It's probably been two weeks since Raiders fans have gotten excited about the progress receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey has shown this offseason, so here's a nibble to get you through the day:
DHB doesn't talk much about his struggles as a rookie last year -- the seventh overall pick had nine catches and a lot more drops -- and answers most questions about his improvement in offseason practices the same way. "I'm just playing, playing football," he says.
But he obviously has worked hard, adding about 10 pounds of muscle and improving his hands. The speedy DHB often made plays on the ball in the air in practice, and his confidence is growing daily.
"Last year was a learning experience," Heyward-Bey said. "I went out there and played a lot, learned a lot, and then getting hurt at the end was something I never experienced through college or high school. So I used it all as a learning experience.
It usually takes 2, sometimes 3 years before a wide receiver fully develops in the NFL. Darrius Heyward-Bey may be ahead of the curve. The addition of Jason Campbell will be huge. Let's see how training camp works out for DHB.
