Silver And Black Pride

Who is Desmond Bryant?

2010-03-12T02:31:25Z

Some time ago, I referenced a last-year article from LA Times on Desmond Bryant, a distant cousin of Chester McGlockton. With Gerard Warren's departure today, the media focus shifted to him, and I am sure much more details about him will emerge. Here is the article:

____________

An Ivy Leaguer passes through the looking glass and tumbles into the land of Al Davis, a mad circus of renegade athletes and near-pathological fans adorned in spikes and chains.

"Yeah," Bryant says with a chuckle. "Seems a little strange."

Except the big guy with the baby face doesn't quite fit the Harvard stereotype, not with his baggy shorts and flip-flops and a wad of chewing tobacco stuffed in his lip.

As he speaks, a different sort of tale emerges.

Through the first three games of the NFL season, Bryant has worked himself into the rotation as a backup defensive tackle, not bad for an undrafted free agent who wasn't expected to make the league.

"He's a terrific player," Coach Tom Cable said. "The more he learns how to play the double-team, the better he gets."

If he seems like a novelty -- only a few Harvard alumni currently play in the NFL -- there are two things you should know:

No. 1, Bryant is, indeed, educated and articulate in a quiet sort of way.

No. 2, He always wanted to play professional football and has always focused a great deal of his intellect on that goal.

(Editor's Note: In order to continue reading the rest of this article you will need to click on the link that Spirals provided to the LA Times article. We can't post the entire article due to copywrite infringement. I did keep this much up because it is a great read, and thank you spirals for taking the time to post it here. Cheers - Raymond)

Oakland Raider News: Source: Raiders release Gerard Warren

2010-03-11T21:05:56Z

The housecleaning in Oakland continues.

After parting ways with wide receiver Javon Walker and defensive end Greg Ellis on Monday, the Raiders were at it again Thursday as they released defensive tackle Gerard Warren (notes), according to a league source.

Warren—a nine-year veteran out of Florida—was due a $5.925 million roster bonus on March 14. He started 32 games for the Raiders over the past two years, recording 74 tackles and six sacks.

However, Warren struggled against the run in 2009 and with a big roster bonus coming due, the organization clearly felt it was time to move in another direction.

The 31-year-old was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2001 and spent the first four years of his career there before joining the Denver Broncos for a two-year stint in 2005.

Pro Day Schedule For Universities:

2010-03-11T16:32:44Z

http://www.newerascouting.com/nfl-draft/nfl-pro-day-schedule/

So far my favorite Pro Day quote came from Javid Best. After running a 4.35 at the combine Best chose not to participate in Cal's Pro Day. Instead he rested on his performance in Indy quipping, "I think I showed them Raider speed".

Some mocks have Best going in the second round. I wonder IF Big Al would take him in the second IF he were available?

On another note, today is a big day for two linemen that I have my eye on, Mike Iupati and Matt Tennant as Boston College and Idaho will be having their pro days. I really would NOT mind trading down this year and grabbing Iupati in the mid first and then snagging Tennant in the 3rd or 4th.

Imagine if we could add:

Iupati (Great Iupati Read Here)

Troup

Tennant

Angerer

and the BPA in the 2nd

Bruce Gradkowski Opens Up On KNBR

2010-03-11T01:23:35Z

More photos » Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

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Bruce Gradkowski is "Punctual." That’s the word used by KNRB 680/1050 AM’s "The Razor and Mr. T show."

"We are a good football team and the only thing we have to work on is being consistent and that’s going to be the number one goal this year," said Bruce Gradkowski, the fan favorite choice to be the starting QB for the Oakland Raiders this year.

"I know no different than to be a blue collar guy, to work hard…but if you just keep working hard, good things will come, and you’ll get what you deserve," said Gradkowski.

"In my heart, I wanna be in Oakland and I believe I’ll be in Oakland and I wanna be here for years to come. I just feel a good presence here, especially with the fan base we have. It’s the best in football, and they care about their team and I wanna give them something to look forward to."

Well, hell at least somebody in the huddle is looking for more than just a paycheck. Gradkowski is a sixth round draft choice who was brought into Tampa Bay under head coach Jon Gruden in the sixth round of the NFL draft.

While many fans of the team are disgruntled, thinking that when head coach Tom Cable said they would have an open competition for the QB position meant that Al Davis would decide the choice based on paychecks, Bruce welcomes the challenge saying, "Competition just makes you better, and the best person should be out there for the job…I’d love to get it from the start and see what we can do with it."

It makes you wonder why Gradkowski couldn’t have been a part of this team in 2006, the year before JaMarcus Russell was taken number one overall in the draft.

