Some notes on Wednesday's morning practice: 

– Lots of people out of the padded workout, with a lighter session to follow this evening. Those who didn’t participate included quarterback Andrew Walter, wide receivers Ronald Curry, Javon Walker and Drew Carter, center Jake Grove, guard Cooper Carlisle, tackle Mark Wilson, guard-tackle Fred Wakefield, safety Greg Wesley, linebacker Grant Irons, linebacker Ricky Brown and cornerback John Bowie.

“We’re going to push as many as we can to get out here here tonight,” Kiffin said, noting they would be preparing specifically for Friday night’s game against the 49ers.

– It was the second straight absence for Walter, Walker and Carter _ none of whom have serious injuries but are simply sore.

The Raiders had originally hoped to get Walker back on a two-a-day program starting Monday, but instead, Walker practiced twice Saturday, took Sunday off with the rest of the team, and has made two of four practices since.

“We’re still monitoring,” Kiffin said. “He did the one day of two-a-days and then felt a little sore. He’ll work tonight and I’d really like for after this game to get him to a two-a-day format. I believe he really needs it.”

Said Kiffin of Walter’s second straight absence: “We can’t figure out anything except that he’s tired from too much throwing.”

– Keeping in mind the Raiders were without the three men expected to be their top receivers _ Curry, Walker and Carter _ wideouts found it difficult to find open spaces against the defense, even during seven-on-seven drills.

On two passes Russell made throws a good 50 yards downfield. The first, a perfect rainbow, was dropped by Jonathan Holland with Stanford Routt trailing in coverage. The second was an underthrown wobbler toward Drisan James which was batted down by Hiram Eugene.

Russell continued his practice of checking down, flooding the field with short passes to running backs and tight ends when his outside reads were closed off by defenders.

“Chaz, you’re open _ break on the ball,” Kiffin yelled at one point on a play in which Russell instead threw short to tight end Zach Miller.

During one seven-on-seven sequence, Russell and Tuiasosopo combined to throw eight passes before one was caught by a wide receiver, with the others going to running backs and tight ends or falling incomplete.

Kiffin said he was pleased with the competition at wide receiver and thought the reduced workload heading into the 49ers game would be beneficial.

“I’ll be interested to see them get their legs back for this game,”’ Kiffin said. “Going light tonight and obviously tomorrow being light. They’re so worn down now and it’ll be good to see them get their juice back.”

– Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and safety Jarrod Cooper were back after being ill. Asomugha, who needed IVs and missed two days of practice, said he was still subsisting on bananas and yogurt. His work was limited.

“I wanted to go out and get a couple of plays in,” Asomugha said.

– Defensive end Greg Spires showed some spring at age 34 when he made a tackle from behind against Darren McFadden as the rookie was picking his way through the first line of defense.

– Kiffin continues to talk up running back Michael Bush, who flattened a blitzing Gibril Wilson and also stood up Spires. Included in the assessment was a message _ bring it to practice every day.

“Boy, if he could practice like that every day, we’d really have something,” Kiffin said. “Gibril Wilson came on a blitz . . .he picked him up as good as you pick a guy up, put him to the ground. A couple of physical runs. If we can get him to continue to grow and continue to be that guy, we’ll have a pretty special backfield.”

– An example of what the Raiders may face if defenses close down on their check down routes and they can’t get receivers downfield: McFadden circled out of the backfield to his right, Russell threw it his way, and the rookie was met with a perfectly timed hit by linebacker Thomas Howard.

McFadden went sprawling, and the only reason it wasn’t a knockout hit was that Howard didn’t accelerate into the tackle, keeping with training camp protocol.

“You’d best stop running that (bleep), man,” Howard said.

Howard later had a nasty lick on running back Louis Rankin.

– Defensive tackle William Joseph stuffed Justin Griffith in the backfield on a running play.

– Included Wednesday was a drill as close to a legitimate tackling drill as you’ll see in an NFL practice. Runners attempted to get past defenders through a lane marked by cones about five yards wide.

Defenders attempted to square up and strike runners before disengaging.

Cornerback Michael Waddell whiffed on a spin move by wide receiver Arman Shields, while Malik Jackson was critiqued for not coming hard enough on Schilens.

“Run your feet and then explode,” linebackers coach Don Martindale said.

Jackson was much more sudden in a subsequent hit on tight end Chris Wagner.

“Much better,” Martindale said.

– Tight end Tony Stewart, not exactly an elusive target, managed to get by Derrick Burgess with very little contact.

– Lap runners for pre-snap violations included Burgess, Gerard Warren and Robert Gallery.

– With Grove and Carlisle sitting it out, John Wade worked with the first team at center and Chris Morris at right guard.