Silver And Black Pride

How Much Influence Does Tom Cable Have?

2010-03-14T00:17:02Z

More photos » Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

It’s seems to be the way to go to say that Al Davis takes who he wants without input from anybody else or letting anyone else have a say in who the Raiders decide to grab in free agency or the draft.

JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, DHB, Javon Walker, Gibril Wilson, and a trade for DeAngelo Hall are all very recent examples in support of that exact theory.

However, head coach Tom Cable might be a different kind of presence in Alameda. One who Al Davis actually invites input from. One who Davis actually gets along with…what’s up with that?

Now, before I start rambling, I will say some moves are straight up Al Davis picks like last year’s first round pick of the draft. Tom Cable actually told the media after the pick, yet still during the draft, that the team "Knew who we were taking about a month before the draft."

Which leads to another misleading theory, as Cable dispelled any communication flaws that some people might have thought existed within the general management and the coaching staff before coach Cable made said statement.

Before the 2010 draft, I’d like to examine what kind of impact coach Cable has been granted in terms of player personnel with the Oakland Raiders.

Many players have outwardly expressed their affection for Coach Cable. Nnamdi Asomugha went so far as to say that team captains were ready to go into Mr. Davis’ office and lobby for their desire to keep coach Cable on as the head coach of the team.

Cable was recently cited as being a "players coach" by team quarterback Bruce Gradkowski in an interview with KNRB 560 AM.

Tom Cable has a certain player type that he likes, and it’s not necessarily the height, weight, speed approach that Mr. Davis is apparently so found of. It’s obvious that Cable and Davis have differing ideas of what talent actually is.

Cable likes player who are versatile, perhaps they played other sports in college, or they were members of MENSA. Cable likes team captains; players who put their team above themselves and play with a tremendous amount of heart.

Mr. Davis tends to be an assessor of raw talents; players who need to be coached up to reach their full capacity. Mr. Davis likes physically gifted athletes who have the potential to be great…someday.

The problem with the Davis hypothesis lately is that the Raiders coaches have been like a revolving door. It’s not necessarily that they were bad coaches without the ability to teach, it’s more that they haven’t had an opportunity to develop their system inside of the Raiders revolving egress.

That may be about to change with the consecutive tenures granted to coach Cable. Now that we have the type of players that each person likes fresh in our minds, let’s take a look at the ’09 class of Raiders and try to decipher which players look like Al Davis players, which players look like Tom Cable’s guys, and which players are a combination.

Perhaps the two pre-draft players who stand out the most are the free agent acquisition Khalif Barnes and the trade for former Dolphins center Samson Satele. Both of these two men have Coach Cable’s stamp on them and it has been reported by several media members that Cable lobbied hard to get both players on the roster.

The fact that both players will be retained with the coach only confirms the fact that these two guys are Cable’s guys. One thing that stands out to me is that both players are young. While Barnes isn’t as inexperienced as Satele, perhaps it can still be said that neither of these two players has reached their full potential. With Cable as their coach for the second consecutive year, the Raiders may be able to expect big things from both players this year along the offensive front.

Another thing worth noting during the pre-draft period of 2009 is that coach Cable said that he did not want to stir up the locker room with a big name free agent acquisition. This turned out to be a presumptive statement, after which Raiders fans could assume that no big names would be brought in through the free agency market.

At that time, it was very much unlike the Mr. Davis of yesteryear who live for big name free agents. Cable’s affect on Davis could be seen this early in the year last season.

Moving on to the 2009 draft; Mr. Davis has consistently taken the guy with the most potential in the first round dating back to who remembers when. The list goes on and on, people know that Davis is going to take his guy first no matter who thinks it’s a reach or who agrees with the pick.

It can be assumed that Davis is enamored with the players combine numbers. The more the draft approached last year, the more people began to think/know who Davis was taking. When DHB was selected, it sent shockwaves through the Raider Nation, as their biggest fear had been realized.