Of course, back then, Gradkowski was not even close to the household name he has developed in Oakland as of late. He was a little known QB out of Toledo by way of Pennsylvania. He was fairly well known around the Pittsburgh area though as the QB who broke a lot of passing records in his high school conference including records set by Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and George Blanda.

Gradkowski was asked what the difference is between a guy like him who plays mostly on heart versus a guy like JaMarcus Russell who appears to have natural skills, but is widely known to have bad work ethics.

"If you can find a way to win, that’s all that matters, it doesn’t matter about how much skill you really have, it’s about ‘Does your team rally around you?’ ‘Do you get the job done?’ ‘Are you smart?’ and the leadership role and I think that’s one of the most important parts about being the quarterback."

"I came into the NFL wanting to be a starting QB in this league, a proven starting QB, and I still have a longs ways to go, but those are my goals."

Those may be goals that JaMarcus Russell shares, but he has yet to show it as far as that is concerned. In his three years with the Raiders, Russell started 21 games and almost all of his stats are dismal, including his 2009 stats which included only three touchdowns versus 11 interceptions, a QB rating of 50.0 out of a possible 158.3, and a completion percentage of a mere 48.8 percent. Not to mention that he fumbled 16 times and lost nine of them.

Compared to Bruce Gradkowski, who has only played one year with the Raiders and started in four games, Russell’s stats make him look like you wouldn’t want him running your third team offense in practice.

In his four starts, Gradkowski had a 300 yard passing game with three touchdowns against the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers that earned him AFC player of the week honors, a QB rating of 89.3, while throwing for six touchdowns and only one interception with the exact same offense as Russell had.

Gradkowski went on to say how he likes to use his legs to make plays. "The more I get hit in a football game, the more I feel a part of it, and it makes me play better," said Bruce. "Being the competitor that I am, the last thing you’re thinking about is staying healthy, its how I win, how do I get this next first down?"

Gradkowski also expressed how optimistic he is about the possible opportunity to continue the continuity the Raiders started to establish last year when he was their starting QB.

"Mr. Davis just wants to win, he wants the best for his players, and I think that’s what he’s trying to get done and I think right now we have a very good setup in the coaches and players around us. I’m very excited for this year and I’m hoping that our fans back us from day one, because we can use them and we need them to be a part of this year and be a part of this thing when we turn it around," said Gradkowski.

Moving on from Gradkowski for now, I’d like to ponder another QB situation.

Recently, ESPN’s AFC West blogger, Bill Williamson, said that the Raiders ought to look into Derrick Anderson as a potential QB prospect, referring to Anderson as "former Pro Bowler."

Yuck, I’d rather eat raw sewage from the Alameda County Coliseum after a pro football game than watch Derrick Anderson come anywhere near my favorite NFL team.

My big question is, when former Hue Jackson coached QB, and Heisman trophy winner, Troy Smith is available for a fifth round pick and Oakland has two fifth rounds picks available to them, what the heck is the holdup?

I mean, come on Al Davis, this is pretty much a no brainer. And come on rest of the NFL, this guy is going to be a fantastic QB for some team one day, and those words are golden, take them to the bank, he has the ability to win championships inside of him, and I’ve recognized it since I watched him play in college.

Unlike Tim Tebow, when Troy Smith returned to school for his senior season, he actually did improve his throwing capabilities to the point that he won the Heisman Trophy. In my opinion, Troy Smith was a huge steal when Baltimore got him in the fifth round, and if Oakland had drafted him number one overall in 2007, I’m sure we could’ve been a playoff team by now.

But that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Poll

Who Should Start At QB for the Raiders in 2010?

That 1st pick (part 2): Btw. 2 Positions

2010-03-11T01:15:10Z

With over 50% of the votes in favor of taking a Defensive Tackle with our 1st Round pick (MLB taking 2nd place with 27% of the vote), we enter the next phase of our methodical process which seeks to insure no blunder is made on the first day of this draft.

Many in the Nation were vociferous about taking an Offensive Tackle with the 1st pick. An outpouring of concern was expressed for the welfare of Gradkowski - in whom so much hope for our success now resides. Many emphasized the need for sustaining longer drives which upgraded line would make possible - with the added advantage of keeping Tommy Kelly and Gerard Warren off the field as much as possible.

And so we come to the critical choice between the remaining positional contenders for our 1^st draft pick of 2010.

Will it be a DT or an OT? One thing's for certain, a Tackle it will be if the Nation has a voice.

Poll

Which position upgrade will improve us most?

Will the Next MLB Please Stand Up

2010-03-11T00:47:57Z

More photos » Tony Avelar - AP

Who can help prevent this next year?

