OAKLAND RAIDERS OFFSEASON THREAD
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No excuse for a slow start
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Maybe they’ll be shouting “conspiracy” in Denver this year.
Either it was the luck of the draw, or someone in the NFL agrees with John Madden’s long-held belief that the NFL is a better league when Oakland is good, because the first seven weeks of the 2008 schedule were placed in front of the Raiders as if it were a baseball on a batting tee in front of Alex Rodriguez.
There’s no such thing as an easy game for a team coming off a 4-12 season and in a five-year abyss of 19-61, but if the Raiders were to draw up their own scenario as to how to get off to a fast start and put embattled coach Lane Kiffin and second-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell on good footing, they couldn’t have done much better what transpired.
Of their first seven opponents, the Raiders play exactly one team that had a winning record in 2007 _ the San Diego Chargers (11-5), visit Oakland in Week 4.
The Raiders open the season with two teams they beat last year at the same places they beat them _ the Monday night opener against Denver (7-9) at the Coliseum, and a Week 2 assignment at Kansas City (4-12).
In Week 3, the Raiders visit Buffalo (7-9) _ getting the Bills in September instead of a dreaded East Coast game in the snow.
After hosting San Diego in Week 4, Oakland visits New Orleans (7-9) on Oct. 12 and then hosts the New York Jets (4-12).
Oakland’s first six opponents had a .417 winning percentage last season (40-56).
If the Raiders can’t open at at least .500 with that schedule, they could be looking at another double-figures season in terms of losses, because three of their last four games of the season will be against San Diego on a Thursday night (Dec. 4), New England, and a season-ender at Tampa Bay (Dec. 28).
And you know Al Davis isn’t thinking .500. If Kiffin goes 2-4 or worse with these first six games, he may as well hand his headset to James Lofton.
The only division opponent with an easier schedule than the Raiders through Week 7 is San Diego, which counts New England as the 2007 playoff team, with the other six opponents combining for a .312 winning percentage (30-66).
Kansas City’s opposition through Week 7 was 48-48 last season, with New England and Tennessee having made the playoffs.
Denver, meanwhile, has a schedule which could put the heat squarely on Mike Shanahan before midseason. If the Broncos lose in Oakland in Week 1, things could get ugly. Denver faces playoff teams in four of the next six games (San Diego, Tampa Bay, at Jacksonville, and New England) and its opponents have a .554 winning percentage (.554).
The only game with a potential bad weather issue is Nov. 23 in Denver, as the Raiders play their two December road games in San Diego and Tampa Bay.
Oakland has back-to-back road games only twice (Sept. 14-21, Kansas City-Buffalo, and Nov. 16-23, Miami-Denver), four opponents who don’t figure to be imposing and had losing records last year.
A difficult road assigment in Baltimore is followed up by consecutive home games Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 against Atlanta and Carolina, with the Falcons game serving as DeAngelo Hall’s first game against his former team.
The week after the Raiders host New England, they get an opportunity to get better against Houston, although the Texans have managed to win the last two games in Oakland.
The bottom line is there is no sense of dread with this schedule, only one of opportunity.
If the Raiders don’t capitalize, they’ll have no one but themselves to blame.
BTW- DUKE: THAT BLU ALBUM WAS FUCKIN INCREDIBLE. WAY UNDERRATED.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Maybe they’ll be shouting “conspiracy” in Denver this year.
Either it was the luck of the draw, or someone in the NFL agrees with John Madden’s long-held belief that the NFL is a better league when Oakland is good, because the first seven weeks of the 2008 schedule were placed in front of the Raiders as if it were a baseball on a batting tee in front of Alex Rodriguez.
There’s no such thing as an easy game for a team coming off a 4-12 season and in a five-year abyss of 19-61, but if the Raiders were to draw up their own scenario as to how to get off to a fast start and put embattled coach Lane Kiffin and second-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell on good footing, they couldn’t have done much better what transpired.
Of their first seven opponents, the Raiders play exactly one team that had a winning record in 2007 _ the San Diego Chargers (11-5), visit Oakland in Week 4.
The Raiders open the season with two teams they beat last year at the same places they beat them _ the Monday night opener against Denver (7-9) at the Coliseum, and a Week 2 assignment at Kansas City (4-12).
