Just a few days into Raiders training camp, Michael Dyer’s stock is up – and that could be trouble for Trent Richardson.
Dyer, a former standout running back at Auburn who transferred three times because of off-the-field issues, was signed by Oakland as an undrafted free agent in May.
Dyer, who’s already 25, finished his career at Louisville and was signed after a tryout with the Raiders. At the time, he seemed like a long shot to make the team, which has Latavius Murray and Richardson, as well as third-down specialist Roy Helu, Jr., special teams ace Taiwan Jones and George Atkinson III.
But Dyer has been in fine shape and impressed the team’s new coaching staff in spring workouts.
Now with Richardson out for a while on the non-football illness list, Dyer is getting more reps and continuing to look good in the first days of training camp in Napa.
“I think Michael has done a nice job developing from what we saw in the spring to where he is now,” head coach Jack Del Rio told the media Sunday after practice. “He’s more comfortable. He’s more accountable, more dependable on special team units, in the offense and every now and then he’ll pop through there and show some of that speed he has. I think he’s off to a nice start.”
Richardson, the former No. 3 overall pick of the draft who’s been traded by the Browns and released by the Colts, is hoping to revive his career in Oakland. Del Rio says Richardson has lost weight and regained some quickness.
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“I really believe with him committing himself like that and getting himself in that kind of shape, he’ll have a chance to come out here and show what he’s really capable of,” Del Rio told Bill Williamson of ESPN.com.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com noted Sunday that Dyer – if he continues to impress – could be “a steal” for the Raiders. That could be bad news for Richardson.
“There’s only so much room (in the backfield),” wrote Rapoport. “It’s possible that Trent Richardson is the odd man out.”