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Judging by Rated R's post and poll it appears that the popular sentiment is that the Raiders are not going to use their first pick on a LB. In light of Sons of Blanda's research, which showed us that only two LB's have ever been drafted in the first round by the Raiders, I think this is a good assumption.

Returning starter Kirk Morrison was only offered a 3rd round tender, which makes the possibility very real that another team may sign him. Given the fact that this tender was lower than the tenders offered to fellow LB's Ricky Brown and Thomas Howard, I don't think the Raiders are exactly counting on him being the starter next year.

So, who is it going to be?

Poll

Who will be the Raiders opening day starting MLB?

Why You Can Forget About Rolando McClain

2010-03-10T20:55:23Z

More photos » Dave Martin - AP

Rolando McClain was a was a unanimous first-team selection voted to The Associated Press All-America team and was the winner of the Dick Butkus Award.

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The Oakland Raiders seemingly have many different directions available in the 2010 NFL draft this April. That is the case when you pick eighth overall and you have a lot of needs to fill. One player that we've discussed a lot within this community here is Rolando McClain, a middle linebacker from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Today, McClain showed off some of his skills at his pro day. His 40 time was just a 4.74 the first time and then a 4.71 a second time, two times the reports suggest as "acceptable." Unfortunately, those times are why you can forget about Rolando McClain.

Hit the jump and then vote on the poll.

As I mentioned above, this team has a lot of needs and there a lot of possible directions in which Al Davis could go. McClain is one of the many players we've discussing taking with the eighth overall pick. Other positions of great need include offensive tackle and defensive tackle, two positions that feature players that are within our reach with the eighth overall pick. Greg Ellis' release and Richard Seymour's age could have Al Davis thinking defensive end as well and we know cornerback isn't our most solid position outside of Nnamdi Asomugha. With all of that and McClain's not-so-fast 40 time, I don't expect Al Davis to really consider McClain with the eighth overall pick as much as I would love to have him donning the silver and black colors.

Poll

How likely is Al Davis to draft Rolando McClain in the 2010 NFL draft?

Buffalo Pro Sports Daily on Cornell Green:

2010-03-10T20:06:03Z

I did an interview for them with my thoughts on Cornell Green's Departure.

You can read the story here.

Raymond St. Martin covers the Raiders for the SB Nation Silver & Black. He warns Bills fans that they’re getting a guy as likely to make a drive-killing mistake as someone who pancakes a linebacker.

"Cornell Green is a penalty machine and the reaction from Raiders fans is they could not see him leave fast enough," St. Martin said. "He was brought to Oakland at Tom Cable’s request and he never did anything to warrant the starting position that was handed to him for two years."

Green moving on as a free agent was something St. Martin said the Raiders anticipated happening for months and made no real effort to bring him back.

"With the offensive line performing below expectations and the Raiders supposedly having set their sights on Bruce Campbell in this year’s draft and having retained Khalif Barnes, it was expected that Cornell Green, the worst performer on a line that surrendered 49 sacks last season would not be back." St. Martin said.

"Green was brought in as a zone blocking specialist and he committed too many costly penalties at key points in the game to be effective." I’ll take Langston Walker over Cornell Green any day of the week, especially on Sundays."

That last line was from B.A. Armstrong, not me.

The Glass is a Quarter Full

2010-03-10T18:31:03Z

Al Davis has been seen recently tiptoeing around the Raiders compound whispering, "Be vewy vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbit’s." That’s right boys and girls, it’s wabbit season—er um…rabbit season—also known in the NFL world as the free agent signing period.

In typical fashion the Raiders are adhering to their commander’s orders and following the adage seen on movie screens everywhere, "Silence is golden," leaving members of Raider Nation with nothing but speculation and hypotheses.

How will the team address its needs? Will they be playing for next year or building for the future? What exactly is the plan? Is there a plan at all? These are the questions percolating in the minds of Raiders fans as they enter the epicenter of a free agent signing period that dawned with new rules and no limits.

Al Davis has been burned badly in the past when making free agent splashes, historically and epically so. Were it not for the fact that Al is a vampire, these burns would have likely killed him. Larry Brown? Desmond Howard? Javon Walker? Those are some of the worst free agent signings in the history of sports. Al had to change his ways. He was in danger of facing an anti-trust suit for a monopoly on laughably bad signings. And change he did.

As we were shown last off-season it may be possible to teach an old pirate new tricks. Of course, as we are also being shown, there is always the possibility that those tricks may suck too! Last year, Al backed away from the big free agent signings and instead focused on resigning his own stars to long-term deals. Things were looking good until D-day (the draft) when the old dog or pirate was back to humping the leg of the fastest least skilled player available.

