch practice this week, and third-stringer Kyle Boller has taken extra snaps in practice in case he needs to be Jason Campbell's backup Sunday.

"There's some improvement with Bruce, but unless he could work tomorrow, then we kind of know where we're headed with it," Raiders coach Tom Cable said.

Cable said if Gradkowski is healthy enough to play, he likely would be the Raiders' starter.

McFadden will be the backup to Michael Bush if he is able to play. McFadden has practiced this week but said he isn't yet 100 percent. Cable said he will not use McFadden if he's not fully healed.

"I just think that if they're tentative, they can't cut it loose," Cable said. "And if you can't cut it loose, you're not going to run hard or at the best of your ability. And if you do try to, you'll probably pull it again."

McFadden injured his right hamstring on a run in the fourth quarter two weeks ago against the Houston Texans and missed last week's game against the Chargers.

McFadden also missed a couple of weeks in training camp with a left hamstring injury and doesn't want to rush back too soon out of fear of making this injury even worse.

"You just try to tell yourself you just want to go out and try to coast, don't hit a burst until you feel like you can all the way," he said.

McFadden got off to a fast start this season, rushing for 345 yards in the first three games as he finally started to show signs of why he was drafted fourth overall in 2008. He has 454 yards from scrimmage in his first four games and scored two touchdowns.

Bush, who missed the first two games with a broken left thumb, has picked up where McFadden left off. He had a strong fourth quarter after McFadden's injury two weeks ago against Houston, then rushed for 104 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter against San Diego.

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The Raiders are looking forward to having both backs healthy in the same game. That could create matchup problems when Oakland uses both on the field at the same time.

"We're going to play to their strengths," offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said. "The key in that situation is let them play. I think they both know and understand that whoever has the hot hand, they're going to get the ball. That's just the bottom line. There's no egos there, which is fun for me."

The Raiders are expected to have starting left guard Robert Gallery back for the first time since he injured his hamstring in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

Oakland has endured a run of hamstring injuries this season, but Gallery's was one of the more severe as his popped while he was chasing after an interception against the Titans.

"Until this week, I wasn't able to drive out of a stance," he said. "You can't fight through that. I just have to be comfortable with the stuff I do in practice and go in a game and do that. Obviously, it's probably not going to feel great or 100 percent -- nobody is -- but if I can go, that's what I am going to do."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Raiders QB Gradkowski exits vs. Chargers with shoulder injury

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski made a surprise, brief return at the start of the second half after being knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury.

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Gradkowski was hit hard by San Diego's Shaun Phillips on a pass play in the final minute of the first quarter Sunday. The play was originally ruled a fumble. The Raiders challenged and it was changed to an incomplete pass.

Gradkowski went to the locker room and was replaced by former starter Jason Campbell. The Raiders originally said Gradkowski would not return but he came out to start the second half. He threw two incompletions on one drive and then was replaced again by Campbell.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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