In Week 3, the Raiders visit Buffalo (7-9) _ getting the Bills in September instead of a dreaded East Coast game in the snow.
After hosting San Diego in Week 4, Oakland visits New Orleans (7-9) on Oct. 12 and then hosts the New York Jets (4-12).
Oakland’s first six opponents had a .417 winning percentage last season (40-56).
If the Raiders can’t open at at least .500 with that schedule, they could be looking at another double-figures season in terms of losses, because three of their last four games of the season will be against San Diego on a Thursday night (Dec. 4), New England, and a season-ender at Tampa Bay (Dec. 28).
And you know Al Davis isn’t thinking .500. If Kiffin goes 2-4 or worse with these first six games, he may as well hand his headset to James Lofton.
The only division opponent with an easier schedule than the Raiders through Week 7 is San Diego, which counts New England as the 2007 playoff team, with the other six opponents combining for a .312 winning percentage (30-66).
Kansas City’s opposition through Week 7 was 48-48 last season, with New England and Tennessee having made the playoffs.
Denver, meanwhile, has a schedule which could put the heat squarely on Mike Shanahan before midseason. If the Broncos lose in Oakland in Week 1, things could get ugly. Denver faces playoff teams in four of the next six games (San Diego, Tampa Bay, at Jacksonville, and New England) and its opponents have a .554 winning percentage (.554).
The only game with a potential bad weather issue is Nov. 23 in Denver, as the Raiders play their two December road games in San Diego and Tampa Bay.
Oakland has back-to-back road games only twice (Sept. 14-21, Kansas City-Buffalo, and Nov. 16-23, Miami-Denver), four opponents who don’t figure to be imposing and had losing records last year.
A difficult road assigment in Baltimore is followed up by consecutive home games Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 against Atlanta and Carolina, with the Falcons game serving as DeAngelo Hall’s first game against his former team.
The week after the Raiders host New England, they get an opportunity to get better against Houston, although the Texans have managed to win the last two games in Oakland.
The bottom line is there is no sense of dread with this schedule, only one of opportunity.
If the Raiders don’t capitalize, they’ll have no one but themselves to blame.
BTW- DUKE: THAT BLU ALBUM WAS FUCKIN INCREDIBLE. WAY UNDERRATED.
McFadden on the Raiders
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 11:29 am in Oakland Raiders.
The following is a blog entry posted by Arkansas running back Darren McFadden talking about his visit to the Raiders last week posted on a Web site called “Yardbarker,” which specializes in “sports news, rumors, photos and videos”:
I have been making a lot of trips to the NFL teams the last two weeks and wanted to catch the Yard up with my visits.
I had a great visit with the Raiders last week. It was my first trip and I had a great time. I got in Monday night and went to dinner with the offensive coordinator, Greg Knapp, and the running backs coach, Tom Rathman. Coach Rathman picked me up the next morning for breakfast. He gave me a tour of the facility and then we watched some film. We watched two of my games - one against Alabama and the Arkansas-LSU game. Coach Rathman seemed to like what he was watching. He said he likes tough running backs. In the LSU game we ran a dash right, a sprint out pass to the right. When the defensive end came charging in I hit him real good and knocked him backwards. Coach Rathman liked that play a whole lot. He is a coach I would love to play for. He is the type of coach who can take me to the next level, and I’m a player who is looking and willing to work to get to that next level. I think we’d be a great combination.
I also got a chance to meet Al Davis. I was really excited about that. I’m just a guy from little ol’ Arkansas meeting a legend like him. That was great. He had a lot of energy and he knows so much about the game and all the players in the draft. We spent about 10 minutes together and I enjoyed it very much.
I’ll fill you in on my New England trip next.
Darren
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 11:29 am in Oakland Raiders.
The following is a blog entry posted by Arkansas running back Darren McFadden talking about his visit to the Raiders last week posted on a Web site called “Yardbarker,” which specializes in “sports news, rumors, photos and videos”:
I have been making a lot of trips to the NFL teams the last two weeks and wanted to catch the Yard up with my visits.