It seems as if Al is continuing his new course of steering away from the big free agents as the Raiders have yet to make a splash on any of the big names available. Instead they have focused on resigning their own players. The problem is now that some of those players perform on a level known as poor.

With the new free agent rules, there are more players than ever that fall into the restricted free agent status. This is great for teams that have a bunch of players they want to keep, but not as great for teams that can’t remember the last time they avoided a double digit loss season and/or have an owner for a GM that believes Alzheimers is a necessary skill for player evaluation.

This unique skill goes a long way towards explaining the tender offered to Stanford Routt. Of the 200+ restricted free agents this year, only 18 received the highest possible tender and Stanford Routt is one of those chosen few.

This means once a team decides they can’t live without Stanford Routt manning their corner spot, the Raiders will be sitting pretty with an extra 1st and 3rd round pick.

If, for some unlikely reason, every other team in the league fails to see that Routt is knocking on the door of greatness and passes on this enticing chance to sign him, the Raiders will be blessed with cornerbacks that are being paid roughly the Gross National Product of France, while featuring one player that performs on a level known as good.

In Al’s defense, it is very likely he had the options of available tenders list turned upside down and thought he was offering Routt the lowest possible tender instead of the highest. I don’t want to rush to judgment yet.

In further defense of Al, I really don’t have a fault with the tenders offered to the Raiders’ other restricted free agents. I like the third round tender offered to Morrison. I think that is low enough that teams will be tempted to give the Raiders a 3rd round pick for the right to sign him. If no team does, the Raiders will retain Morrison at a reasonable salary.

While Morrison is a tackling machine, any defense that only occasionally decides to tackle running backs needs to see some changes. These changes need to start up the middle.

It would be reckless to just heap all of the blame on Morrison and frankly not as much fun. A big portion of that blame can certainly be piled on the under achieving or over priced members of the interior line. First and foremost among them is Gerard Warren.

It is somewhat anticipated that Warren will be cut before he can collect a one million dollar roster bonus later this month. That anticipation was somewhat muted, however, when the Raiders announced the release of Justin Fargas, Javon Walker, Greg Ellis and not Warren.

Let us now observe a moment of silence for Mr. Walker. His career 15 receptions for the Raiders will never be forgotten.

What does the old pirate have up his sleeve now? Your guess is as good as my chimpanzee’s. A fact that was made even more painfully obvious when word came out that the first free agent to visit the Raiders would be TE Anthony Becht.

Becht is a blocking minded TE and this is not a statement against him. The problem is the Raiders first dip into the free agent waters is with a TE and this appears to be the most reliable and set spot on the offense.

Wait…I almost forgot the free agent signing of Khalif Barnes. In defense of my neglect in noting this, I believe it is reasonable to count this as a "barely free agent" signing. He was on the squad last year and no other team in the league was even aware that he was still playing.

The good news is that Barnes is signed to a one-year contract and he is coming off of a lackluster season. He should be eager and hungry to prove himself in a contract year. The bad news, this the exact same circumstances he had going into last year and still managed to perform at that aforementioned level of poor.

To be honest, this off-season is not going at all how I anticipated. With an uncapped year, I had visions of the Redskins and Cowboys swooping in with their deep pocket and flashy owners buying every free agent in sight. So far, however, those teams have been as quiet as the Raiders. This fact leads me to believe that the owners have an understanding among themselves that the cap will be coming back.

And frankly it is an uninspiring free agent class. See for yourself. What do you guys think? Who would you like to see the Raiders bring in? This list allows you to search by position. And maybe even the more important question is: Who would you like to see them let go? This may just be a one time chance for teams to dump players without it affecting the salary cap.

Al is obviously not going to let his young offensive pay check collectors go yet, but let’s hope if this season does not see improvement among the three headed underachieving monster, that I am going to call JaMac-Bey or Hey-Fadel or D-Russius, he will start chopping off heads like Henry the VIII.

In the meantime, I don’t ask for much. Just a franchise left tackle, a center, a right guard, a defensive tackle, a middle linebacker, a wide receiver, a legit #2 defensive back, Chris Johnson as the nickel, Routt to announce his retirement and for someone to put Gradkowski’s brain in Russell’s head. Damn, okay maybe I am asking a lot.

We are totally set on people that kick the ball! And in FOOTball what could be more important?

