ESPN NFL

According to the fine folks who took our AFC West poll this week, new Oakland backup quarterback Matt Leinart is the best backup in the AFC West.

We asked readers this week who they think is the best backup quarterback in the division. All four backups are new in 2012. In addition to Leinart in Oakland, Caleb Hanie is in Denver, Brady Quinn is in Kansas City and Charlie Whitehurst is the backup in San Diego.

Overall, it is not a good group that backs up a good group of starters in the division. Still, in our poll, Leinart received 38 percent of the vote as of 2:05 p.m. ET Wednesday. Quinn received 35 percent of the vote, Whitehurst received 15 percent and Hanie received 11 percent. Yes, that adds up to 99 percent. That means the final percent was split too evenly to be assigned to one player.

I can see why Leinart won the vote. He fits the West Coast offense and he has history with Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and starter Carson Palmer. Still, like any of these backups, I don’t see Leinart having long-term success if he has to spell Palmer for an extended period.

This is how I listed the group in a recent post: Quinn, Leinart, Hanie and Whitehurst. But they are closely bunched so I can’t argue too much with these poll results. Thanks to everyone who played along.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Carson Palmer gave himself a refresher course this offseason in what watching football without the modern convenience of high definition is like.

It brought him back to the late 1980s, when he watched football just because he liked what he saw without knowing the complications of the game.

This time around, it was for the benefit of his NFL career.

As part of his indoctrination into the West Coast offense, Palmer, 32, watched as much of the scheme as he could. He went all the way back to the Bill Walsh-coached San Francisco 49ers.

“It was pretty cool going back to those days,” said Palmer this week during a break in the Raiders’ organized team activities. “There were no HD films back then, so it was kind of gritty. It brought me back to when I was 8 years old and I just wanted to see (49ers running back) Roger Craig score a touchdown. You look at the game so differently now, but it was a good learning experience.”

Palmer’s West Coast cram sessions included several incarnations of the scheme. However, a primary focus was the 2010 and 2011 Houston Texans. Palmer watched every game the team played the past two seasons.

New Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp was Houston’s quarterbacks coach in those seasons, and Knapp is bringing a version of the West Coast offense to Oakland. He is a disciple of the 49ers’ West Coast offense and has used versions of it as a coordinator in San Francisco, Atlanta, Oakland (in 2007-08) and Seattle.

Palmer was in a West Coast offense in his first year at USC, at age 18. In a season during which he will turn 33, Palmer must adjust to the offense in what will be a crucial year for him personally. The previous Oakland regime traded two premium draft picks for Palmer last season in a desperate attempt to stay in the playoff hunt when starter Jason Campbell went down for the season with a broken collarbone.

Oakland was 4-2 when Campbell went down. It was 4-6 after acquiring Palmer from the Bengals. Thrown into the Oakland system after holding out in Cincinnati, Palmer’s rust showed as he threw 16 interceptions and 13 touchdown passes for the Raiders.

Palmer is now comfortable in Oakland, and though he is still adjusting to Knapp’s system, he says he is thrilled with the playbook because Knapp’s offense has so many variations. There are some classic West Coast schemes, but there is also zone-blocking running and other modifications. Palmer said he believes it is the most varied offense he has been in.

He thinks it will blend nicely with Oakland’s speed at receiver. Mostly, Palmer is confident his transition to the offense will be easy because of Knapp himself.

“He’s been fantastic with me,” Palmer said. “He’s amazing. He is a teacher in addition to a coach. It will really help me get this offense down.”

New Oakland coach Dennis Allen said Palmer was a major reason why he chose to hire Knapp as his offensive coordinator. He said Palmer’s ability to adjust to Knapp’s offense made the Palmer-Knapp pairing a “great fit” in Allen’s mind.

Allen scoffs at concern that Palmer might not be athletic enough to run Knapp’s offense. He has repeatedly said he thinks that Palmer is athletic as Matt Schaub, who flourished under Knapp in Houston. Palmer often ran around the field freely on Tuesday in addition to participating in a multitude of plays, including several deep passes, which mesh with his big arm.

