Moody Porter misses practice

NAPA - You've got to hand it to Jerry Porter, he's really quickened the pace this summer. The Raiders' moody wide receiver got hurt on the fourth day of training camp a year ago, a hamstring tweak that kept him out of action for three full weeks. This year, Porter came up hobbling on Day One. How's that for veteran caginess?

If the tone here sounds a little cynical, consider that Porter's limp - caused by a tight calf, we're told - coincided with a tirade during which he requested a trade and expressed his unhappiness with coach Art Shell's style.

Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Porter described an offseason meeting with Shell and wide receivers coach Fred Biletnikoff that quickly went downhill. According to the paper, Porter told Biletnikoff, "I don't like the way things are going around here."

Reportedly, Shell then jumped in and shouted, "Who the (bleep) do you think you are?"

Porter chose not to speak to reporters Wednesday, and the Raiders referred all questions to Shell. The coach played down any animosity and claimed he was ready to work with every player on the roster, no matter how disgruntled.

"I can live with anybody that can help us win football games," Shell said. "There's guys every year that might not want to be on a team, but hey, part of this business is you play with who you've got."

As for the possibility of trading Porter, the coach said: "That's a non-issue as far as I'm concerned."

Many fans undoubtedly are ready to see the Raiders release Porter, who has expressed his desire to leave Oakland more than once in the past, and whose on-field performance has lacked consistency. But doing so would count about $6.5 million against the team's 2007 salary cap, the acceleration of the signing bonus the Raiders paid him in 2005.

That leaves a trade as the only viable option, and it's unclear how many teams would be interested in a receiver who doesn't always support team goals, who carries hefty bonus money (his salary for each of the next four seasons is a relatively reasonable $1 million) and who has yet to record a 1,000-yard season.

Porter's most productive season was 2004, when he caught 64 passes for 998 yards and nine touchdowns. His career totals include 239 receptions for 3,215 yards and 24 scores.

Shell sounded as if he is taking the calf injury seriously. He had hoped Porter would be ready for the afternoon practice Wednesday, but the receiver was nowhere to be seen. Doug Gabriel is taking his place with the first team in the interim.

As for Porter's current mindset, we can only extrapolate from the T-shirt he wore Wednesday afternoon. It pictured two disembodied hands; the first was flipping a middle finger, the second was pointing outward at anyone who might be looking.

WR Carlos Francis left the field after injuring his hamstring in a passing drill Wednesday. Francis declined comment after practice, other than to say he was headed for an MRI.