Raiders QB Connor Cook responds well to Jon Gruden’s heat

NAPA, Calif. — “Perfect play” is a basic football drill prevalent across all levels of the sport. As NFL coaches do, Jon Gruden assigned it to the Raiders in April when he and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther were installing their respective playbook.

Gruden raised the drill’s difficulty level on Wednesday.

Early in practice, the team’s offense and defense worked on separate fields. Gruden oversaw the offensive players, who executed their assignments for a given play against air. Meanwhile, Gruden shouted different situations to which they were required to respond presnap at the line of scrimmage.

Quarterback Connor Cook, in particular, shined when challenged.

Cook walked to the line of scrimmage as Gruden called one play. Gruden then dictated an all-out blitz was coming, inferring that Cook now needed to adjust. Indeed, Cook yelled an adjustment to his receivers. Gruden then asked Cook to make a different adjustment from the same play and blitz. And another adjustment. And another. And another.

Cook successfully changed the play each time.

This wouldn’t have been asked in April.

“I think he’s really done a fine job,” Gruden said of Cook, who is competing with E.J. Manuel for the No. 2 quarterback job. “We’re giving him a lot of information. When you see this blitz, there might be three things you can do. There might be four things you can do, honestly. It all depends on the down and distance, the situation, how much time is left, how much risk you want to take.

“There are a lot of things that you have to be thinking about. I think he’s grown tremendously. I give (quarterbacks coach) Brian Callahan and (offensive coordinator) Greg Olson a lot of credit. I know I probably have made (Cook) mad most of the time yelling at him, but that’s just what I do.”

Notable

— Defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin suffered a season-ending biceps tear last week during a joint practice against the Detroit Lions, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. He was placed on injured reserve. The Raiders claimed former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Gabe Wright in a corresponding move.

— Cornerback Gareon Conley practiced for a third straight day and is expected to start Saturday’s exhibition at the Los Angeles Rams. This will be his first career preseason action. A shin injury sidelined Conley for all but two regular-season games in 2017. He missed Friday’s exhibition opener with a hip injury suffered on July 27. “My timeline was just how I felt,” Conley said of his recovery. “They said ‘four weeks,’ and I came back in two. So credit to the training staff and me putting in rehab work. … I’m ready.”

— Tackle Breno Giacomini, safety Marcus Gilchrist, tight end Jared Cook, safety Obi Melifonwu, kicker Eddy Pineiro, center/guard Jon Feliciano and cornerback Dexter McDonald were among the Raiders players who missed practice. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant, wide receiver Seth Roberts and guard Jordan Simmons returned to action.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.