Millen Arrives to Pull Raider Defense Together : He Agrees to 2-Year, $750,000 Contract, Leaving Only Toran on the Outside

Matt Millen’s holdout, a farce that ran for four weeks, ended Wednesday when the leading spirit of the Raiders’ linebacker corps signed a contract and rejoined his teammates.

Mike Shanahan, whose defense has been getting shot up all exhibition season, enthused that Millen arrived in good shape, said he might play a quarter Friday night and could start the season opener.

“I think a major part of the problem has been solved by getting Matt Millen back,” Howie Long said. “He’s kind of like Vann McElroy is in the secondary. He coordinates everyone.

“Matt’s a real bright guy. Your middle linebacker has to be a smart guy and Matt is a smart guy. He’s a fat stiff but he’s a smart guy.”

What was it like without him?

Raider players joke about one recent situation. Everyone on defense started yelling, “Who’s got 92?” and one of them settled it by counting up from the center: “Center, guard, tackle--he’s a damn tackle!”

Was all this necessary?

Was any of it?

Millen and the Raiders were reportedly in substantial agreement on a 2-year, $750,000 contract before camp even opened. However, the relationship between Al Davis and Howard Slusher, the agent for Millen, as well as the departed Marc Wilson and the last holdout, Stacey Toran, has degenerated to the point that it took them a month to come to terms on what started as a done deal. High Raider officials suggested during camp that they were in no hurry.

Even at that, the deal seems to have been consummated not by Davis and Slusher, but by Davis and Millen.

“Howard called me Tuesday and told me to go in and talk to (Davis) about it,” Millen said. “I went in Tuesday night, we talked about two hours and worked it out.”

Millen, a squat 250-pounder, plays mostly on running downs but is considered the key to the play of the Raider linebackers.

Rod Martin has been having a good exhibition season, but Millen’s instructions were thought to have meant a lot to Jerry Robinson, who was moved back inside last season, and to the other outside linebacker, Linden King. King, one of the unit’s best players last season, has struggled recently and has been dropped to the second team, behind Reggie McKenzie.

Millen said he spent his month off at home in Hokendauqua, Pa., doing carpentry and considering alternative careers.

“I have to call two people and tell them I’m not going to do their houses,” he said. “I made a doghouse for myself to crawl into.”

Raider Notes

Lineup changes: Coach Mike Shanahan’s offensive line has been one of the few bright spots, but he has shuffled it, moving center Don Mosebar to right tackle, shifting right tackle Bruce Wilkerson to right guard, promoting Bill Lewis to No. 1 center and demoting right guard Brian Holloway. This adds the veteran Holloway to the list of endangered species.

The shuffle ended the center career of Mosebar, only the third Raider ever to hold the position. He was the team’s best tackle three years ago before he was moved inside to replace Dave Dalby, an unusual move since there is generally a greater premium on finding good tackles. Said the amiable Mosebar, laughing: “Rent-a-lineman. I’ll play anywhere.”

Add endangered: Cornerback Mike Haynes will start on the right side Friday night in the exhibition game at Chicago, with Terry McDaniel at the left corner, but Haynes is still thought to be on the bubble. He may be starting only because Lionel Washington, who has missed two of three exhibitions with a groin pull, is still hurting. . . . Shanahan on Matt Millen: “We ask our people to come in at 90% condition, relative to their best 40-yard dash times. Matt came in at 92%.”