It’s still only August, a full 22 days before the 2009 season kicks off for Oakland.

But the Raiders spent their Monday afternoon practice like they were already in regular-season mode, with coaches introducing players to scout teams and the Silver and Black seeing different looks from the offense, defense and kicking game of this week’s preseason opponent, the New Orleans Saints.

“It’s the first time we’ve really game-planned anything in the preseason,” said coach Tom Cable. “Just being a little bit more dialed in. Just trying to focus on that a little more.”

The fifth and final week of training camp for the Raiders has the feel of what is comparable to their schedule in September, October, November and December. The players are off today, with Tuesday being a normal day off once the regular season starts.

Cable said he and his staff are “teaching the young players, in particular, just kind of how the week goes as you prepare for a game.”

Oakland (1-1) plays its final home exhibition game Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Saints. It’s big one for the staff’s continuing evaluation of personnel, as NFL teams are required to cutdown to a maximum of 75 players on Sept. 1.

“Right now, the most important thing is to keep improving the team and evaluating this team, because we’re getting close to those decisions. So as that comes, we’ve got to make great choices,” said Cable.

Oakland plays its final preseason game Sept. 3 at Seattle. There’s a second cutdown date of Sept. 5, with teams reducing their rosters down to a maximum of 53 players.

Cable set the tone early on in camp, referring to organized team activities and minicamps during the offseason as going to Disneyland. Camp, he said, is like being at the U.S. Open.

“Every shot you get counts,” the coach said. “We’ve tried to really be firm with that and get them to understand that they’ve got to be at their best.

“We’ve talked about the opportunity and what goes into it. We show them the night before the game what the play time will be, and exactly what each of their individual opportunity is.”

Cable was pleased with the work that got done in yesterday’s practice, which began at 3:30 and finished at 5:43 p.m. at Redwood Middle School.

“Very good day today for both sides,” he said. “The week will be really kind of set up for teaching, particularly the young guys on the team, kind of how a normal game week goes with installation and the different segments that go on each day. So it was good to get started on that.”

Saturday’s 1 p.m. kickoff will simulate regular-season game times for Oakland.

“I thought it was imperative to get a mid day game,” said Cable.

Yesterday marked the return of Javon Walker, a wide receiver, who came off the physically unable to perform list after offseason knee surgery. Cable expects Walker to play in this week’s game.

“He looked a little rusty, but he ran some good routes, caught some balls, looked decent in individual,” Cable said. “We’ll kind of bring him along a little more each day as we go through the week.”

The Raiders don’t plan to rush Walker — a veteran receiver and a Pro Bowl selection with the Green Bay Packers in 2004 who has played in 80 league contests (46 starts) — into the offense. Walker has 267 career receptions totaling 4,011 yards and 31 touchdowns in his career.

“Just being smart to make sure we don’t do too much too fast,” said Cable. “But certainly we’d like to get him ready to play a little bit on Saturday.”

Walker has missed most of camp, but his presence hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“You felt like he could bring something to the young guys,” said Cable.

Rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy, a fourth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, is expected to start against the Saints. Murphy caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback JaMarcus Russell in last week’s 21-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

“We’ve seen it coming,” Cable said of Murphy’s development in camp.

Murphy played in 48 games with 26 starts and was on two national championship teams at Florida. The receiver totaled 1,245 yards and 13 touchdowns on 77 receptions.

“I’m just going to come in and help where I can,” Murphy said. “Whatever coach needs me to do. They got a lot of hard-working players that are going to come in and give it their best. I know all the veterans’ goals are to win and I just want to come in and win games.”

Raiders Notebook

• Cable said he has not been contacted by the Napa Police Department or the NFL in regards to an alleged incident involving him being linked with an attack on an assistant coach Aug. 5.

 Internet reports have said that Cable attacked assistant coach Randy Hanson during a meeting with some of the team’s defensive staff, leaving Hanson with a broken bone in his face. Hanson was hospitalized following the attack.

Asked if he has been contacted, Cable said: “I have not, but that’s all I’m going to say about it.”

• Bay Area-native and longtime Raider fan and NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez is taking part in a space launch mission starting today. The Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-128, will embark on the 30th U.S. mission to the International Space Station, with the flight delivering equipment and supplies.

Hernandez will be taking a Raider flag to represent the Raider Nation in outer space.

• One of the largest groups of spectators was on hand for Monday’s single padded practice.

• Office interns took on the equipment/training staff in a 9-on-9 flag football game following Monday’s practice.

• The Raiders on Monday signed Napoleon Harris, a linebacker, and released Ricky Manning, a cornerback.

• The Raiders return to camp for practice on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Their final practice of camp is Thursday at 8:30 a.m.