That 1st pick: Which "Position upgrade" improves us most

2010-03-10T02:00:25Z

Over the past decade, Raider hierarchy failed with its first draft pick 60% of the time (only Huff '06, Gallery '04, Asomugha '03, and Janikowski '00 can be considered successes). During the same decade, Oakland's draft picks got better after the celebrated and hyped 1st selection.

Most of you know who the big name draftees are, where they played and even their combine metrics - well and good. But right now, let's just decide where our biggest need is and determine the single positional upgrade that would do more for us than any other? Then, we'll determine the best prospects in that single position and bring the best one to Oakland. The Focus here is only on the 1st pick - #8 on April 22nd.

Poll

What single position upgrade will improve us most?

Breaking AFC West News: DT Jamal Williams Is Now a Denver Bronco!!!

2010-03-09T23:01:06Z

Adam Schefter reported this one for ESPN.

Former San Diego Charger DT Jamal Williams has signed with the Denver Broncos. It is a good thing for all of us that he is 34 years old and that his best seasons are "Hopefully" (Saint Crosses HIs Fingers) behind him. If he is still capable of dominating the middle front of the Line of scrimmage then those young linebackers are going to have a field day.

In other news, the Oakland Raiders watched the paint dry in their Halls of Fame in Alameda!

Rumor Mill: Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant Has Visits Lined Up

2010-03-09T22:58:05Z

More photos » Stephan Savoia - AP

Antonio Bryant (left) would provide a good veteran presence in the locker room at a position filled with youth.

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Last season, Oakland Raiders wide receivers were simply not a productive bunch. While not all of that falls onto their shoulders due to inept quarterback "play," we do need to upgrade at that position. Young guys like Chaz Schilens and Louis Murphy could use a veteran presence to sort of guide them along the way.

That leads me to Antonio Bryant, an eight-year veteran who has spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and most recently the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hit the jump for the information and vote on the poll.

According to a recent Twitter report, free agent wide receiver Antonio Bryant left Cincinnati Bengals headquarters without a contract today. His agent, per the St. Petersburg Times, denied an upcoming visit with the Washington Redskins; however, his agent did say that the receiver has "another couple of visits lined up." That leads me to wonder that there is a very remote possibility of the Raiders being a potential landing spot for the free agent wide receiver.

This move, in my opinion, would make sense for Oakland. Although Bryant caught just 39 passes in 13 games this past season, he could provide some other things as previously mentioned. Still, he's just one season removed from career-best 2008 season in which he caught 83 passes for 1,248 yards and even added seven scores. If the knee is totally healthy from last season's issues, Bryant could push youngsters Schilens and Murphy for a starting gig. Some competition for those guys could be good and everyone would be striving to do their absolute best. If not, Bryant would be a very nice slot receiver and gives the team another legitimate option on the field.

What say you, nation? Is bringing in Antonio Bryant a good idea?

Poll

If the price is right, should the Oakland Raiders sign free agent wide receiver Antonio Bryant?

Denver Signs DE Jarvis Green to 4 Year Deal:

2010-03-09T22:21:35Z

Also According to Adam Schefter:

DE Jarvis Green's deal with Denver: Four years, max value of $20 million, $4.5 million in first year of deal and $7.5 million in first two.

It looks like the AFC West is off to the races and Denver has made a move to shore up their D-Line by signing, former New England Patriot DE Jarvis Green, to a 4 Year Deal.

Green is a third down DE who can pressure the QB and he will definitely pose problems for the Raiders IF JaMarcus is under Center and IF he is still 300 lbs.

Here is the Link from our sister site Mile High Report:

Kansas City Signs Thomas Jones To Join Jamaal Charles in the Backfield

2010-03-09T22:12:05Z

According to Adam Scheffter:

Filed to ESPN: Thomas Jones signs in Kansas City: two years, $5 million. Chiefs have their running back. No need for Willie Parker to visit.

This is a mind blower for me. The Kansas City Chiefs are having the best off-season of any team in the NFL and that is NOT good news for the AFC West!

Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones will be a tough backfield to stop. With thier O-Line improving late last year and with the additions of Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weiss to the coaching staff this team is looking to rise to the top of the AFC West FAST! Really Fast!!!

Cornell Green: Swapping Coasts

2010-03-09T00:47:21Z

The former penalty prone Raiders Offensive tackle Cornell Green has signed a 3 year $9 million contract with the Buffalo Bills according to Raiders beat writer Patrick Patterson.

Green was a favorite of head coach Tom Cable, but nobody can argue that his knucklehead penalties at the most inopportune times will not be missed.

This is just another step in the Al Davis youth movement. With the recent release of Justin Fargas, Javon Walker, and Greg Ellis, the Raiders roster just got significantly younger.

