Why it’s the same old story with the sorry Raiders.

Oakland Raiders

Predicted: 4^th

2008: 5-11 (3rd AFC West)

Head Coach: Tom Cable (2nd year)

Roster Quick View (*new veteran, **rookie)

Offense (coordinator: Ted Tollner)

QB: JaMarcus Russell

Scintillating natural talent, particularly when it comes to arm strength. But let’s be honest: poor accuracy and immature decision-making suggest he’s on the path of being a textbook bust.

RB: Darren McFadden

Wasn’t entirely healthy last season, but it maybe wouldn’t have mattered. Doesn’t run with great balance or vision.

RB: Justin Fargas

Underappreciated. Runs hard and fast, plus he’s smart.

FB: Lorenzo Neal*

At 38, he’s become a journeyman. Still, he doesn’t seem to have lost much of an edge.

WR: Chaz Schilens

Solid athleticism and a decent rapport with Russell. Speedy and high-leaping, but might actually be a better possession receiver.

WR: Darrius Heyward-Bey**

Hamstring problems during the offseason only exacerbated the scrutiny on this surprising No. 7 overall pick.

WR: Johnnie Lee Higgins

Hasn’t been able to consistently capitalize on raw speed. Expect intriguing fourth-round rookie Louis Murphy to steal his playing time.

TE: Zach Miller

Inconsistent offensive tackle play has forced him to be more of a blocker than Oakland would like. Soft hands and good routes make him a viable intermediate target.

TE: Tony Stewart

Veteran blocker who seems to take days getting in and out of his breaks as a receiver.

LT: Mario Henderson

Has the raw talent to be an upper-tier left tackle, but is a little more likely to flame out. Still, Raider coaches are wise to ride him.

LG: Robert Gallery

Borderline Pro Bowler in this zone scheme.

C: Samson Satele*

Can’t handle powerful opponents, but the hope is that the ex-Dolphin will find a comfort zone playing more in space.

RG: Cooper Carlisle

Compensates for second-rate strength by taking savvy angles to blocks and executing crisp mechanics.

RT: Cornell Green

Uninspiring plodder who will almost certainly lose his job to Khalif Barnes or Erik Pears.

6 OL: Khalif Barnes*

Do you really think the undisciplined ex-Jaguar will suddenly become consistent and effective because he’s now a Raider?

Defense (coordinator: John Marshall)

LDE: Jay Richardson

Offers nothing as a pass-rusher but can be one of the better run-stopping anchors in the game.

DT: Tommy Kelly

ACL recovery was a factor in ’08, though the main reason he underachieved was because he was never worth his massive contract to begin with.

DT: Gerard Warren

At his best, he’s a star. Problem is, his best comes in between frequent water breaks and lazy efforts.

RDE: Greg Ellis*

Turns 34 in August but is eager to prove that he has plenty left. Can he still reach the quarterback now that he’s back in a 4-3?

3 DE: Trevor Scott

Undersized pass-rushing specialist who produced five sacks last season despite not having ideal initial quickness.

3 DT: Terdell Sands

Booming power, and can actually move laterally fairly well. But doesn’t do it on a consistent enough basis.

SLB: Jon Alston

Natural weakside linebacker who will struggle here because he can’t get off blocks.

MLB: Kirk Morrison

If he were a stud, Oakland wouldn’t rank near the bottom in run defense every year. Fine between the tackles, but slow on the outside. Plus, he takes too many missteps.

WLB: Thomas Howard

Fast but by no means a stopper. Really, he’s more of a nickel linebacker.

4 LB: Ricky Brown

Started at SLB last year but is coming off major double groin surgery. Will fight fellow injury-riddled LB Sam Williams for playing time.

CB: Nnamdi Asomugha

Far and away the best CB in football. But did Al Davis really need to give him the NFL’s highest annual salary?

CB: Chris Johnson

Talk about a late bloomer: 29 and just now coming into his own. But he’s legit––his man-cover technique is solid and he has a knack for getting his hands on passes.

