Rain alters practice

Every year, Jon Gruden schedules what seems like an inordinate number of two-a-day practices, but he does so expecting as many as a half-dozen afternoon practices to get rained out. And it didn't take long. Thunder, lightning and heavy rain kept the team from taking the field at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex Saturday afternoon, officially the fourth practice of training camp. The team hopped on busses and headed for a nearby hotel with an indoor facility large enough to accomodate more than 80 players. But the session was cut to an hour.

Gruden said Saturday morning the team will practice in pads Sunday morning. All of the offseason workouts were in shorts and jerseys, so this will mark the first practice in pads since the end of last season.

(Times file photo - Scott Keeler. Click to enlarge.)