The Official Oakland Raiders 2012 Offseason Thread

[Meta4iCAL]

#boarhunters

Lol. Fucking awesome.

 

[Meta4iCAL]

Saunders' knowledge key to Raiders offense

February 8, 2012, 4:10 pm

Read more: Saunders' knowledge key to Raiders offense
Tune to SportsNet Central at 6, 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for more on this story

More than once I've written in this corner that Dennis Allen's first task as the Raiders' new head coach should have been to retain Al Saunders as his offensive coordinator.

Almost.

So close, in fact, you can now count Saunders' retention as a "senior offensive assistant" next to horseshoes and hand grenades in the streets of Silver and Blackdom.

Saunders returning to Oakland might mean that much to not only the offense, but to the direction of the entire team as it rebuilds from within.

Yes, I know that Greg Knapp is returning to be Allen's playcalling O.C. and he figures to bring his brand of West Coast offense and zone-blocking scheme to Oakland. But rather than installing an entirely new system, Knapp can now be, ahem, assisted in the transformation by the staff's elder statesman.

Knapp's West Coast offense sensibilities meshed a tad with Saunders' vertical-game acumen and knowledge of the roster?

It makes sense. A lot of sense, especially when you throw in the continuity factor.

Because remember, it was Saunders who actually devised each and every gameplan last season. Hue Jackson then used it like a menu, picking and choosing from it the actual plays to call on gameday. Plus, Saunders was the de facto quarterback coach. So he knows firsthand how much Carson Palmer could absorb in being flipped, so to speak, from a Darryl Lamonica mad bomber-type into a Rich Gannon accurate dink and dunker-type, and just where Terrelle Pryor is on the developmental scale.

And even as the offense underwent makeover after makeover last season with season-ending injuries to Jason Campbell and Darren McFadden, season-altering injuries to Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore and the midseason additions of Palmer and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the offense was the strength of the 8-8 Raiders, who still finished one stop -- any stop against Buffalo or Detroit -- from going to the playoffs.

Consider: Oakland was ninth in the NFL in total offense (379.5 yards per game), seventh in rushing offense (131.9), 11th in passing (247.6) and was tied for fifth in completions of 40 or more yards (14) and tied for seventh in rushing TDs (16).

Imagine what Saunders can do with an entire offseason "advising" Knapp and reported new QB coach John DeFilippo and new receivers coach Ted Gilmore on how to best use so many weapons...so many healthy weapons.

[REPORT: DeFilippo returning to Raiders]

This is good news for Raiders fans. Very good news that is actually refreshing in that once Saunders, who was the lone assistant from Jackson's staff still under contract, was allowed to interview with Kansas City for the Chiefs' O.C. position, it seemed he was a goner. And that he would come back to haunt the Raiders.

It seemed preordained.

Instead, Saunders is able to finish a job he started last season. Or at least, try.



Read more: Saunders' knowledge key to Raiders offense
Tune to SportsNet Central at 6, 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for more on this story

I'm pretty happy about keeping Saunders around. Great move IMO. I feel much better about the offense now than I would have if Knapp would be completely running everything the way he wanted without Saunder's influence

 

[Cut-Throat]

That's prolly 2 wins alone keeping Saunders and tellin knapp to kick rocks...

 

[corinthian]

saunders staying on the staff is definitely a great security net, for if knapp fails.

 

[Ike Turner]

Has Mark Davis sold off the team to support his drug habit yet?

 

[T-Rip]

Yikes, Raiders just released Routt. While he was obviously overpaid he was pretty decent. Now they have nothing

 

[corinthian]

there's a new sheriff in town.

#shitjustgotreal

 

[Chree]

LOL wheres the Routt defenders now?

 

[corinthian]

they're right here, along with all the alex smith defenders/haters.


routt led the league in penalties for all CB's last season. that's probably what got him canned.


EDIT: guess it was more about money

caplannfl Adam Caplan
by VittorioTafur
Stanford Routt's $5 million base salary was guaranteed if he was still on the roster as of Friday, a source confirmed.

 

[IronLungs420]

Yikes, Raiders just released Routt. While he was obviously overpaid he was pretty decent. Now they have nothing

did they release him and intend to re-sign him at a lower price or is he gone for good?

 

[corinthian]

huff might be gone too, the team has until march 16th to decide on him though.

this is what I've been waiting for. I said I wouldn't get excited about having a new GM until he started making moves and now reggie is making moves. here we go!

 

[Ike Turner]

fuck routt. he was inconsistent, and got burnt a lot. they should let huff go too.

 

[Meta4iCAL]

Routt was decent, but overpaid for sure. I wouldn't mind him staying if he restructured his deal, but it is what it is.

I agree we don't have any good CBs right now, but Im pretty sure that they will get someone in there to take Routts place.

I like the move, if for no other reason it let's us know that things are really changing in Oakland, and we won't be seeing anymore of these ridiculous contracts. If you're making big money and not really earning it.... Get the fuck out

 

[MaC A$$ ViC]

that was unexpected. so who are our starters going to be? dvd and chekwa lol

 

[T-Rip]

did they release him and intend to re-sign him at a lower price or is he gone for good?

I guess its possible he could return but thats like admitting you know you aint worth shit

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)—The Oakland Raiders have released cornerback Stanford Routt less than one year after signing him to a blockbuster contract.
The move Thursday is the first major personnel change the Raiders have made since general manager Reggie McKenzie and new coach Dennis Allen took over last month.

Routt signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract last February before becoming a free agent. The contract included $20 million in guarantees over the first two years. The Raiders restructured the deal in August by adding two years, making it a $54.5 million, five-year contract.
But Routt ended up lasting only one year of the contract as the new regime in Oakland decided to go in a different direction.

 

[IronLungs420]

i know people hate to use the term when describing their team but a few more of these moves and IMO the raiders are going into full rebuild mode. Its the only way to move forward, no other way around all the ridiculous high contracts Al Davis handed out. I read somewhere Between Routt, Wimbley, Seymour, Kelly, and McClain i believe he invested 160 million dollars.

 

[Chree]

they're right here, along with all the alex smith defenders/haters.


routt led the league in penalties for all CB's last season. that's probably what got him canned.


EDIT: guess it was more about money

what does Alex Smith have to do with it? Most of yall was happy bout locking Routt up (i said he didnt even come close to deserving that contract, and he wasnt nowhere near a teams #1 corner), whereas niner fans were glad alex was gone til harbaugh went after him hard.

 

[corinthian]

it definitely puts the other players on defense on notice. it doesn't matter who you are or how big your contract is, reggie will cut your ass if you aren't worth it. I can definitely see some more players on D being released, unless they agree to restructure their contracts.

 

[MaC A$$ ViC]

i dont think anyone said he deserved that huge contract. i think everyone knew he was way overpriced

 

[corinthian]

what does Alex Smith have to do with it? Most of yall was happy bout locking Routt up (i said he didnt even come close to deserving that contract, and he wasnt nowhere near a teams #1 corner), whereas niner fans were glad alex was gone til harbaugh went after him hard.

I think most of us said he wasn't worth what he got, but he did put up good numbers the previous season. nobody wanted him over nnamdi and it looked all bad when comparing what he signed with the eagles for against what routt signed for.