I had a great visit with the Raiders last week. It was my first trip and I had a great time. I got in Monday night and went to dinner with the offensive coordinator, Greg Knapp, and the running backs coach, Tom Rathman. Coach Rathman picked me up the next morning for breakfast. He gave me a tour of the facility and then we watched some film. We watched two of my games - one against Alabama and the Arkansas-LSU game. Coach Rathman seemed to like what he was watching. He said he likes tough running backs. In the LSU game we ran a dash right, a sprint out pass to the right. When the defensive end came charging in I hit him real good and knocked him backwards. Coach Rathman liked that play a whole lot. He is a coach I would love to play for. He is the type of coach who can take me to the next level, and I’m a player who is looking and willing to work to get to that next level. I think we’d be a great combination.
I also got a chance to meet Al Davis. I was really excited about that. I’m just a guy from little ol’ Arkansas meeting a legend like him. That was great. He had a lot of energy and he knows so much about the game and all the players in the draft. We spent about 10 minutes together and I enjoyed it very much.
I’ll fill you in on my New England trip next.
Darren
On the clock
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 5:43 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Got a call from a Philadelphia radio station which is conducting a mock draft.
I’m selecting on behalf of the Raiders.
I’ve been told Michigan tackle Jake Long went No. 1 to the Miami Dolphins and Chris Long No. 2 to the St. Louis Rams. I’m supposed to get a heads up on the No. 3 before I get the phone call to make my pick.
Here’s what I’m thinking _ if the Atlanta Falcons take LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, then I’m taking Ohio State defensive end/linebacker Vernon Gholston.
If the Falcons opt to replace Michael Vick and draft Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, then I’m going with Dorsey.
I’ll let you know how it turns out and give you my reasoning later this evening. And then you can tell me why I’m wrong.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 5:43 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Got a call from a Philadelphia radio station which is conducting a mock draft.
I’m selecting on behalf of the Raiders.
I’ve been told Michigan tackle Jake Long went No. 1 to the Miami Dolphins and Chris Long No. 2 to the St. Louis Rams. I’m supposed to get a heads up on the No. 3 before I get the phone call to make my pick.
Here’s what I’m thinking _ if the Atlanta Falcons take LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, then I’m taking Ohio State defensive end/linebacker Vernon Gholston.
If the Falcons opt to replace Michael Vick and draft Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, then I’m going with Dorsey.
I’ll let you know how it turns out and give you my reasoning later this evening. And then you can tell me why I’m wrong.
Gholston is the pick
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 10:02 pm in Oakland Raiders.
My pick on behalf of the Raiders on a Philadelphia’s ESPN radio affiliate Wednesday night was Ohio State linebacker/defensive end Vernon Gholston.
As indicated earlier, I was told Michigan tackle Jake Long had gone No. 1 to Miami, followed by St. Louis’ selection of Virginia defensive end Chris Long.
If Atlanta had taken Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan to replace Michael Vick, I was going with Glenn Dorsey. When Dorsey was taken by the Falcons, I went with Gholston.
During the interview session, I said my first wish was that the Dallas Cowboys would deal for the No. 4 pick, giving up No. 22, No. 28 and perhaps another pick down the road. The Cowboys could then select Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. That way, the Raiders could fill out a draft card that’s going to look pretty bare with the status quo. Their current roster which has been upgraded but still needs more talent to become a legitimate contender.
Without a trade, I went with Gholston. Another option was to draft McFadden anyway and then dangle him as a trade bait.
Why Gholston?
1) He’s a classic Al Davis pick in terms of size, speed and the ability to change a game. True, the Raiders have been primarily a 4-3 team and Gholston is considered a 3-4 outside linebacker similar to San Diego’s Shawne Merriman and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware.
But Davis isn’t wed to the 3-4 as much as he is to a four-man rush _ whether the rushers have their hand down or not. And Rob Ryan would have no problem being instructed to come up with a defense that utilizes Gholston’s considerable skills as a pass rusher.
“The quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard,” is a big part of Raider tradition. You have Gholston rushing from one side and a hopefully a rejuvenated Derrick Burgess from the other, and DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha are going to reap the benefits in man coverage.
2) The Raiders supposedly love running back Michael Bush. It’s all background talk and hushed whispers of course, but the organization is facing the possibility of dislocating an elbow from patting itself on the back for “stealing” Bush in the fourth round last season after he missed his junior year with a badly broken leg.
If they take McFadden, it means all the Bush talk was nothing but propaganda, a self-promoting example of false pride because nothing else was going right.