“He moved around today,” Allen said Tuesday. “He’s plenty athletic.”

Allen also said the key is to be flexible -- not only on offense, but on defense, where the 4-3-based Raiders will use multiple front-seven sets. Allen -- who was Denver’s defensive coordinator last season -- saw the benefit of in-season coaching when the Broncos went to an option offense for Tim Tebow midway through the season. He said Tuesday he learned from that experience.

“We are running the West Coast offense, but we’re going to do a lot of things,” Allen said. “We are going to take advantage of what Carson does best.”

While hopes are high in Oakland that Palmer will show he was worth the high price, some worry about the fit. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. is in that camp.

“I have a lot of concerns with Palmer adjusting to the Raiders’ new offense,” Williamson said. “First off, it was the former staff/philosophy that wanted Palmer. He doesn’t anticipate routes well. When the receiver becomes open, Palmer throws it. Therefore, defensive backs get a better break on the ball and run-after-the-catch potential is more limited. Also, he has heavy feet and not a movement-based quarterback, which is ideally what they now want in Oakland. I do think Knapp will adapt his system to fit Palmer -- he will have to.”

To help Palmer adjust to playing for Knapp, Oakland signed Matt Leinart to be his backup. Leinart backed up Palmer at USC and the two Heisman Trophy winners have a close bond. Leinart was in Houston the past two seasons.

Leinart said this week he is happy to help Palmer with any nuances of Knapp’s offense. He said keys for Palmer will be to use bootlegs and rely on what should be a strong running game.

"I'm here for Carson, to help him with reads, to let him know that certain things are very good, just to stay on it," Leinart said. "Because when you're taught a new offense, there's things that you're not used to; you're used to doing it a certain way. Sometimes the reads are a little different. I told him today, 'Just stick with this route because it's a great route for us. It's going to be a great route for us.'"

And if he needs any reassurance, all Palmer has to do is flip on that gritty, grainy game film from yesteryear.

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Observation from the Raiders’ OTA day on Tuesday:

Oakland is opening up its OTA days with a four-man defensive front. New coach Dennis Allen is adamant the Raiders will use multiple sets and we will see some 3-4 sets.

Running back Darren McFadden practiced fully for the first time since last October. He missed the final nine games of the season with a foot injury. He looked good. Allen said McFadden is at full speed.

Even if the Raiders sign fullback Owen Schmitt (who is here on a tryout basis), don’t expect Marcel Reece to be moved to tight end on a permanent basis. Reece is versatile and he will line up at tight end in some packages, but I expect him to stay a fullback.

Reece has not signed his restricted free-agent tender and he was among the players who were not at the voluntary camp Tuesday. Defensive lineman Richard Seymour was not at this camp. Allen said Seymour was at a previous camp and he has been in contact with the coaching staff. Allen called missing this session a “tradition” for Seymour. Middle linebacker Rolando McClain also was absent from the session, instead dealing with legal issues in Alabama.

Safety Mike Mitchell has a knee injury and was not practicing. Among the other injured players are defensive end Matt Shaughnessy (shoulder), center Stefen Wisniewski (he had a minor shoulder procedure this offseason) and guard Mike Brisiel (hamstring). None of the injuries appear serious and Allen said Shaughnessy is doing well in his rehabilitation from the injury that prematurely ended his 2011 season.

Quarterback Carson Palmer looked good. Backup Matt Leinart looked so-so and third-string quarterback Terrelle Pryor was often off-target. Pryor very much remains a work in progress.

Allen said he likes his stable of running backs, but he is on the lookout (like at all positions) for more help if the situation is right.

Receiver-turned-tight end David Ausberry has bulked up to help him as a blocker. Allen said he still sees Ausberry as a pass-catching tight end.

Allen said the emphasis to cut down on penalties -- the Raiders set a record for penalties last season -- has begun in the meeting room and will continue to evolve.