NB: Stanford Routt

Demoted because of attitude problems last season. Could push for starting job, but Raiders also won’t hesitate to put Justin Miller in his nickel duties.

SS: Tyvon Branch

Made a minimal impact the first half of last season before shoulder surgery. Still, coaches love his physicality.

FS: Hiram Eugene

Starts because he’s less of a liability than Michael Huff. But he’s just keeping the seat warm for Mike Mitchell.

6 DB: Mike Mitchell**

Hard-hitter who was drafted in Round Two when many had him projected for Round Six or Seven. Ladies and gentlemen….Al Davis!

Special Teams

K: Sebastian Janikowski

Booming leg, though the further out he kicks, the more erratic he becomes.

P: Shane Lechler

His 46.8 career average is an NFL record for punters. So is his $3 million salary.

RS: Johnnie Lee Higgins

Dangerous speedster who returned three punts for touchdowns last year. Must limit mistakes, though.

Offseason Quick Glance

Draft

RD PK (OVR) NAME POS SCHOOL

1 7 (7) Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

2 15 (47) Mike Mitchell S Ohio

3 7 (71) Matt Shaughnessy DE Wisconsin

4 24 (124) Louis Murphy WR Florida

4 26 (126) Slade Norris OLB Oregon St

6 26 (199) Stryker Sulak DE Missouri

6 29 (202) Brandon Myers TE Iowa

KEY PLAYERS ACQUIRED

OT Khalif Barnes: UFA Jaguars; $1.2M/1 yr.

QB Jeff Garcia: UFA Buccaneers; terms unknown.

QB Bruce Gradkowski (waivers Browns).

OT Marcus Johnson: UFA Vikings; terms unknown.

FB Lorenzo Neal: UFA Ravens; terms unknown.

OT Erik Pears: Not tendered as RFA by Broncos; terms unknown.

RB Gary Russell: FA; terms unknown.

C Samson Satele (trade Dolphins).

KEY PLAYERS LOST

FS Rashad Baker: UFA Eagles; 1 yr, terms unknown.

LB Marquis Cooper (deceased)

WR Ronald Curry (released).

DE Kalimba Edwards (released/failed physical).

FB Justin Griffith (released).

C Jake Grove: UFA Dolphins; $29M/5 yrs, $14.5M guaranteed.

OT Kwame Harris (released).

S Gibril Wilson (released).

Analysis

Watching Al Davis replenish his roster becomes a little funnier and sadder each year. This past offseason was no exception. When WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was announced as the No. 7 overall pick, Radio City Music Hall was filled with stunned silence, followed by a smattering of giggles, gasps and Are you kidding?!’s. Yes, there are some highly-respected experts saying that the lightning-fast Heyward-Bey is a quality NFL prospect, even when picked ahead of Michael Crabtree. But the bottom line is, Heyward-Bey is the exact kind of player––or, better stated, exact kind of athlete––that Oakland has failed with repeatedly.

Davis’s second-round selection was even more baffling: safety Mike Mitchell, an Ohio product who was projected by some to be an undrafted free agent. The hope is that the hard-hitting Mitchell can intensify the porous run-defense. Oakland drafted base DE Matt Shaughnessy in the third round for similar reasons. Shaughnessy won’t help the anemic pass-rush, but perhaps speedy fourth-round OLB Slade Norris will.

The Raiders were basically non-players in the free agent market. They signed Jeff Garcia to be the backup quarterback. Now they must hope their fans don’t realize that he’s better than the current starter. Oakland let Miami go ahead and pay too much for center Jake Grove. Needing a replacement, the Raiders, ironically, traded for Samson Satele, the undersized Dolphin center that Grove is replacing in Miami.

Lorenzo Neal will offer valuable lead-blocking for the running backs, but the dysfunction of this organization will likely drive the noble veteran crazy. Kwame Harris was a bust at LT. So, to rectify the blunder, the Raiders signed Jacksonville bust Khalif Barnes. Don’t expect Barnes to beat out Mario Henderson.