The second round offered up another surprise, Ohio Universities own Mike Mitchell. Despite his impressive stats (212 tackles, 126 solo, 90 in run support, and 15 for loss, and defended 20 passes with seven interceptions, two sacks, and four forced fumbles), scouts didn't think that he was legit. They overlooked this hard-hitting, versatile, outstandingly quick, powerful safety, who showed a knack for making plays in the box.

He had one of the best pro days of any college player in the country. He benched 225 lbs. 21 times, jumped a 37.5" vertical jump, had a 10'3" board jump, and ran a 4.49 40-yard dash.

Coach Cable said after the Raiders drafted him 47th overall, "When you see tape of this guy you’re going to see a guy that has that Ronnie Lott, that Jack Tatum mentality. He literally knocks people out. It allows you know, to get back to that Raider style of football, which is really the reason I wanted this guy so bad."

Maybe we should call Mitchell a combination pick. He obviously had the impressive numbers that Davis liked, combined with the team mentality that Cable opted for.

The next pick was a defensive end from Wisconsin named Matt Shaughnessy. Shaughnessy earned letters in football, basketball, and track in his high school days. In his junior year at Wisconsin, he was named team MVP for the year. Matt was overlooked by most scouts due to an injury-limited senior season.

His numbers were not that impressive, average size at 6’5" 266lbs., a below par shuttle that was a half second slower than the leaders in that category for defensive ends. He was the thirteenth DE on most draft boards and wasn’t projected to go until the 5^th round by most experts.

Shaughnessy is quite clearly a pick that Tom Cable had to have a convincing speech about for Mr. Davis to consider strongly, let alone draft.

After Shaughnessy came Louis Murphy, the Florida WR who won two national championships in his time with the Gators. Murphy was a guy who the Raiders were surprised was there in the middle of the fourth round and was a consensus pick without question.

Murphy was a team captain on a national championship team with good values which appealed to Cable, as well as a height, weight, speed guy with a 6’3" 203 lbs. frame who ran a 4.32 forty and was projected to go one round earlier in the draft.

I don’t think there was any argument from anyone when Murphy was selected. Murphy did not let anyone down with his rookie performance either, scoring a touchdown (or two depending on who you ask) in his first professional game.

Of the drafted rookies after Murphy, really the only guy worth mentioning at this point in time is TE Brandon Myers. Myers was rated the 23^rd tight end in the draft by NFLScouts.com, and was projected to be undrafted.

Coach Tom Cable had been looking for a second tight end to "merry" with Zach Miller who could take some of the blocking load off Miller’s shoulders and assist the Raiders in increasing the receiving numbers of Miller.

They traded their seventh round pick from 2009 and their sixth round pick from 2010 to get back into the sixth round and take Myers, who was considered primarily to be a blocking tight end from Iowa University.

This is a Tom Cable draft choice, and Mr. Davis was willing to trade two draft picks to get the one they took Myers with so that Cable could have his guy.

Following the draft, the Raiders brought in team players from small schools as undrafted free agents. They included a guy at DT who could start this year, former Harvard player Desmond Bryant, and a very little known player named Nick Miller from the University of Southern Utah who set a few Division II records during his time at the school.

It is my opinion, without going into too much detail, that Cable’s influence in the undrafted class was very strong. The fact that two of these guys made the final 53 man roster at the end of training camp shows how much control Cable had on the final roster.

But it doesn’t stop at the players. Look at the coaches who were brought in this offseason. They have connections to coach Cable as well. Hue Jackson and Cable worked together on the staff at Cal-State Fullerton in 1990 and at the University of California in 1996.

"I felt very comfortable at work with Tom, and we have very similar thoughts," Jackson said. "Every job you’re working against the clock, you never know if you’re going to be there from one year to the next. We’ve had great conversations about what we would like to accomplish as we continue to move forward," Jackson said of the Raiders head coach.