The Raiders are one of six NFL teams to participate in the launching of a new helmet for youth football programs to promote increased safety.

Matt Leinart knows his role with the Oakland Raiders is to back up Carson Palmer and he is fine with it.

He knows he can be helpful to Palmer as he learns the version of the West Coast offense run by new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. Leinart was in Houston with Knapp for the past two years and is Palmer's close friend after playing together at USC.

But Leinart, who turned 29 Friday, is not of the mindset of simply being help for Palmer. He wants to be ready to play and he would love a chance to get his career back on track. The former first-round pick has been plagued by injuries and bad fits in his NFL career.

"I think in this league, if you don't have a competitive desire to play, no matter what position, then you're in the wrong league,” Leinart said in a conference call with reporters Monday. “And for me, it was a bummer last year getting hurt when I finally had my opportunity and I was playing well and it was the most comfortable I had been in years. Injuries happen, it's part of the game … I knew that I wasn't going to go into a place to be named the starter, I understand that. But my mentality is I'm still confident that I can start, I'm still confident that I can play, and the good thing is I know this offense well so I'll feel comfortable when I get my chance or if I get the reps that I can execute it."

Quarterback Matt Leinart has signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders.

Now that Matt Leinart has signed with the Oakland Raiders, each teams in the AFC West has a new backup quarterback.

After looking at the list, here is my advice to the starters in the division: stay healthy.

The AFC West’s group of backups is not very strong. I ranked the group and asked Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for his opinion of my list. Williamson agreed with my rankings and that this is a weak class. He said the separation between all four quarterbacks is not big.

Let’s look at our rankings:

1. Brady Quinn, Kansas City Chiefs: Quinn is probably the best equipped of this group to help his team win on a short-term basis.

2. Matt Leinart, Oakland: Leinart is a good fit in Oakland because of familiarity with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and starter Carson Palmer. But he has shown he can’t be trusted as a starter.

3. Caleb Hanie, Denver Broncos: The Broncos like the fit though he is warming the backup chair for second-round pick Brock Osweiler.

4. Charlie Whitehurst, San Diego Chargers: The Chargers like their former No. 3 quarterback, but I think they would have been better off keeping Billy Volek as Philip Rivers' backup. Volek, in my mind, would have been the best backup in this division.

As expected, Matt Leinart is headed to Oakland.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Leinart is signing with the Raiders after having a tryout with the team. This connection has been expected for several weeks.

It was reported Monday that the Raiders were working out former Colts backup Jim Sorgi as well. Signing Leinart over Sorgi is the right call in my mind. Sorgi hasn’t played in three years. There are several reasons why Leinart should quickly become comfortable in Oakland.

Leinart played for Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp in Houston last season. Leinart has also been Carson Palmer’s backup in the past. Palmer was the starter and Leinart was the backup while at USC, and they remain close. Both share a bond as Heisman Trophy winners.

Leinart will be the backup and 2011 supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor will be the No. 3 quarterback. But Pryor is a project. If Palmer goes down, the Raiders will turn to Leinart as Pryor develops.

Apparently, Matt Leinart is not a slam-dunk to sign with the Oakland Raiders as their backup quarterback.

The Associated Press is reporting Jim Sorgi will have a workout with the Raiders on Tuesday. Leinart is considered a favorite to land the job because he played for Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp last year in Houston and he backed up Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer at USC.

Sorgi hasn’t played in the NFL since 2009. He backed up new Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning for six seasons in Indianapolis. It is not out of the question that Oakland will look at other backups.

I’d be surprised if Sorgi was signed over Leinart if they are the only two options Oakland is looking at.

A long-expected pairing is likely to occur.

Oakland will visit with and is expected to sign Matt Leinart to be Carson Palmer’s backup quarterback, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

This is no surprise. Leinart played for Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and as soon as Leinart was cut this offseason, we’ve been expecting a reunion. Plus, Leinart was Palmer’s backup at USC and they remain close. Both share a bond as Heisman Trophy winners.