I’m of the belief they legimiately think Bush is pretty good _ and at a decent price. So much so they’re willing to bypass McFadden, put trust in their running scheme and go for help along the defensive line.
That said, if the Falcons had taken Ryan, the pick would have been Dorsey.
He could be the active, energetic presence in the middle which could defend both run and pass. He may be a more natural “three-technique,” the position Tommy Kelly will play in place of Warren Sapp, but Dorsey is a difference-maker and a football player.
Gholston, as talented as he is, is considered in some quarters to be a workout warrior as much as he is a football player.
Bottom line, I think the Raiders would be happy to get either player.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 10:02 pm in Oakland Raiders.
My pick on behalf of the Raiders on a Philadelphia’s ESPN radio affiliate Wednesday night was Ohio State linebacker/defensive end Vernon Gholston.
As indicated earlier, I was told Michigan tackle Jake Long had gone No. 1 to Miami, followed by St. Louis’ selection of Virginia defensive end Chris Long.
If Atlanta had taken Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan to replace Michael Vick, I was going with Glenn Dorsey. When Dorsey was taken by the Falcons, I went with Gholston.
During the interview session, I said my first wish was that the Dallas Cowboys would deal for the No. 4 pick, giving up No. 22, No. 28 and perhaps another pick down the road. The Cowboys could then select Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. That way, the Raiders could fill out a draft card that’s going to look pretty bare with the status quo. Their current roster which has been upgraded but still needs more talent to become a legitimate contender.
Without a trade, I went with Gholston. Another option was to draft McFadden anyway and then dangle him as a trade bait.
Why Gholston?
1) He’s a classic Al Davis pick in terms of size, speed and the ability to change a game. True, the Raiders have been primarily a 4-3 team and Gholston is considered a 3-4 outside linebacker similar to San Diego’s Shawne Merriman and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware.
But Davis isn’t wed to the 3-4 as much as he is to a four-man rush _ whether the rushers have their hand down or not. And Rob Ryan would have no problem being instructed to come up with a defense that utilizes Gholston’s considerable skills as a pass rusher.
“The quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard,” is a big part of Raider tradition. You have Gholston rushing from one side and a hopefully a rejuvenated Derrick Burgess from the other, and DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha are going to reap the benefits in man coverage.
2) The Raiders supposedly love running back Michael Bush. It’s all background talk and hushed whispers of course, but the organization is facing the possibility of dislocating an elbow from patting itself on the back for “stealing” Bush in the fourth round last season after he missed his junior year with a badly broken leg.
If they take McFadden, it means all the Bush talk was nothing but propaganda, a self-promoting example of false pride because nothing else was going right.
I’m of the belief they legimiately think Bush is pretty good _ and at a decent price. So much so they’re willing to bypass McFadden, put trust in their running scheme and go for help along the defensive line.
That said, if the Falcons had taken Ryan, the pick would have been Dorsey.
He could be the active, energetic presence in the middle which could defend both run and pass. He may be a more natural “three-technique,” the position Tommy Kelly will play in place of Warren Sapp, but Dorsey is a difference-maker and a football player.
Gholston, as talented as he is, is considered in some quarters to be a workout warrior as much as he is a football player.
Bottom line, I think the Raiders would be happy to get either player.
It’s what you do after No. 1 that counts
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 3:25 pm in Oakland Raiders.
The first pick of the draft gets the most attention, but it is the subsequent selections that help shape and mold a team.
As much as Oakland’s 2007 draft will be defined by quarterback JaMarcus Russell, what transpired afterward in terms of a supporting cast for the new quarterback will be nearly as important.
It seems clear Russell has his tight end for the next decade in sure-handed Zach Miller, the second-round pick, who caught 44 passes and got better as the season went along.
As for the rest of the class, it’s too early to tell. Defensive end Quentin Moses, No. 65 overall, didn’t even make the team. Mario Henderson, who followed at No. 91, spent the season in a polo shirt watching and learning. Johnnie Lee Higgins at No. 99 was buried on the bench even though depth was paper thin at wide receiver.
Not much of a third-round, at first glance, although it’s way too early to be overly concerned.
The fourth round brought injured Michael Bush and John Bowie, who may be destined to spend his career known as the man who was traded for Randy Moss.