The new defensive line coach brought in for the 2010 season, Mike Waufle, spent time at the University of California as the Bears Defensive Line Coach from 1992-1997 with coach Cable, who oversaw the Bears offensive line from 1992-97.

Now to get to the pint of writing this article; I set out to show that Tom Cable has had a strong influence on players and personnel during his time as Raiders head coach. So far in 2010, there have been no big name free agents, and I presume there will not be any.

I also expect the coach to have an even stronger influence in this year’s draft class. Anyone who thinks Al Davis doesn’t care what his coaches desires are, I hope you can walk away from this article with a different perspective. Or at least it’s different with this coach.

So don’t be surprised if this year’s first round pick has some Cable influence on it. Cable was recently quoted saying, "You got to look at this thing and find who you think the best players are, rather than they jump the highest or run the fastest. It shouldn’t make a damn difference. He has to be able to play football good enough for you to become a championship team. At the end of the day, that’s what really counts."

The Oakland Raiders need help along the offensive line, nobody will argue that. Some people close to the situation, however, might say that Mario Henderson has potential at left tackle and Khalif Barnes is a guy Cable really pulled for to get him in Silver and Black, and to keep him in Oakland this offseason.

With that in mind, don’t be shocked when Roger Goodell walks up to the podium in New York and says, "With the eighth pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select, Mike Iupati, Guard, Idaho."

What does Cable think? "Absolutely…first of all, he’s an Idaho Vandal, so I’m biased. He’s a terrific player. I think his future will be very bright. He’s going to have to transition from that level to the NFL. But he showed he has the ability to do that at the Senior Bowl. I’m very proud of him. I’m pulling for him to succeed, big time."

Poll

How Strong is Cable's Influence?

Raiders need OT in the Mold of Bob "the Sledgehammer" Brown

2010-03-12T21:00:25Z

Taking an OT in the 1st round is nothing new for Oakland - it's happened 9-times before and this year the glaring need for an OT upgrade cries up to heaven. This site's most recent draft polls confirm (66% in favor) that an OT is our single most necessary positional upgrade (with DT at 2nd place - 34%).

We must carefully evaluate OTs, and players who may convert from G or C to OT, to make a wise choice. Let's begin by asking ourselves, "what is the ideal OT prototype?"; "What essential qualities does an OT need?"

Oakland had two of the best OTs of all time - both are in the HOF: LOT Art Shell (8 Pro-Bowls / 2 on First Team) and ROT Bob Brown (6 Pro-Bowls / 5 on First Team). I believe the better of the two is Bob Brown based on film, number of 1st Team Pro-Bowls, and statements by men in the HOF who certainly would know:

John Madden: "Bob Brown, I thought, changed our offensive line. He was such a dominating player, and he was a guy I really felt taught our guys that it was okay for an offensive lineman to have a defensive lineman's mentality. He was the most aggressive offensive lineman that I think I've ever seen. The most aggressive offensive lineman that ever played."

Art Shell: "I learned a whole lot from him. A lot of little things, like how to formulate a plan to attack a defensive end - going into a game trying to have at least three ways to take this guy on. And he was as quick as anybody I've ever seen. He could come out of his stance on a pass set, leap off the ground like a frog, backwards, as quick as a hiccup, and then he would lash out at the defensive end. He was unbelievable."

If we take Bob Brown for our OL model (he played G in college and converted to T in the NFL - being the highest Guard selected in NFL draft ) and pick accordingly, we should be able to get this one right. Read on...

Brown was fierce. When he reported to Oakland's training camp as a FA everyone watched as he came onto the field - his first day of practice. Brown jogged past the others without saying a word and paused in front of the goal post, squared off, then suddenly delivered a forearm shiver with such explosiveness and focus that the goal post crashed to the ground. Mr. Brown's actions on the field remain some of the most eloquent statements ever made in football.

Bob Brown believed that Offensive Linemen should be the aggressors - the ones on attack, "Offensive".

