Raiders Waive Goodby to Lester Hayes

The most colorful Raider remaining in the silver and black kingdom he invented, passed officially from the scene Monday when Lester Hayes cleared procedural waivers.

The team put the 33-year-old Hayes on the list, without announcement, 10 days ago, to see if there was any interest in him. The Raiders could activate Hayes, but Coach Mike Shanahan said they won’t.

His departure was long expected. Former coach Tom Flores asked him to retire before last season, but Hayes said he had an injured toe and spent the season on injured reserve.

Drafted as a linebacker from Texas A&M; in the fifth round in 1977, Hayes became a starting cornerback as a rookie. In his fourth season, he intercepted 13 passes, made “stickum” famous and was named defensive player of the year by three organizations. He was a Pro Bowl selection for five straight seasons, starting in 1980. In 1983, when the Raiders won their third Super Bowl, he and Mike Haynes--”the best cornerback of all time,” Hayes said Monday--formed the game’s top cornerback tandem.

But Hayes fell off in the ’85 and ’86 seasons. The Raiders traded for Lionel Washington and decided to move him ahead of Hayes before the start of last season.

Hayes took the latest news like Lester Hayes.

“I had no idea,” he said. “But I knew I wouldn’t be here in 1988.

“Coach (Al) Davis needed me in 1987 and he’ll need me in ‘88, too. He’ll need me to go out and Bogart those receivers in the AFC West. He doesn’t have any Bogarters left. No other individual with the Oakland Raider mentality.

“(Becoming a free agent) is stupendous. It’s auspicious. My forte is knowledge procurement. I thank God I’ve been one of the best defensive backs in the league the last 10 years, plus knowledge procurement right now is at a minimum. I enjoy being an anticipator, not a guestimator.

“It’s all business. I’ve understood business since May 3, 1977, when Coach Davis gave me an opportunity to be an Oakland Raider. Now he’s giving me another opportunity in May of 1988.

“Al Davis is one of the most loved owners in the NFL. I thank him for all he’s done for me.

“I’m just kind of saddened. The Raider offense is finally moving into the IBM age and I won’t be a part of (the team).

“In ‘88, I’ll be on some other team. I’ve got (agent) Randy Hendricks working on that right now. I can help someone be victorious. I’m healthy again.

“My football destiny is not complete. I will be playing zone defense into the 1990s. So be it.”

Raider Notes

The Raiders opened their veterans’ mini-camp Monday without Mike Haynes, linebacker Matt Millen and guard Dean Miraldi, all of them unsigned and staying away. With quarterback Marc Wilson, that makes four players out of camp. Wilson, Haynes and Millen are all clients of Howard Slusher. “That’s pretty typical,” Coach Mike Shanahan said. “A lot of teams have a lot more out. We just have four.”

Wilson is a peculiar loss, even in a mini-camp, since he’s thought to the No. 1 quarterback and Shanahan is installing a new system. “I’m not uncomfortable about it,” Shanahan said. “I’d like him in here to take a look at him. I’d like them all here. But that’s part of the game.” . . . Don Mosebar, who underwent back surgery in April, is in camp but not dressing. He said he’ll be ready by training camp in July. “I feel better than I ever have,” he said. “The third time (this was his third operation) is the charm.”

Shanahan has decreed that the Raiders can no longer sit on their helmets on the sidelines during practice, which is the rule on most NFL teams but never has been here. If you don’t think that will get his players’ attention, you don’t know your silver and black.