Raiders Take First Steps on Long Journey Back Toward Respectability
Team-By-Team Offseason Roundup
Oakland Raiders
Coaching Change
Fired: Art Shell
Hired: Lane Kiffin
Players Released:
Aaron Brooks, QB
Adimchinobe Echemandu, RB
DeJuan Green, RB
Michael Quarshie, DT
Brad Badger, G
Lance Johnstone, DE
Free Agents Lost:
Langston Walker, T
Marques Tuiasosopo, QB
Traded:
Randy Moss, WR
Traded For:
Josh McCown, QB
Mike Williams, WR
Free Agents Re-Signed:
Alvis Whitted, WR
Chad Slaughter, T
Duane Starks, CB
Free Agents Added:
Jeremy Newberry, C
Dominic Rhodes, RB
Fred Wakefield, DE
Tony Stewart, TE
Justin Griffith, FB
Josh Booty, QB
Cornell Green, T
Cooper Carlisle, G
Travis Taylor, WR
Draft:
Rd. 1 (No. 1 overall) JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
2 (38) Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State
3 (65) Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
3 (91) Mario Henderson, T, Florida State
3 (99) Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR, Texas-El Paso
4 (100) Michael Bush, RB, Louisville
4 (110) John Bowie, CB, Cincinnati
5 (138) Jay Richardson, DE, Ohio State
5 (165) Eric Frampton, S, Washington State
6 (175) Oren O'Neal, FB, Arkansas State
7 (254) Johnathan Holland, WR, Louisiana Tech
Analysis:
There's a long, long way to go for the Oakland Raiders to even approach respectability again. But they seem to have taken at least a few steps in the right direction this offseason.
Perhaps owner Al Davis should have given Art Shell more than one season before deciding to fire Shell for the second time as the Raiders' coach. Shell had little to work with, but it's difficult to argue that he had the program headed in the right direction after the club went 2-14 last season. It's always an adventure these days when the Raiders try to get someone to accept their head coaching job, and Davis hired untested University of Southern California assistant Lane Kiffin.
The youthful Kiffin might be in over his head, particularly given the state of the team he inherited, but he's made a positive first impression. He told wide receiver Jerry Porter and offensive tackle Robert Gallery they were starting over with clean slates with the new coaching staff, and he got wideout Randy Moss out of town by trading him to the New England Patriots on the second day of the draft. All of that seemed to be striking the proper balance for reclamation projects and housecleaning.
The Raiders made the right choice by taking LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the draft's top overall selection. Yes, Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson might be a special player in the NFL. But a team that doesn't have a franchise quarterback needs to try to get one if it can, and Russell could be a franchise quarterback. The Raiders also made a wise trade during the draft by getting quarterback Josh McCown and wideout Mike Williams from the Detroit Lions.
McCown can open the season as the starter at quarterback, with Russell ready to play when he's progressed enough that the playing time actually might do him some good. The additions of tailback Dominic Rhodes and wideout Travis Taylor in free agency mean that the offense the Raiders put on the field around McCown might not be as pitiable as last season's version. If the defense is just as sound, it's possible that this won't be a dreadful team again. Bad? Yes. But dreadful? Maybe not.
By Mark Maske |
May 29, 2007; 11:58 AM ET
| Category:
Raiders
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Posted by: BoltsFan | May 29, 2007 12:10 PM
Thanks for the note, BoltsFan. Hopefully we can give y'all a run for the money again. Personally, I like playing in the toughest division in football and hope the Raiders can get back to respectablity without seeing a decline in the rest of the division. Oh, yeah, I still want to beat the Chiefs and the Donkos twice a year, but I'd love to see them beating up the rest of the league in the process. ... ¶
My Godfather is a life long season ticket holder for the Chargers (there can't be many who go all the way back), so I don't mind a split with you guys.
As for my Raiders, it will be 2-3 years, but I really like the pick up of Mike Williams and Michael Bush.
Posted by: RaiderFan | May 29, 2007 4:36 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Adding wideouts Mike Williams and Travis Taylor, RB Dominic Rhodes, QB Josh McCown are all good moves. Getting Jerry Porter and offensive tackle Robert Gallery on board are more pluses. Getting rid of Moss was a great move - "play hard of leave" works for kids of all ages, including crybabies like Moss.
If the O-Line can give the QB a little time the offense will definitely be improved over last year.
All of that spells trouble for teams that don't keep their eyes open and play hard.
FINALLY, we can start seeing some good football from the Raiders again. It has been too long. Doncha all just love it?