Last Sunday, DJ Hayden was benched for the first time this season. His start went to David Amerson who had a career game. But Hayden didn't just get demoted, the former first round pick was buried on the depth chart, receiving just five snaps on defense. Now in his third NFL season, he has been given every opportunity to start and earn the right to retain his spot. And up to this point, he has showed very few moments that would give his coaches confidence he is a viable starter. How Hayden responds to the benching is important. In that regard defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr didn't pull any punches. "It's competition and we just want to keep stressing you practice hard, you perform, you'll play and the same thing on the adverse side of it. If you don't practice hard and you don't perform, you won't play," said Norton. "We have a competitive group and it's week to week. You play hard, you perform, you'll play and that's what practices are for. You can't waste your time in practice.

It's a time to get better. The only place we have to get better, that players have to get better, is practice, so use your practice time to get better and then you'll play." Following last week's game, Jack Del Rio said Amerson getting the start over Hayden had more to do with how Amerson was performing. Amerson was acquired early this season when Washington waived him. Husky Pups For Sale In GaSince arriving he steady proved his worth. Kittens For Sale Near Boston MaWhen TJ Carrie returned to playing cornerback three weeks ago, it looked as if Amerson had earned the right to start and yet Hayden was given the start his first two weeks back.Laminate Flooring Matte Finish A week after Amerson had four passes defended against Detroit, including three while defending Calving Johnson, Amerson was named the starter.

Norton Jr went on to say Amerson still has a lot to prove as well. "He's still emerging," said Norton. "We probably still haven't seen the best that he has to give. We'd really like to see consistency. Anytime you see a game of that magnitude from a player, you want to see him consistently stay at that place now. Now the challenge is can he do that each and every week. Anybody can show up and have one of those games of a lifetime, but can you have that game consistently, week after week? That's the tough thing about being a top athlete. The good ones, they find a way to do it." This kind of candor could be just what this young, developing group needs to be sure they never let up. Let's not forget Norton came over from Seattle, where they boast the 'Legion of Boom', arguably the best secondary in the NFL over the past few years. A group that helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win. Having success in Oakland that even closely resembles what he saw in Seattle means players don't get handed anything.

That includes former top picks.Hayden is on his last chance with the Raiders. But he says his confidence in making good on his initial draft status is unshaken. This offseason Reggie McKenzie was faced with his first decision on whether to pick up the fifth year option on his first round pick. DJ Hayden was his first ever top pick, taken 12th overall in the 2013 draft. Unfortunately, Hayden’s lack of production over three seasons made that decision an easy one – they declined the option. That decision has Hayden entering a not just a contract year, but a make or break training camp. In order to try and help him find his niche on a team with two entrenched starters in David Amerson and Sean Smith was to let him compete for the slot cornerback spot with established clot presence, TJ Carrie. "Last year they said ‘You wanna play nickel?’ and I was like ‘Yeah.’ So they put me out there and I just started getting after it," Hayden said following Sunday’s training camp practice.

Over his first few seasons, even when the team was in nickel, Hayden would work almost exclusively on the boundary. He was also viewed as a starter heading into all three seasons, despite having just two career interceptions in his first two seasons. He had a third interception last season, but by midseason found himself buried on the depth chart and playing sparingly. Despite his fall down the depth chart last season and the team opting not to pick up that fifth year option, Hayden says he’s as confident as ever. He also understands that if he is ever going to show the Raiders the potential they first saw in him, the time is now. "I feel like I’m more confident because it’s my fourth year. It’s about time I made some plays. I wanna score some touchdowns, so I’m pretty confident I will." To Hayden’s credit, over the first three days of training camp, he has stepped into his new role and looks very comfortable in it. He has said he feels more comfortable entering the second year in the same scheme.

His defensive coordinator also credits the familiarity with the scheme to Hayden’s progress. "Just like everyone else; familiarity with the concepts," Ken Norton jr said of Hayden. "Understanding what I’m asking. His confidence is really high. He’s really excited to be here. And he loves what he’s doing. You see we have competition across the board and he’s a competitor. He’s fitting right in and competing every day." Last season when Norton was asked about why Hayden was seeing less time in the defense, he pointed to practice habits. It was a pretty clear message to Hayden that he has to work for everything he gets, just like everyone else. "If you don't practice hard and you don't perform, you won't play," Norton said last December. It's a time to get better." Norton still preaches strong practice habits, but his tone now seems to suggest that perhaps Hayden has bought in. Jack Del Rio said this offseason that Hayden fits the slot role because he has quick feet.