I am not surprised at all that Leinart and not Terrelle Pryor will be the backup. Pryor is still very much a developmental quarterback. Plus, he wasn’t taken by this regime. They must watch and work with Pryor before putting him one play from becoming a starter.

In Leinart, Oakland has an experienced player who you can count on in a pinch. Most importantly, he is a player who is comfortable in Oakland’s system.

In other AFC West notes:

• Oakland third-round pick Tony Bergstrom is married to the sister of Baltimore linebacker Paul Kruger.
• Ronnie Hillman played for Snoop Dogg’s traveling youth team in Southern California as a youngster.
• San Diego second-round pick, defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, was a receiver in high school. He is now 295 pounds.
• Kansas City third round pick, tackle Donald Stephenson, is from Kansas City. His reaction to getting chosen by the Chiefs? “I’m speechless,” the Oklahoma product said. “I love the Chiefs. I’ve always loved them. To have a chance to play in my hometown is huge.”

With Peyton Manning coming and Tim Tebow going out, the Broncos still are not settled at the quarterback position.

Who is going to be Manning's backup?

Denver could always opt to keep Tebow, but ESPN has reported the team will try to trade him. They may even release him if they don’t find a trade partner.

The matter of Manning’s backup is significant. Manning passed the Broncos’ physical and he has been cleared to play in 2012 after missing all of last season with a neck injury. But there has to be a backup plan.

There aren’t too many great options out there. The top backup options are Byron Leftwich, Matt Leinart, Charlie Batch Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Billy Volek, Josh Johnson and Dennis Dixon. Of that group, I think Volek -- who was released by the Chargers last week -- could be the best option. He is a serviceable player in a pinch.

Denver could always draft a quarterback to groom behind Manning. Manning, who turns 36 Saturday, probably has at least three solid seasons remaining in him if his neck holds up.

It might be a little early to draft a quarterback in the early rounds and I think Denver is now out of the Brandon Weeden mix. Denver has closely scouted him, but he will be 29 during the season. There is little chance Denver will take a quarterback who may not be in the position to start until he is well in his 30s.

When the Oakland Raiders cut guard Cooper Carlisle last week in a salary-cap move, they told his agent they wanted him back.

They stuck to their word and have re-signed Carlisle.

It will be interesting to see what they are going to do with him. He is a right guard as is newly signed Mike Brisiel. One of them could be moved to left guard and the Raiders could make second-year standout left guard Stefen Wisniewski a center. That was the original plan when they draft him.

If not, Carlisle gives Oakland good depth on the line.

UPDATE: A source close to the situation said that, while plans can change, there is a strong chance Carlisle will move to left guard and enable Wisniewski to move to center. I think that would be a smart move. Carlisle is a solid pro and Wisniewski may be better suited at center. In Brisiel, Carlisle and WIsniewski, the Raiders would have a strong interior line.

Nothing is official, but it seems like that may be way the Raiders are leaning.

In other AFC West news:

If Oakland doesn’t sign Matt Leinart to be its backup quarterback, John Johnson or Dennis Dixon could also make sense.

Cincinnati is visiting with Denver free-agent defensive lineman Derrick Harvey. He is not expected to be back with the Broncos.

Every team in the AFC West will likely have a new backup quarterback in 2012.

With the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs making their moves the past two days, the focus is now on the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders.

Friday night, the Chargers signed former No. 3 quarterback Charlie Whitehurst (the Chargers traded him to the Seattle Seahawks two years ago) and cut quarterback Billy Volek. Whitehurst will backup starter Philip Rivers. Saturday, Denver free agent Brady Quinn signed with Kansas City where he will back up Matt Cassel.

With Quinn gone, the Broncos will have a new backup regardless if Peyton Manning or Tim Tebow is the starter.

Oakland is expected to move on from Kyle Boller, who had a connection with former head coach Hue Jackson. Matt Leinart is a likely target. He played for new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp in Houston and Leinart is close with Oakland starter Carson Palmer. Leinart was a backup to Palmer early in his career at USC.