Defensive end Jay Richardson (fifth round) showed some promise.
Safety Eric Frampton, a fifth-round pick, didn’t make the team. Jonathan Holland, a seventh-rounder who spent the year on injured reserve, will be hardpressed to make it this year.
Russell and Miller aside, the two players who can make this draft sing are Bush and Oren O’Neal. Bush has the skill set of a poor man’s Chuck Muncie, a huge, agile runner/receiver. O’Neal, with enough schooling from Tom Rathman, could be a lead blocker in the Lorenzo Neal-Mack Strong mold in the best-case scenario.
A look at the Raiders 10 best draft picks excluding the first round since they returned home in 1995:
1. Shane Lechler, P, Texas A&M, fifth round, No. 142 overall, 2000: OK, the Sebastian Janikowski pick in the first round this year was over the top. Had Lechler gone in the first (like Ray Guy) and Jano in the fifth, the order would have been about right.
2. Ronald Curry, WR, North Carolina, seventh round, No. 235 overall, 2002: A college quarterback and basketball point guard with an Achilles’ tear in his past, Curry is the Raiders leading receiver two years running. Has a real knack for getting open on third down. Too many drops in 2007, however.
3. Justin Fargas, RB, USC, third round, No. 96 overall, 2003: One case where Al Davis was patient with a player whose talent he liked and it paid off. Led the Raiders in rushing in 2006 but truly broke out as a runner in 2007. Getting production from runners such as Fargas may be one reason the Raiders won’t feel the need to use their No. 4 overall pick on Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
4. Grady Jackson, DT, Knoxville, sixth round, No. 193 overall, 1997: The reason the Raiders cut La’Roi Glover, a future Pro Bowler drafted in the fifth round the previous year, was the presence of Jackson, who has remained a fairly effective NFL player despite being too heavy. If they’d only parted ways with Chester McGlockton and kept both Glover and Jackson to go along with veteran leader Russell Maryland.
5. Lance Johnstone, DE, Temple, second round, No. 57 overall, 1996: Johnstone was an outside linebacker at a small Philadelphia school more known for basketball than football. The Raiders properly identified him a rush end at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. He got a big contract after compiling 21 sacks in 1998-99 before bulking up and dropping to 3.5. He was released and signed with Minnesota, where he had 42 sacks in five seasons.
6. Thomas Howard, LB, Texas-El Paso, second round, No. 38 overall, 2006: If he ever develops the all-around instincts and skill of William Thomas, who came to the Raiders as a veteran player back in 2001, he should be a Pro Bowl fixture.
7. Eric Barton, LB, Maryland, and Rod Coleman, DT, East Carolina, fifth round, Nos. 146 and 153 overall, 1999: Two key defenders on the Raiders’ 2002 AFC champions came six selections apart well into the second day of the draft. Barton had 260 tackles in 2002 and 2003. Coleman, drafted as a linebacker and tried at end, morphed into a classic three technique and had 28.5 sacks despite playing part time from 2000 through 2003, with a high of 11 in 2002. They signed virtually identical contracts which each voided following the 2003 season. Barton signed with the Jets, Coleman with the Atlanta Falcons.
8 Barret Robbins, C, Texas Christian, second round, No. 49 overall, 1995: Before Robbins lost his career and nearly his life battling alcoholism and bipolar disorder, he was a key figure as a power blocking center, with the Raiders leading the league in rushing in 2000 and winning the first of three AFC West titles.
9. Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State, third round, No. 78 overall: The Raiders leading tackler the past two years, he vaults way up this list the moment he plays for a defnese that can stop the run. As a middle linebacker the past two seasons, it’s a big part of his job. One of the league’s best middle linebackers in pass coverage, has outperformed all three men taken in front of him _ CB Fabian Washington (No. 23), CB Stanford Routt (No. 38) and QB Andrew Walter (No. 69).
10. Adam Treu, G, Nebraska, third round, No. 72, 1997: Not big enough or quick enough to make it as a power blocking guard, Treu was a classy professional who became a backup center and long-snapper who made his share of starts because of Robbins’ problems.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 3:25 pm in Oakland Raiders.
The first pick of the draft gets the most attention, but it is the subsequent selections that help shape and mold a team.
