by By Steve Corkran scorkran@bayareanewsgroup.com , Contra Costa Times

In a strange twist, Frye's final chance at making the Raiders' 53-man, opening-day roster comes against his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, in a game that is meaningless to most of the other participants.

"Everything counts," Frye said Monday. "Your presence, the way you prepare; because if you're competing for the No. 3 job, you're not going to get very many reps, and you're still going to have to be asked to go out and move the offense when you go out on the field. That's kind of the situation I'm in right now."

Two years ago at this time, Frye was the unquestioned starter for the Cleveland Browns. His world changed on the heels of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in which he completed only 4 of 10 passes for 34 yards and one interception.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel benched Frye in favor of Derek Anderson early in the Steelers game and then shipped Frye to the Seahawks two days later.

It marked the first time in NFL history that a quarterback who started the first game of a season was traded before the second game.

Frye, 28, sat out the rest of the 2007 season and attempted only 23 passes in two games last season. He signed with the Raiders in the offseason when no offers came to compete for a starting job.

"Every year, you just try to get better in camp," Frye said, "and I'd have to think that this was my best camp throwingwise, and the opportunities that I have gotten during the game, I've been able to move the ball."

Frye and Gradkowski give the Raiders something they haven't had the luxury of having very often: an experienced veteran as the No. 3 quarterback JaMarcus Russell is the starter, Jeff Garcia the backup.

Gradkowski, 26, started 12 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Browns the past three seasons. He, too, signed with Oakland for a shot at seizing a backup spot freed up by the departure of Marques Tuiasosopo and Andrew Walter.

Frye and Gradkowski played well throughout the Napa portion of training camp, as well as in Oakland's first two exhibition games.

"It will be pretty heated (tonight)," Cable said. "It's been that way all along. That is an incredible battle."

Gradkowski said he feels confident that he will be on the Raiders roster beyond Saturday's mandatory cutdown to 53.

"I'm just looking forward to taking charge and being a leader out there that guys can look at and say, 'Hey, he knows what he's doing, he knows this offense,'"?" Gradkowski said. "That just gives confidence in other guys and me."

Frye and Gradkowski watched Saturday as Russell and Garcia handled all the snaps against the New Orleans Saints. The roles will be reversed tonight, when Frye and Gradkowski hog most, if not all, of the snaps as Cable seeks to determine which player is the best option as the No. 3 quarterback.

Cable has said that he won't carry four quarterbacks. He has not said that Garcia's job is safe. Therefore, it's conceivable that both Frye and Gradkowski could make the team if they play well enough tonight.

Frye and Gradkowski make less money than Garcia, 39, and they are considerably younger and capable of helping the Raiders beyond this season.

Notes: Cable said his starters will play tonight, though not as long as they did against the Saints. "... Gradkowski will relieve Garcia in the second quarter and play into the third, with Frye taking over at that point for the rest of the game, Cable said.

TODAY: at Seahawks, 7 p.m. TV: Chs. 2, 58. Radio: 560-AM

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