Raiders DE Richardson wants expanded role

The Oakland Raiders defensive end Jay Richardson wants to prove that he can actually do better than expected as long as he is given the chance. With two weeks left before the team’s training camp, he is now ready to face competition and impress coaching staff with improved skills.

"(Coaches) were like 'On running downs we want Jay out there because he can definitely do a good job stopping the run,'" Richardson said. "And that was cool. Don't get me wrong. But as you grow in this league, as you learn, as you progress and get better at what you do and really study the position and your craft, you want to be the total package. Every defensive end wants to be a complete defensive end."

Richardson was drafted by the Raiders in 2007 as a fifth-round pick and earned starting job in late 2007 season and remained the starter in 2008 season. However, his production decreased a lot in late 2008 season and lost the starting job to Richard Seymour and became a back up last season. Making only three sacks in the past two seasons, Richardson does not seem to have any advantage in the competition. But his chance came after another starter Greg Ellis was released in the offseason.

Now Richardson is facing competition from second-year veteran Matt Shaughnessy and rookie Lamarr Houston and seemed to get the advantage back. Receiving a Michael Irvin jersey in January on his 26th birthday, Richardson now is hoping that he would receive his favorite Brett Favre jersey next January to celebrate both birthday and post-season victories.