PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Davis Remains Out of Touch

The Raiders haven’t yet heard from defensive end Scott Davis, who has been AWOL since leaving their training headquarters Sept. 6.

But if Davis doesn’t return, he can plan on hearing from the Raiders.

There’s this matter of a signing bonus, $1.05 million, received by the 29-year-old lineman when he signed a four-year, $5.3-million contract this summer.

A clause in that contract says that “In the event player . . . leaves club without its consent, than player will forfeit any and all portions of the total bonus not having been earned.”

In other words, since Davis has played in only one game, and bonuses are calculated over a 17-week season, he would be entitled to keep a little less than $62,000 of that money.

The Raiders could take him to court for the rest. But more important, the money would not count against their salary cap, although the final determination on that must be made by the league.

Bonuses are spread over the length of the contract in terms of the salary cap. But whatever remains after a player leaves must be figured in the following year, meaning the Raiders would have $787,500 tacked onto their salary-cap total next year if Davis were not obligated to return the money.

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Denver quarterback John Elway’s statistics are better than ever under Coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jim Fassell, but over the last two seasons, the Broncos have a 0-6 record whenever he has passed for more than 300 yards.

So will the Raiders see a more conservative Elway?

“No, they’re still the same,” Coach Art Shell said about the Bronco offense. “They’re still trying to go down deep with the ball. In watching film . . . (Elway’s) still bombing away.”

Elway may be without tight end Shannon Sharpe, who is listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury after missing last week’s loss to the New York Jets, and running back Rod Bernstein is also listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.

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Shell said rookie defensive tackle Austin Robbins will start against Denver if veteran Jerry Ball, who did not practice this week because of a hamstring injury, cannot play. . . . The only Raider ranking among the AFC leaders is punter Jeff Gossett, who is third with a 45.4-yard average.