Filed for print . . .



NAPA _ After eight training camp practices, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was willing to concede that an unscheduled three-week rest for his throwing arm was worth it.



Carr has taken all his repetitions in camp, not to mention countless throws of every conceivable distance and velocity. The highlight Saturday was a 40-yard strike to rookie first-round draft pick Amari Cooper for a touchdown, much to the delight of the crowd.

Flash back to organized team activities in May, when Carr was a spectator with Christian Ponder working with the first team. The Raiders as a matter of policy haven’t disclosed injuries with Jack Del Rio as head coach, but an initial ESPN report had Carr with an injured ring finger to his throwing hand with surgery as a possibility.

Carr, while never confirming the nature of the injury, laughed at the time when he was asked about having surgery. But he was asked to stop throwing altogether by the medical staff, and combined with the Raiders being tight-lipped about Carr’s condition, it created unwanted speculation.

Given the arrival of Cooper and free agent Michael Crabtree, missing practice time was an unappealing option.

“I was like, `no, I need to play now. I need to throw 1,000 balls a day,’ ” Carr said. “But I trusted them and it turned out they were right,” Carr said. `I wasn’t hard-headed. I’m glad that I listened.”

Carr has continued on the path set June 9-11, when he returned to participate in the final three-day minicamp. There were also workouts away from the club with several of his receivers, including one gathering in his home town of Bakersfield.

Whatever rust that accumulated from Carr’s throwing break has been knocked off.

“When you take time off, it’s going to be awkward,” Carr said. “It’s those reps we’re getting here in training camp, in pads, when the live rush is coming, that’s where it took a couple of days to get my timing down.

“There are still going to be little mistakes _ there are going to be mistakes all year on little things. But the timing feels right.”

Carr is the beneficiary of having played 16 games as a rookie, but did have to adjust to a new offensive system when Bill Musgrave took over for Greg Olson. The terminology may be different, but Carr feels the responsibility bestowed on him by Olson is paying dividends.

“Oley puts a lot on the quarterback,” Carr said. “With him throwing all that on me, putting all that on me, it helped me learn so much about the NFL. When I had to learn a new system, it wasn’t like I am starting from scratch. It was like they had to teach me `why.’ I knew `why.’ ”

Carr continues to gain chemistry with Cooper, who blew past DJ Hayden and scored on a 50-plus yard pass. His go-to receiver so far has been Crabtree, but Cooper is gaining ground.

“Everyone will want to talk about the deep one of course because he ran a great route, he saved his landmark, did all those good things,” Carr said. “But we also missed a couple. We’ll take some extra time after practice to get the timing down and make sure the details are on point.”

— Edge rusher Khalil Mack squared off against blind side protector Donald Penn in one of the more spirited practice drills.

“I think he got two out of three, so I have to come out better and give him some more,” Mack said. “I told him one of these days I’m to continually beat him, but he won’t let me put that in his head.”

— Defensive backs coach Rod Woodson remained with the team at practice rather than travel to Canton for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Woodson was enshrined in 2012.

— Defensive end Justin Tuck returned to practice after a veteran’s day off, players who did not practice for undisclosed reasons included tight end Lee Smith and linebacker Sio Moore. Tackle Menelik Watson missed his second day of practice, while tight end Clive Walford, running back Michael Dyer, running back Roy Helu Jr. and wide receiver Rod Streater were also out.

— The Raiders will hold their annual Family Day barbecue Sunday following practice, with some friends and family beginning to arrive Saturday.