Denver’s search for a backup quarterback will be more difficult to peg. In addition to Volek, Vince Young and David Garrard are also options.

As the Denver Broncos wait to hear from Peyton Manning, the Tennessee Titans have emerged as a strong competitor for the superstar quarterback.

Manning, who is also considering the Cardinals and Dolphins, is meeting with the Titans’ brass and then he is expected to make a decision on his future. There has been recent chatter that Manning may be swayed to stay in the AFC South and play for the Titans. Wednesday, Manning’s former boss didn’t do anything to end that talk.

Former Indianapolis general manager and current ESPN analyst Bill Polian said on "SportsCenter" that he thinks the Titans are the most logical landing spot for Manning. Polian cited that Manning and his wife, Ashley, have ties to the state. Manning was a legendary quarterback at the University of Tennessee.

So, location could be a big stumbling block for John Elway. This doesn’t mean Manning won’t be a Bronco, but the Titans may have an emotional edge. Whatever happens, I’m sure the Broncos want a resolution so they can proceed with the rest of their free-agency plan, regardless of the outcome of the Manning sweepstakes.

In other AFC West news:

ESPN Boston is reporting key San Diego backup safety Steve Gregory will visit New England on Wednesday. If Gregory gets a starting job, he will likely leave San Diego. Denver has also been linked to Gregory. The Chargers will likely look for help at safety in the draft.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. believes the Chargers’ re-signing of center Nick Hardwick is a top under-the-radar signing.

Robert Meacham’s deal with the Chargers includes $100,000 in bonuses if he makes the Pro Bowl for each of the next two seasons.

The word is Oakland, Washington and New Orleans may be the early favorites to land Matt Leinart as a backup quarterback. Oakland’s connection is Leinart played for new Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp in Houston. The Raiders are looking for a new backup.

Would Jason Campbell rather back up Jay Cutler or Carson Palmer?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting Campbell, Oakland’s former starter, is set to visit with the Bears.

He’d back up Cutler there.

Like Kansas City’s Kyle Orton (Schefter is reporting he will visit Dallas, where he’d backup Tony Romo), Campbell is clearly having trouble finding a place where he’d compete to start. I’m a bit surprised by that.

Campbell has been the victim of terrible luck. He broke his collarbone in October and the Raiders then traded two premium picks for Palmer. The Raiders are now married to Palmer. If Campbell leaves Oakland, it is clear he is looking for change of scenery rather than being open to signing with the Raiders to back up Palmer.

The Bears likely would be willing to give Campbell more than Oakland. A potential backup quarterback in Oakland is Matt Leinart. He was just cut by Houston. Oakland’s new offensive coordinator is Greg Knapp. He was previously Leinart’s quarterbacks coach in Houston.

Here’s another indication that the Raiders will soon cut pass-rusher Kamerion Wimbley. NFL.com reports that it will be done Tuesday. Wimbley’s release has appeared to be a foregone conclusion for days; expect San Diego to be in play once he becomes free.

Matt Leinart has been cut in Houston. He could be a candidate to join the Raiders. He played in Houston under new Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. The Raiders will very likely be in the market for a backup quarterback, so it is very plausible that Leinart could back up Carson Palmer — just as he did when both were at USC.

The Chiefs gave inside linebacker Jovan Belcher a second-round tender. Thus, the restricted free agent will likely be with the team in 2012 and it could preclude Kansas City from being interested in Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly with the No. 11 pick in April's draft.

With the Raiders suddenly in the market for a reliable veteran tight end, one option could be Houston’s Joel Dreessen. He played for Knapp in Houston.

NFL.com thinks former Denver receiver Brandon Lloyd could be in play in San Diego. If Vincent Jackson leaves, Lloyd could be an interesting fit. The Chargers will have a need.

The Chargers are holding onto two key exclusive-rights free agents.

A Denver columnist thinks Peyton Manning has slayed Tebow-mania in Denver.

New England could be a possible landing spot for Denver free agent tight end Daniel Fells.