Let me be the first to say good luck Buffalo. I'll take Langston Walker over Cornell Green any day of the week, especially on Sundays.

“I've been in the league 10 years now and one thing they’ve encouraged me to bring here is the leadership I do have," Green told Buffalobills.com. "I’ve been waiting for a long time to get this opportunity to be a leader and be an example for other guys. I’ve been a lot of places in my career. I’ve won a Super Bowl in Tampa so I bring some intangibles that a lot of guys don’t have right now because of their inexperience. I’m just willing to work with the guys and be a part of the team.”

Wasn't their G.M. the same guy who bashed the Raiders a little while ago?

What kind of drugs is that guy on?

Somebody in Buffalo failed to do their homework.

This move might signify that the Raiders are looking to draft an offensive lineman with their first pick of the draft, or it could mean that the team expects Khalif Barnes to have an increased role on the line this year.

Regardless of what it could mean, it for sure means that the team knows Green was a problematic player.

And I just want to add a big thank you to Justin Fargas for what he brought to our team while he was here. He was the heartbeat of this offense regardless of his production, and he will be missed.

Raiders unload Javon Walker, Greg Ellis

2010-03-08T23:32:22Z

Raiders unload Javon Walker, Greg Ellis

The worst contract in the history of free agency is no longer active.

The Raiders finally cut Javon Walker Monday and dumped defensive end Greg Ellis while they were at it, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Walker was named the biggest free agent bust ever by the NFL Network, and we can't disagree. His contract was particularly egregious because it was obvious in 2007 Walker had nothing left physically. The guy was benched for Glenn Martinez in Denver.

(I actually wrote a post at the time in my former life calling it the worst contract ever. Blind squirrels, nuts, and all that.)

Oakland paid Walker $21 million over the last two years and got 15 catches in return. He may wind up in someone's camp this year, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he's played his last regular season snap.

Ellis actually started his Raiders career well enough, but knee troubles slowed him down late in the season.

Rumor Mill: Raiders Interested in LaDainian Tomlinson

2010-03-08T19:56:20Z

More photos » Denis Poroy - AP

After you beat 'em, do you join 'em?

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Even if it is "speculation" or what have you, this one still caught me by surprise a little bit. Beat writer Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune is speculating that the Oakland Raiders could be interesting in free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson, 31 when the season starts, just spend his first nine seasons with the San Diego Chargers after being drafted fifth overall in the 2001 NFL draft.

Would this be a good signing for the Silver and Black? Hit the jump and vote on the poll.

"No" is the quick short answer to that question.

Tomlinson is one of the greatest running backs in NFL history without a doubt; however, let's look at what he's done lately. In 2009, his production dramatically fell off based on years past. Tomlinson posted a career-low in rushing yards, yards per carry, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. With that said, I think the guy still has a little something left in the tank is a limited role.

Looking at the roster, we still have a pair of legitimate running back options following the release of Justin Fargas. Michael Bush and Darren McFadden, at this point in their careers, are simply better options than a 30-year-old Tomlinson. Bush is better between the tackles. McFadden is a better option of the backfield.

Tomlinson had this to say at his press conference when he learned he was leaving the Chargers:
“The Raiders are pretty set in the backfield,” he said. “Even if they weren’t, I wouldn’t become a Raider.”

With that said, I wouldn't rule out him coming to Oakland since Al Davis is in charge and anything is possible.

Okay, I'll keep it short and sweet. What say you, nation?

Poll

If the price is right, should the Oakland Raiders sign free agent running back LaDainian Tomlinson?

The Rosetta Stone: Unlocking the mystery behind Al Davis’ player selections (Part I)

2010-03-07T16:00:36Z

When asked how Raider potentate, Al Davis, selects Raiders most people tell you that it's simply a matter of who runs the fastest 40 in their position. Certainly this is a viable answer and one supported over many years of Al's draft and FA selection record. Al drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey, who ran a 4.30 40 even reaching down and taking him in the 1^st round while experts scratched their heads having Bey projected no earlier than the 3^rd. Al signed Javon Walker, who ran a 4.38 - 40, after he was cut by Denver following a steep decline in his performance. Other truly fast Raiders are Stanford Routt 4.29 - 40 (who just signed a $3.268 million/yr deal even though contributing less than nothing during the 2009 season), Yamon Figurs - 4.30 in from Cleveland, and Tyvon Branch - 4.31.

But if speed were everything, Al would have taken Chris Johnson, the faster and better player and joint holder of the combine's 40 record - 4.24. CJ was taken 24^th in the 2008 draft and available for Al, who had the 4^th pick - but Al chose another RB, Darren McFadden, who ran a 4.33 - 40.