As much as Oakland’s 2007 draft will be defined by quarterback JaMarcus Russell, what transpired afterward in terms of a supporting cast for the new quarterback will be nearly as important.
It seems clear Russell has his tight end for the next decade in sure-handed Zach Miller, the second-round pick, who caught 44 passes and got better as the season went along.
As for the rest of the class, it’s too early to tell. Defensive end Quentin Moses, No. 65 overall, didn’t even make the team. Mario Henderson, who followed at No. 91, spent the season in a polo shirt watching and learning. Johnnie Lee Higgins at No. 99 was buried on the bench even though depth was paper thin at wide receiver.
Not much of a third-round, at first glance, although it’s way too early to be overly concerned.
The fourth round brought injured Michael Bush and John Bowie, who may be destined to spend his career known as the man who was traded for Randy Moss.
Defensive end Jay Richardson (fifth round) showed some promise.
Safety Eric Frampton, a fifth-round pick, didn’t make the team. Jonathan Holland, a seventh-rounder who spent the year on injured reserve, will be hardpressed to make it this year.
Russell and Miller aside, the two players who can make this draft sing are Bush and Oren O’Neal. Bush has the skill set of a poor man’s Chuck Muncie, a huge, agile runner/receiver. O’Neal, with enough schooling from Tom Rathman, could be a lead blocker in the Lorenzo Neal-Mack Strong mold in the best-case scenario.
A look at the Raiders 10 best draft picks excluding the first round since they returned home in 1995:
1. Shane Lechler, P, Texas A&M, fifth round, No. 142 overall, 2000: OK, the Sebastian Janikowski pick in the first round this year was over the top. Had Lechler gone in the first (like Ray Guy) and Jano in the fifth, the order would have been about right.
2. Ronald Curry, WR, North Carolina, seventh round, No. 235 overall, 2002: A college quarterback and basketball point guard with an Achilles’ tear in his past, Curry is the Raiders leading receiver two years running. Has a real knack for getting open on third down. Too many drops in 2007, however.
3. Justin Fargas, RB, USC, third round, No. 96 overall, 2003: One case where Al Davis was patient with a player whose talent he liked and it paid off. Led the Raiders in rushing in 2006 but truly broke out as a runner in 2007. Getting production from runners such as Fargas may be one reason the Raiders won’t feel the need to use their No. 4 overall pick on Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
4. Grady Jackson, DT, Knoxville, sixth round, No. 193 overall, 1997: The reason the Raiders cut La’Roi Glover, a future Pro Bowler drafted in the fifth round the previous year, was the presence of Jackson, who has remained a fairly effective NFL player despite being too heavy. If they’d only parted ways with Chester McGlockton and kept both Glover and Jackson to go along with veteran leader Russell Maryland.
5. Lance Johnstone, DE, Temple, second round, No. 57 overall, 1996: Johnstone was an outside linebacker at a small Philadelphia school more known for basketball than football. The Raiders properly identified him a rush end at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. He got a big contract after compiling 21 sacks in 1998-99 before bulking up and dropping to 3.5. He was released and signed with Minnesota, where he had 42 sacks in five seasons.
6. Thomas Howard, LB, Texas-El Paso, second round, No. 38 overall, 2006: If he ever develops the all-around instincts and skill of William Thomas, who came to the Raiders as a veteran player back in 2001, he should be a Pro Bowl fixture.
7. Eric Barton, LB, Maryland, and Rod Coleman, DT, East Carolina, fifth round, Nos. 146 and 153 overall, 1999: Two key defenders on the Raiders’ 2002 AFC champions came six selections apart well into the second day of the draft. Barton had 260 tackles in 2002 and 2003. Coleman, drafted as a linebacker and tried at end, morphed into a classic three technique and had 28.5 sacks despite playing part time from 2000 through 2003, with a high of 11 in 2002. They signed virtually identical contracts which each voided following the 2003 season. Barton signed with the Jets, Coleman with the Atlanta Falcons.
8 Barret Robbins, C, Texas Christian, second round, No. 49 overall, 1995: Before Robbins lost his career and nearly his life battling alcoholism and bipolar disorder, he was a key figure as a power blocking center, with the Raiders leading the league in rushing in 2000 and winning the first of three AFC West titles.
9. Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State, third round, No. 78 overall: The Raiders leading tackler the past two years, he vaults way up this list the moment he plays for a defnese that can stop the run. As a middle linebacker the past two seasons, it’s a big part of his job. One of the league’s best middle linebackers in pass coverage, has outperformed all three men taken in front of him _ CB Fabian Washington (No. 23), CB Stanford Routt (No. 38) and QB Andrew Walter (No. 69).
10. Adam Treu, G, Nebraska, third round, No. 72, 1997: Not big enough or quick enough to make it as a power blocking guard, Treu was a classy professional who became a backup center and long-snapper who made his share of starts because of Robbins’ problems.
HHAHAHAHHHAHAHAH!!!!
In Vegas, Chiefs rock bottom in AFC West
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 4:34 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Checking in from Las Vegas, burning some Marriott points (and some cash) for a brief trip heading into draft week:
– The Raiders odds of winning the Super Bowl in the 2008 season are consistent at sports books across town at 60-1 _ the same as the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers.
– Kansas City, by the way, checks in at 80-1, with the Denver Broncos at 25-1.
– The Atlanta Falcons are officially the NFL’s laughing stock. Caesars Palace has Atlanta as 125-1 picks to win the Super Bowl, while Bellagio won’t post odds at all.
– Sports books can’t legally post bets on draft picks because it isn’t considered random.
My own odds on the Raiders’ first pick? (Purely for entertainment purposes, of course, and worth less than the 10 dollar ticket I bought after the first overtime taking the Suns over the Spurs to win Game 1 of their playoff series):
– Vernon Gholston 3-1
– Darren McFadden 4-1
– Sedrick Ellis 7-1
– Ryan Clady 7-1
– Chris Long, Jake Long 8-1
– Matt Ryan no line
– Why better odds on Ellis and Clady than the Long boys? Most people seem to believe the Longs will be gone before No. 4, and with the retirement of Steve McNair, the Baltimore Ravens may be looking for a trade partner in order to move up and get Ryan at No. 4. Baltimore currently resides at No. 8, a neighborhood which could net Clady, a potential left tackle for the Raiders, or Ellis, a defensive tackle they coached in the Senior Bowl.
Aside from their first round pick, the Ravens have have selections in the second (No. 38 overall) and third rounds (No. 99) in addition two picks in the fourth (Nos. 106 and 133), sixth (Nos. 173 and 206) and seventh (Nos. 215 and 240).
Baltimore was awarded four compensatory picks due to free agent losses.
In Vegas, Chiefs rock bottom in AFC West
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 4:34 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Checking in from Las Vegas, burning some Marriott points (and some cash) for a brief trip heading into draft week:
– The Raiders odds of winning the Super Bowl in the 2008 season are consistent at sports books across town at 60-1 _ the same as the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers.
– Kansas City, by the way, checks in at 80-1, with the Denver Broncos at 25-1.
– The Atlanta Falcons are officially the NFL’s laughing stock. Caesars Palace has Atlanta as 125-1 picks to win the Super Bowl, while Bellagio won’t post odds at all.
– Sports books can’t legally post bets on draft picks because it isn’t considered random.
My own odds on the Raiders’ first pick? (Purely for entertainment purposes, of course, and worth less than the 10 dollar ticket I bought after the first overtime taking the Suns over the Spurs to win Game 1 of their playoff series):
– Vernon Gholston 3-1
– Darren McFadden 4-1
– Sedrick Ellis 7-1
– Ryan Clady 7-1
– Chris Long, Jake Long 8-1
– Matt Ryan no line
– Why better odds on Ellis and Clady than the Long boys? Most people seem to believe the Longs will be gone before No. 4, and with the retirement of Steve McNair, the Baltimore Ravens may be looking for a trade partner in order to move up and get Ryan at No. 4. Baltimore currently resides at No. 8, a neighborhood which could net Clady, a potential left tackle for the Raiders, or Ellis, a defensive tackle they coached in the Senior Bowl.
Aside from their first round pick, the Ravens have have selections in the second (No. 38 overall) and third rounds (No. 99) in addition two picks in the fourth (Nos. 106 and 133), sixth (Nos. 173 and 206) and seventh (Nos. 215 and 240).
Baltimore was awarded four compensatory picks due to free agent losses.