Kennedy lends a helping hand.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

NAPA, Calif. _ Raiders coaches extol the benefits of their older players as teachers. For the most part, it merely means the veterans set an example and the kids follow along. But tackle Lincoln Kennedy is going a step further.

Kennedy kept Chad Slaughter and rookie Langston Walker after practice Wednesday morning to go over pass-blocking techniques. He was behaving more like a coach than a teammate, talking them through and demonstrating the proper form.

"You can't take anything away from what the coach is trying to accomplish," Kennedy said. "But sometimes, when they beat it in your head and beat it in your head, you get a little frustrated because ...