I have long wondered if there was something else that went into Al's calculation, something not as apparent as sheer speed. Have you ever wished you could place an electronic bug in Al's office and listen to his candid remarks and monitor his conversations? It’s something I wish were possible for my own consumption. We can’t do that, of course, so if we want to anticipate Al's moves we need to understand how he thinks; so let's probe and explore possibilities underlying Al’s decisions by examining his record. I don’t believe it comes down to only speed.

We can rule out Wonderlic scores as a significant criteria for Al - we have many boneheads on the Raiders - at least as measured by the type of intelligence captured on that test. We can rule out Al's partiality to certain colleges -Al pulls them in from everywhere. There has been, however, a trend over the past decade with Al taking a disproportionate number of players from the south, especially the Deep South; but this may only be a coincidence.

Maybe the other criteria, the Rosetta Stone, to understand Al's decisions is something quirky, something subjective and peculiar to the psyche of Al Davis himself. Spirals Galore suggested once that Al seems enamored with handsome, well-built men - such as JaMarcuss Russell, Javon Walker, Carlisle Cooper, Jonathan Holland, Paul Hubbard, Chris Johnson, (playboy) Darren McFadden, David Nixon, Slade Norris, Oren O'Neal, Erik Pears, Marcel Reece, Stanford Routt, Richard Seymour, Tony Stewart, Todd Watkins and Sam Williams. These well-built and, many would say, ‘handsome' men are also poor or disappointing players. Most of these men are inexplicably kept on the roster and, in every case, paid unjustifiably high salaries.

Sportswriter Paul Zimmerman wrote this about Al, "Davis has always been enamored of the oversized player ... The 6'8" Matuszak; 6'9" Charles Philyaw; 6'7" Ted Hendricks, the tallest linebacker in history; 7-foot defensive tackle Richard Sligh, the tallest anything-they all have worn the silver and black." This has been a characteristic of Al's player choices for decades. NB. Our Offensive line is currently the 2^nd tallest in the league.

So, is Al enticed by masculine physiques almost as much as he is by speed? Does that factor weigh into his criteria when choosing who he'll dress in Silver & Black?

Routt makes millions despite bad performances. Jamarcuss we know gets $13Million this year and McFadden will get millions whether he fumbles, falls down or ever finds a hole (on the field).

Cooper Carlisle, a poor to fair G, makes $3.5 million/yr. Erik Pears is paid $1.5/yr to not play and 4th round Slade Norris will be paid big-bucks to watch from the side-line.

Poll

Is speed the only factor that Al considers when signing players?

What Does Resigning Khalif Barnes Mean For Oakland Raiders?

2010-03-07T01:16:46Z

The Oakland Raiders are in no rush to sign anyone of the remaining unrestricted free agents in the league. They did, however, make a move to sign one of their own guys, offensive tackle Khalif Barnes.

So what does the signing of Barnes mean for the Raiders going forward?
Well, let’s start from the start. Originally, Khalif was brought in to compete with Mario Henderson for the starting left tackle position. Unfortunately, at the beginning of training camp in 2009, he suffered a broken ankle.

Barnes would not return to the practice field until about week six of the regular season. By that time, the Raiders had also lost starting guard Robert Gallery to a broken Tibia. Things were not shaking out well.

The Raiders had made a trade early in the offseason of 2009 for former Dolphins starting center Samson Satele. While Satele did not get injured, he was having a problem adjusting to the zone blocking scheme of Tom Cable.
Cable had actively pursued Satele in the trade, because when Cable saw the 2007 draft class from which Satele came, Cable thought Satele was the best offensive lineman in the class.

The line was becoming a big time question mark by the time Khalif came back from his injury. During or around the same time, the Raiders lost starting right tackle Cornell Green to injury as well. He would end up missing a good portion of the middle of last season.

The Raiders asked Khalif to train with them as a right tackle, and also tried to get him involved as a left guard, to perhaps replace the loss of Gallery.
I know, it’s all very confusing and complicated, but it is what it was…so to speak.

So soon after the Raiders tried to get Barnes to swap sides, reports surfaced that Barnes was complaining about the move. The speculation was that he did not want to play right tackle because they make significantly less money than left tackles that protect the quarterbacks blindside.

To the best of my knowledge, the rumors were never confirmed. It should also be noted that Barnes said after he was injured that he was told he’d be the starting left tackle regardless of the injury upon his return.

Amidst all the turmoil along the offensive front, the Raiders ultimately ended up calling upon the services of an old friend, former Raiders and Bills OT, Langston Walker.

