At the scouting combine, Tom Cable announced a QB competition involving anybody wearing a Raiders uniform.  The two clear front-runners are Bruce Gradkowski and JaMarcus Russell.  Monday, March 15 was the start of the Raiders off-season voluntary work-outs.  Bruce Gradkowski was there, he was actually in Alameda (site of Raiders headquarters) the whole off-season.  Meanwhile, JaMarcus Russell left after the season to go to Las Vegas.  Russell then went to Tempe, Arizona and did some working out there.       Raiders Hall of Famer Willie Brown said that "Russell has lost a significant amount of weight.  You will notice when you see him."  Willie Brown has been on the Raiders coaching staff for a while and he announced his retirement as defensive backs coach earlier [...] Continue reading →

     In the past week the Raiders have released 4 veterans:  Justin Fargas, Javon Walker, Greg Ellis and now Gerard Warren and his 6 year/$36M contract (signed when playing for Denver) have been officially released.  With all the costly veterans now being released this can mean a few things.  #1 The Raiders are strapped for cash or #2 Al Davis has accepted the fact that his team is re-building.      The young players have stepped up all across the depth chart.  To name a few:  Tyvon Branch, Trevor Scott, Matt Shaugnessy, Louis Murphy, Zach Miller and Chaz Schilens.  This young talent may have taught Al Davis that drafting and building a strong core is the way to create a dynasty.  Now Al Davis has committed to his rising stars.      With the release of Gerard [...] Continue reading →

     Last week, Justin Fargas was released by the Raiders.  This week, it is being reported by the Contra Costa Times that former Chiefs and Bengals running back Larry Johnson will visit the Raiders.  L.J. is also visiting the Redskins.  As a Raiders fan, let me explain why this is not smart.      First of all, Larry Johnson is not a premier back anymore.  He hasn't played a full season since 2006, which is also his last 1,000 yard season.  That was also his last pro bowl.  I think Al Davis is just pursuing Johnson as a slap in the face to the Chiefs.  Maybe this is getting even for the Chiefs signing Marcus Allen after the Raiders released him.  If L.J. had anything left, why would the Bengals have allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.      Second, [...] Continue reading →

     It is the end of an era for the Oakland Raiders.  Today, March 6, 2010, the Raiders announced the rumored release of veteran kamikaze running back Justin Fargas.  Fargas emerged as Oakland's best running back because of injury to LaMant Jordan in 2006.  In the '06 season, Fargas made 6 starts in which he piled up 659 yards on 178 carries.  Remember how bad that 2006 Raiders team was?  That was the team that went 2-14 and gave the Raiders the draft pick used on JaMarcus Russell.         After 2006, Fargas continued his reign of terror on interior defenses as he led Oakland's 6th rank rushing offense in 2007:  222 carries for 1,009 yards and 4 TDs in a season ended by a knee injury.  In 2008, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden joined the Raiders (Bush was drafted in [...] Continue reading →

     Tom Cable announced at an interview at the Scouting Combine that there will be "an open competition for quarterback" and the competition will be between "the guys we have and guys we add.  There was heavy speculation that JaMarcus would be handed the starting job again in 2010, I have thought those stories were crazy since day 1.  The last time that anybody said anything about the Raiders QB situation it was Tom Cable saying that Al Davis said to Cable: "Your the coach, you make the decision."  Cable went with Gradkowski and then Charlie Frye.  Russell was the 3rd string QB the last time I saw the Raiders play.  But now let's take a look at the Raiders options at QB in 2010.      JaMarcus Russell:   I don't make too many Hannah Montana references, [...] Continue reading →

   In case you have been in a cave since the 2007 draft, I'll let you in on a secret...JaMarcus Russell has not led the Raiders out of the Raider Nation recession.  The Raiders are still a below average team, but with some very good players.  The Raiders had a need for a franchise QB when they drafted Russell, they still have a need for a franchise QB.  Coming out of college, Russell was a great quarterback.  His college finale was a Sugar Bowl massacre of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and I was praying that the Raiders would draft this kid.  Sure enough, they did.  JaMarcus Russell spins twice & slings it 53 yards      But the bigger they come, the harder they fall.  And Russell's 6'6" 260+pounds fell hard.  [...] Continue reading →

     It has been expected since the end of the 2009 season, and possibly predicted back when Oakland traded a 2011 1st round pick to New England for Defensive End Richard Seymour.  But now, it is official.  Richard Seymour will be in Oakland (unless traded) for the 2010 season.       Seymour recorded 47 tackles, including 4 sacks, during the 2009 season.  He is being given a salary of nearly $12.4M as the franchise player.  Seymour sent a text message to Jason La Canfora (NFL.com/NFL Network) that Seymour and his agent ,Eugene Parker, are still negogiating with Al Davis to get a long term contract for Seymour.  Al Davis is the most unpredictable man on the planet when it comes to contracts.  Don't believe me?  Just ask Mike Shanahan, Marcus Allen, Lane Kiffin and [...] Continue reading →

     On Thursday, all 32 NFL teams who plan to use the franchise tag must tag one of their players.  In Oakland, with Sebastain Janikowski re-signed to a 4 year deal, the Raiders are expected to use the tag on Richard Seymour, reports SFGate.com.  It sounds like common sense that the man Al Davis traded a 2011 1st round pick to acquire would get the tag, especially when that player is the Raiders' biggest name free agent.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to find out Seymour will be tagged without a long term contract.       Now, to the core of this article.  Al Davis is known for making headlines with large contracts, remember the Spring of 2008?  Richard Seymour has said several times on radio shows and in interviews that he "feels he has found his place in Oakland" [...] Continue reading →

     The Raiders have made their first move of the 2010 off-season effecting the roster.  They have re-signed Kicker Sebastian Janikowski to a 4 year/$16M contract, $9M guarnteed.  This contract is exaxtly the same as Punter Shane Lechler got in 2009.  So with SeaBass, or now known as $eaBa$$, re-signed to the largest contract ever for a kicker in the NFL, I will look at and try to predict what the Raiders will do with their other free agents.      Kirk Morrison, MLB, Restricted:   Morrison has been the Raiders leading tackler for the last 5 seasons.  How can anyone consider releasing him?  Some fans say that the Raiders should target Rolando McClain from Alabama, but there is no guarntee that he will fall to #8 in the draft.  So if the Raiders cut [...] Continue reading →

     The 2010 off-season has officially begun.  Teams have the ability to use the franchise and transition tags on players while they try to re-sign others.  The franchise tag period started on February 8th and ends on February 22nd.  With less than 2 weeks left to use the franchise tag, and prevent star players from going into free-agency, teams will be frantically trying to re-sign stars before the 22nd, if agreements aren't reached, they must make a decision on the tag.  I am wondering, what will the Oakland Raiders do this off-season?      There are a few ways to try to re-build a team:  trades, the draft and free agents.  So, what will Al Davis do in 2010?  I have been searching for a pattern from recent off-seasons but there is none.   I will discuss how all the [...] Continue reading →