Raider Linebackers Still Aren’t Sure Whether They’re Coming or Going

By Week 3, you might like to think the Raiders are settling down, but that’s not possible just yet. Instead, they’re holding an open call at linebacker, where in the space of 36 hours they brought in three and cut two.

In an upset, none of them was Otis Wilson.

For those of you struggling to keep your programs updated, here’s the latest flash.

Arriving: Linden King. The veteran outside linebacker was waived in the first cut in camp but re-signed Wednesday.

Leaving: Joe Costello. The Plan B free agent from Atlanta was waived in the first cut, re-signed before the opener and waived again Wednesday.

Arriving and leaving: Darin Jordan. Waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he tried out Tuesday, was signed . . . and then waived.

Maybe? Rickey Hunley. The former Denver Bronco and Phoenix Cardinal worked out Wednesday and was sent to take a physical.

Do these--and the seven previous moves the club has made at the position--suggest a certain organizational indecision?

Coach Mike Shanahan said the team needed a better and more experienced backup to Emanuel King, who has just taken over Wilson’s old spot. Hence the cuts of Costello and Jordan and the signing of Linden King. The Hunley tryout was represented as a routine look at a veteran, should the need for one arise.

Stay tuned, too, if a need arises in the next day or so.

“The bottom line,” Shanahan said, “ . . . people say, ‘You’re giving up a few points, a lot of yards.’ And that’s true. Any time you lose someone like Howie Long, Scott Davis, Jerry Robinson, Russell Carter, Stacey Toran unfortunately, you have to make some adjustments.

“At the same time, we’re going to look at who’s out there who can help us.”

Whatever the toll of the missing linemen and safeties would be, someone was going to play linebacker and those decisions were supposed to be made in camp. The Raiders started the season with their entire five-man cadre of Group B free-agent linebackers plus a single holdover, Robinson, and a converted end, Greg Townsend.

Since, they have made five moves at outside linebacker, where Robinson’s injury isn’t a factor. They have brought back two players--Linden King and Costello--who were axed in the first cut, when the squad was trimmed to 60.

King was known as a run defender and the Raiders have allowed 161 yards rushing a game this season. He was located lolling on the beach in Honolulu, where he went to consider retirement after being waived at 34.

“I got up Sunday morning to watch the cartoons with my son,” King said. “I turned on the game and saw the Raiders at Kansas City. The next morning I got a call from George (Karras, Raider scout), asking if I really wanted to retire or not.”

And?

“I was getting bored sitting around,” King said, laughing.

“I had geared myself for one more year before I quit. I was kind of disappointed when I was let go. I really didn’t get a chance to do much.

“When you bring in a bunch of people, you have to give them a chance to play. During preseason, Matt (Millen, also waived) and I didn’t get a chance to play. That wasn’t the way I wanted to go out because I knew I could play. This is a second chance.

“(Getting cut) is part of football. Personally, I was a little . . . disappointed but Mr. (Al) Davis has always been fair with me. He gave me a chance when I came out of San Diego, when the rap on me was I couldn’t play anymore. I couldn’t be bitter. I wished it had turned out differently but you gotta take what you get.”

Let the Raiders tell you about it.

In an effort to be helpful, Raider writers compiled a list of other available ex-Raider linebackers: Rod Martin, Brad Van Pelt, Jeff Barnes, Bob Nelson, Jack Squirek, Erwin (Magic) Grabisna, Phil Villapiano, Dan Connors.

Millen has signed with the San Francisco 49ers, so if they want him back, they’ll have to deal.

Raider Notes

Jerry Robinson and Howie Long didn’t practice, and despite their listings--probable for Long, questionable for Robinson--neither is likely to play at Denver. . . . Long, shot up with painkillers to play, aggravated his sprained ankle at Kansas City and is walking with a bad limp. Robinson re-pulled his groin while working out before the Chief game and is probably behind where he was a week ago. . . . Bill Lewis took a sweat shirt that said “Trader Sports,” taped over the second word and last letter of the first word, giving him one that said “Trade,” and wore it around the facility.