DE Hall of Famer, Karl Eller (6 Time Pro-Bowler / 5 on First Team): "Bob Brown was probably my most feared competitor. He had a demeanor that was different from most offensive linemen. He would strike out at you. His intent was to do bodily harm. He was not satisfied with just doing his job. He wanted to inflict pain."

One last quote, this one from Bob Brown himself when asked to describe his own playing style: "I was very attack oriented. I didn't want to be a shock absorber. I wanted to be the guy who was delivering the shock. I was extremely aggressive for an offensive player. I used to liken it to being a 16-pound sledgehammer."

Okay, now that we have the perfect OT paradigm firmly in our minds, our mission is to evaluate the prospect pool and find the one who most closely resembles Bob "the Sledgehammer" Brown in his physicality and warrior spirit.

Footnote: If Al Davis reads this, please offer Mr. Brown, who lives in Oakland, a coaching position with the Raiders. I believe he could work wonders with, at the very least, our Offensive Line. Thank you.

Rumor Mill: 49ers QB Shaun Hill Given Permission to Seek a Trade

2010-03-12T19:53:02Z

More photos » Dave Einsel - AP

Shaun Hill has posted a career record of 10-6 with an 87.3 passer rating.

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What? A Shaun Hill story on the front page? Well, it is March. Aside from it being championship week in college hoops, baseball starting up and the NBA about to enter its final month, what else is there to talk about? Anyway, the San Francisco 49ers have said to their former starting quarterback, Shaun Hill, that he can seek a trade according to a report. While he may get released, Hill may not want to sign with us at that point. With that said, should the Oakland Raiders explore trade possibilities?

Get the information after the jump and then cast a vote on the poll.

While nobody has thought of Hill has a legitimate long-term starter, he can still be a viable backup based on his career record (10-6) and career passer rating (87.3), both of which I have mentioned on the lovely picture caption to your right. Moving on, Hill isn't going to "wow" anyone with his arm strength or anything like that; however, his arm is accurate enough to make all of your league-average throws. With our offense not really all that complex, Hill shouldn't struggle with learning anything special. Zach Miller is very reliable and Darren McFadden is capable out of the backfield in the passing game. Louis Murphy and Chaz Schilens are big targets and guys that can make a play on the ball if it is thrown near them.

The 49ers are sitting at a crossroads. They can try to squeeze some value out of Hill, but since they do have four quarterbacks on the roster, it seems like they will eventually release someone. Whether or not that's Hill, I don't know. As for me, I think we should wait and see if they release him. If not, then try to go after him because San Francisco will still have Alex Smith and David Carr in front of him. Released or not, the 49ers should be open to moving Hill out somehow.

Poll

Should the Oakland Raiders get involved with quarterback Shaun Hill?

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.

Browse more photos »

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?

Browse more photos »

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

Silver And Black Pride

How Much Influence Does Tom Cable Have?

How Strong is Cable's Influence?

Raiders need OT in the Mold of Bob "the Sledgehammer" Brown

Rumor Mill: 49ers QB Shaun Hill Given Permission to Seek a Trade

Should the Oakland Raiders get involved with quarterback Shaun Hill?

Who is Desmond Bryant?

Oakland Raider News: Source: Raiders release Gerard Warren

Pro Day Schedule For Universities:

Bruce Gradkowski Opens Up On KNBR

Who Should Start At QB for the Raiders in 2010?

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

Which position upgrade will improve us most?

Will the Next MLB Please Stand Up

Who will be the Raiders opening day starting MLB?

Why You Can Forget About Rolando McClain

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

Buffalo Pro Sports Daily on Cornell Green:

The Glass is a Quarter Full

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

What single position upgrade will improve us most?

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

Rumor Mill: Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant Has Visits Lined Up

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:

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

Cornell Green: Swapping Coasts

Raiders unload Javon Walker, Greg Ellis

Raiders unload Javon Walker, Greg Ellis

Rumor Mill: Raiders Interested in LaDainian Tomlinson

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