Walker ended up bypassing all current Raiders lineman, and started a significant number of games at left guard in replacement of the oft injured Robert Gallery.

Whatever issues Barnes had with what went down last season, it seems that he, along with the coaching staff, have decided it would be in everyone’s best interest to push the reset button on Barnes’ stint with the Raiders.

So now that we have a history, let’s get back to the matter at hand…what are the Raiders going to do with two starting left tackles?

Will they still be prompted to pick another starting left tackle when the April draft rolls around?

Let’s examine what we’re working with here.

Khalif Barnes is was a second round pick in 2005 from the Washington Huskies. It didn’t take him long to establish himself as the starting left tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Remember back when they were good for a little while, yeah this guy was their starting left tackle, their staple, their anchor.

It’s no wonder head coach Tom Cable wanted Barnes to be a part of the Raiders organization. In 64 opportunities, Barnes started in 57 games at that coveted position for the Jags. He has experience playing against some of the best defensive ends in the league twice a year.

We’re talking Javon Kearse, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Kyle Vaden Bosch, and Mario Williams twice a year, if not more.

Barnes has played against these guys a lot in his career, and he is only turning 28 this year. You really can’t blame the Raiders for wanting to get him back.

Let’s talk about some of his accolades. From 2006-2007, the Jaguars led the NFL in rushing averaging 154.1 yards per game and scoring 46 rushing TD's on the legs of Fred Taylor and Mo-Jo Drew.

In 2007, the Jaguars led the league with six 50-plus yard runs, and ranked second in runs of 10-plus yards with 68. Khalif helped pave the way for a 4.7 average per rush, first in the AFC and third in the NFL. In 2007, they scored 28 TDs passing with only 8 INTs with Barnes protecting the quarterback's blindside.

Most of us remember the injury problems that the Jaguars had prior to the 2008 season. It’s kind of hard to forget that three of their five starting linemen went on IR before the regular season even started.

The reason Barnes was cut from the Jags was simply that they wanted to rebuild their line…the whole thing.

Now let’s talk about Mario Henderson. Henderson is Al Davis’ pet project on the Oakland front line. I guess technically, he is one of Tom Cable’s projects too.

The Oakland Raiders selected Florida State OT Mario Henderson in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. The 6'7", 310-pound Henderson played in 28 of a possible 51 games during his career at Florida State. In 2006, he played in all 13 games on the offensive line.

Graduated from Lehigh High School in 2002 and he was rated a three-star player by Rivals.com and one of the top 40 rated offensive guards in the country. He was one of Florida's Top 100 according to the Orlando Sentinel and earned all-district, all-region, and all-county honors as a senior in leading his team to an 8-3 record.

Many o us expected Henderson to secure his spot as the franchise left tackle last season. Whether due to injuries to his teammates, or his own personal problems, he was unable to do so in some people’s opinion.

Many of the fine folks in Raider Nation think Henderson can’t handle the left side, but would make a fine right tackle for the Raiders. If you asked me, I’d tell you that Henderson had a great end to the 2008 season, and a fine start to the 2009 season.

It’s my opinion that he tried to overcompensate for the absence of his fellow starting offensive line teammates, and that’s where he got into trouble last year. I think he is a solid option for either right or left tackle.

For what it’s worth, I think Khalif Barnes is a solid option for either side as well. And frankly, I’m not convinced that a starting tackle is the right way to go for the Oakland Raiders number eight pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

Perhaps the Raiders actually need a starting guard more than they need a starting tackle. With the constant injuries to Robert Gallery last year, starting with appendicitis, then the broken tibia, and finally a back injury that was not “career threatening” but required season ending surgery. Couple that with the fact that Cooper Carlisle is not the same guard he was when he came to the Raiders three years ago, and he is not going to get better with age.

Maybe Idaho Vandals guard Mike Iupati right choice for Oakland at 8. Or Iowa tackle Brian Bulaga, who many folks consider to translate nicely to a high caliber NFL guard is the right choice at eight oveall.

Or maybe the right move is to say, “Ok, we’re good at tackle, let’s take the best guard on the board in the second round.” Those choices would likely include either Illinois guard Jon Asamoah or Mississippi’s John Jerry.

Now, Oakland Raiders fans post your comments and convince me that the Raiders have to take a franchise left tackle with their first pick in the draft.

Poll

SHould the Raiders Draft An OT in the First Round In April?

Report: Raiders release HB Fargas

2010-03-07T00:09:00Z

Report: Raiders release HB Fargas

After a failed physical and an incoming $1.7 million roster bonus, the Oakland Raiders released running back Justin Fargas after seven seasons with the team.