JaMarcus Russell returned to Oakland Raiders' practice on Thursday after being sidelined for two sessions because of a sore elbow. Russell took part in all team drills but held back a bit in his throwing to make sure not to damage his elbow even more after banging it off the helmet of teammate Darren McFadden on Tuesday. "I'm just trying to protect myself as much as I can," Russell said Thursday. "I just wanted to get out here today just so I could get back in practice. I don't really like sitting out and watching guys bust their behinds when I can be out there doing something."

Raiders' quarterback JaMarcus Russell was held out of team drills during the evening practice Tuesday after banging his elbow off the helmet of Darren McFadden earlier in the day, according to an Associated Press report. Russell complained of stiffness in his elbow after warming up and making a few throws early during the night session.

Jerry Porter's incessant teasing of fellow receiver Ronald Curry about his body make-up played a huge part in Curry dedicating himself to the weight room this offseason and transforming his body into sculpted sinew. "It started out as a joke, and it became one of those things where toward the end of the season Kiff came to me and said, 'We would really like for you to hit the weights hard this offseason,' " Curry said of a conversation he had with coach Lane Kiffin. "So I did." Curry spent every day in the weight room for five months, pushed by the likes of safety Jarrod Cooper and defensive tackle Tommy Kelly.

Nnamdi Asomugha said he sought out the advice of people he respected before deciding to come to training camp and signing his exclusive free agent tender. That included former teammate Charles Woodson, the Green Bay cornerback who in the same situation sat out an entire training camp in Napa and showed up the week before the regular season began in 2004. "I'm not going to tell you what he said, but you can probably figure it out," Asomugha said.

Lane Kiffin said he doesn't expect to see JaMarcus Russell lower his shoulder and take on defenders in the open field too often this season. "We're going to live to see another down," Kiffin said. "You have to get down in this league and get us to the next snap. There will be certain circumstances, certain points of the game, certain third downs, certain things near the goal line where that situation changes and natural instinct takes over, the natural competitiveness. But, for the most part, he's getting down and getting back to the huddle."

The Raiders on Friday released veteran running back LaMont Jordan, as reported by Yahoo.com. The move came two days after the team reportedly told Jordan not to show up at training camp.

JaMarcus Russell is reportedly weighing 269 pounds as Raiders' camp opens in Napa. Not even the arrival of first-round draft pick Darren McFadden, although Russell admitted the expectations for him and McFadden are "going to be through the roof." "Just by being a quarterback, you've got to look at it as: Everybody on the team gets paid off of what I do and the rest of the team does," Russell said. "I hate to say it, but I'm accountable for a lot of the guys' families." "I couldn't be more pleased with where he's at," head coach Lane Kiffin said of Russell. "He couldn't have done more since the last game of last season."

Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha reported to training camp Wednesday and signed his $9.8 million franchise tender, reports NFL Network's Adam Schefter. Asomugha will be a full participant during the team's first day of training camp on Thursday.

The Raiders agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Chiefs' safety Greg Wesley on Tuesday, adding depth to the position on the eve of training camp, as reported by the Associated Press. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Wesley was happy to remain in the AFC West and looked forward to playing against the Chiefs twice this season.

Police have arrested a second man on charges of beating, abducting, and robbing Raiders' wide receiver Javon Walker in June, according to The Associated Press. Deshawn L. Thomas, 40, was arrested on Monday in Las Vegas and held without bail at the Clark County jail. Walker was found unconscious on a side street near the Las Vegas Strip shortly after dawn June 16, according to police. He was hospitalized for two days with facial injuries and a concussion and told investigators that about $3,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry were taken.