NAPA, Calif. -- Raiders defensive back DJ Hayden knows his NFL career might already be at a crossroads after just three seasons.That point was driven home emphatically in the offseason when the team made multiple changes to the secondary, bringing in veteran Sean Smith to pair with David Amerson as the starting cornerbacks.The Raiders also declined to pick up the fifth-year option on Haydens contract, meaning that -- barring a change from Oaklands front office -- the 12th overall pick in the 2013 draft will go into the offseason next year as a free agent.Not that Hayden seems bothered by it one way or the other.The 26-year-old reported to training camp leaner and more muscular as he transitions from playing on the outside to defending the slot receiver.The move has gone smoothly so far, too, as Hayden intercepted a pass from quarterback Matt McGloin and returned it for a touchdown on Saturday then made a nice play to break up a deep throw from Derek Carr on Sunday.I feel like Im more confident, Hayden said Sunday. Its my fourth year, its about time I made some plays. I want to score some touchdowns. Pretty confident I will.Hayden has struggled to live up to expectations after becoming the first first-round pick by Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie.Hayden came out of college having survived a near-fatal heart injury, was plagued by injuries that limited him to 18 games over his first two seasons and has just three interceptions.Last season, Hayden started 13 games, played in all 16 and had a career-best 70 tackles.Now hes moving inside after spending time there last season as the Raiders nickel back while Smith and Amerson start at cornerback.Inside, you have to kind of come at it at a different approach because (receivers have) got so much field to work with, Hayden said. But its pretty much the same thing. `Thats your guy, cover him. I like it, I like it a lot.The Raiders held their first fully padded practice of training camp Sunday and Hayden stood out with his play to break up the pass from Carr.A small step, to be sure, but a signficant one for Hayden.His confidence is really high, Raiders second-year defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. He loves what hes doing. We have competition across the board and hes a competitor so hes fitting right in and competing every day.The challenge for Hayden isnt so much about transitioning to a new position. Its in convincing the coaching staff -- and perhaps other teams around the NFL -- that he can play, and play well, no matter where he lines up.We have a lot of film, a lot of evaluating but hes a really good football player and he really wants to be good, Norton said. Theres really nothing stopping him. Hes a guy that we really see as a guy thats really going to excel this year.Hayden has been one of the few constants in a secondary that has undergone sweeping changes almost every year since McKenzie was hired as general manager in 2012. One of the biggest changes this year has been adjusting to the absence of safety Charles Woodson, who retired last year after 17 NFL seasons.You cant replace Charles Woodson, but we can pick up the slack, Hayden said. Were going to have to because hes not here anymore. Its next man up.Game notes Kelechi Osemele was held out of practice for undisclosed reasons, but coach Jack Del Rio said he expects the veteran left guard to be back on Monday. ... McGloin and undrafted rookie wide receiver Johnny Holton made the plays of the day when they connected on a pair of long touchdown passes.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Custom Twins Jersey . 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Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Australian cricket is bracing for a grim week as the New South Wales Coroners Court holds a public inquest into the circumstances surrounding the blow that killed Phillip Hughes in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG in November 2014.Players on the field at the time of the incident, including the likes of Brad Haddin and bowler Sean Abbott, are expected to be among witnesses called to speak. The Hughes family is also expected to be present at the inquest.Hughes death has already been the subject of a Cricket Australia-commissioned review, which found that no amount of increased head protection could have changed the course of events. However that review steered clear of issues surrounding the bowling of bouncers and the laws of the game, lines of enquiry expected to be pursued this week.The State Coroner will examine the manner and cause of death, a spokesperson for NSW Coroners Court said. He also has jurisdiction under section 82 of the Coroners Act 2009 (NSW) to make recommendations, particularly in the interest of public health and safety.Some of the issues that will be examined include how the fatal injury occurred, the nature of play and whether it exacerbated the risk of injjury and whether or not a protective helmet would have minimised the risk of Phillip Hughes dying.dddddddddddd It will also examine emergency planning and response, as well as training.At this stage, the State Coroner has not decided whether findings will be handed down at the end of next week.When the CA review, conducted by David Curtain QC, was handed down, CA chief executive James Sutherland explained how his terms of reference had been limited in order to preserve the fabric of the game.Youll see in the brief terms of reference we gave David Curtain that we needed to draw a line about the laws of the game and to have some perspective around that, Sutherland said. You can make the game of cricket a lot safer by playing with a tennis ball, but thats not how Test cricket has been played and it would obviously be a very different game.Were not wanting to go there, but we do need to find the right balance in the circumstances to not compromise the way the games played and not compromise the way in which the players are best equipped to show their skills. ' ' '
