QB Derek Carr heads to Raiders camp ‘fired up’ about new receivers

With the start of Raiders training camp, Derek Carr is feeling good about his new receivers.

With good reason.

The Raiders signed former San Francisco 49er Michael Crabtree in April to a one-year, $3 million contract with another $2 million available through incentives. Then Oakland used the fourth overall pick on Amari Cooper of Alabama in the 2015 NFL draft.

Crabtree is expected to start opposite Cooper.

The Raiders begin their first training camp practice Friday at the Napa Valley Marriott. The season opener is Sept. 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals at O.co Coliseum.

Following organized team activities and mini-camp in the offseason, Carr said he enjoyed time with his new 1-2 receivers and looks forward to working with them more at camp in Napa.

“We’re fired up about both,” Carr said. “They both bring obviously top-10 talent to a receiving corp. They bring great work ethics and both are super-competitive.”

Rod Streater, Kenbrell Thompkins, Brice Butler and Andre Holmes are the only receivers returning from last season’s team. The Raiders drafted tight end Clive Walford and added rookie receivers to the 90-man training camp roster, including Josh Harper, Carr’s former Fresno State teammate for three seasons, who signed with the team as an undrafted free agent.

Crabtree spent six seasons with the 49ers, compiling 4,327 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2012, he had 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. The Raiders haven’t had a receiver with 1,000 yards or more in 10 years — since Randy Moss finished with 1,005 in 2005.

Cooper is Alabama’s leader in every major receiving category, including career receptions (228), career receiving yards (3,463) and career receiving TDs (31). He had two seasons of over 1,000 yards, including last year when he finished with 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior before declaring for the draft.

“Whenever you get guys with good character and great work ethic and are out there on the field together pushing each other, it’s a good thing,” Carr said. “I’m looking forward to having both those guys in the huddle. I’m sure they’re looking forward to the season as much as I am.”

Much like other players throughout the NFL, Raiders players prepared for training camp and for the season with personal or group workouts. Carr hosted a private workout with some of the receivers in Bakersfield recently.

“Just knowing those guys, I know the kind of people they are ... not the least worried about them getting out there getting after it before the season starts,” Carr said. “I know those guys work really hard and care a lot about our organization and that’s winning. We all know it’s going to be a good thing.”

Besides adding Crabtree and drafting Cooper, the Raiders added a few pieces, signing notable free agents in safety Nate Allen, linebacker Curtis Lofton, defensive tackle Dan Williams and center Rodney Hudson.

“We’re really excited because we added a few pieces and for the talent we are bringing back,” Carr said. “We feel like we’re headed in the right direction. We’re just trying to speed that process along a little bit. We feel that we were at a good place at the end of last season, how we finished. But now we have to carry that over and continue to change the culture, and I believe we have. Now we just have to put in on the field and win games.”

McDonald reporting as well

Ex-Edison High star safety Tevin McDonald will be at Raiders training camp.

McDonald went undrafted and signed with the team during the free-agent process. He played two years at Eastern Washington after transferring from UCLA. McDonald recorded 121 tackles (80 solo), four interceptions, one sack, four tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and nine passes defensed.

This story was originally published July 30, 2015 at 4:15 PM with the headline "QB Derek Carr heads to Raiders camp ‘fired up’ about new receivers."