Oakland Raiders Training Camp Notebook: Week 1

JOSEPH IS REAL

The mystique of Karl Joseph came to fruition as he began practicing full go from the first rookie practice, and has continued throughout training camp taking on a large starting safety role next to new teammate Reggie Nelson. Joseph, for one, couldn’t be happier, as he told the press.

“This is what I’ve been doing my whole life,” said Joseph of his football career. “Having football taken away from me, even though it makes me appreciate the game a lot more. I would get frustrated during OTA’s watching the guys out there and not being able to go out there and compete with them. I’m just happy and blessed to be able to come back out onto the field.”

Despite Joseph’s time away from the field while rehabilitating his torn ACL, the kid devoured the playbook and stayed in the hip pockets of Rod Woodson and other coaches while shadowing Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson, and Nate Allen. As a result, he wasn’t noticeably behind his veteran teammates when training camp began, as per coach Jack Del Rio:

“I think pretty good. Pretty solid,” Del Rio said. “They worked hard. During the time they weren’t able to be on the field, they were working very hard behind the scenes in meetings and walk-throughs and things. I feel really good about the start went off without much of an issue at all.”

Joseph is a dynamic playmaker who has both ball-hawking skills and a love and propensity for huge hits that is expected to shore up an improved Raiders secondary. All indications thus far are that physically and mentally, he’s as advertised.

Next: Position Battle - Right Tackle