OAKLAND RAIDERS OFFSEASON THREAD

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corinthian

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
#1,243
Feb 23, 2006
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#1,243
don't believe the hate.

NEW RAIDERS RECEIVER AN EARLY HIT IN MINI-CAMP
By Steve Corkran
Bay Area News Group
Article Launched: 06/05/2008 01:37:42 AM PDT

The early reviews are glowing for Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker only a few months after the Denver Broncos released him.

"Javon is so explosive," Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin said Wednesday, the second day of mini-camp. "We think that he's going to be the best he's been in years, as far as health-wise. I know he's excited about this upcoming season and (the opportunity) to prove a lot of people wrong."

Walker is working with Raiders starters opposite Drew Carter. A little more than three months ago, he was unemployed and saddled with the label as an injury-prone player past his prime.

It didn't help matters that Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan said that Walker's right knee probably would require microfracture surgery within the next two to four years.

The Raiders threw caution to the wind and a boatload of money to Walker. He signed a six-year contract that guarantees him $12 million this season and $16 million overall.

The Raiders hope Walker can regain the form that led to his catching 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers in 2004. Last season, his second with Denver, he had only 26 receptions for 287 yards and no touchdowns.

Walker, 29, has had three operations on his right knee. The last of those was performed early last season to repair an injury he sustained during an exhibition.

Before the surgery, Walker was one of the league's most productive receivers. He posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games and had 17 receptions in Denver's first two games.

Walker said his injury had nothing to do with his startling drop in production.

"I just wasn't used the way that I thought I was supposed to be used," he said. "My ability is still the same."

Cornerback Stanford Routt is seeing the same Walker who once made life difficult on Raiders defensive backs.

"He looks fine to me," Routt said. "He still has that good foot quickness. He's real fast off the line of scrimmage from what I've seen so far. Who knows? Maybe his knee isn't 100 percent. Who really cares? The only thing that matters is when September comes. From the looks of things, he's going to be fine."

Kiffin said Walker's weight is a bit high, but he doesn't see that as unusual in the off-season.

"We think he's in a good place right now," Kiffin said. "He's going to continue to get faster as his weight goes down."

When that happens, Walker said, look out.

"It's going to be a deadly combination between all of us as wideouts when we get on the same page," Walker said.
Click to expand...
 
T

Tony

Sicc OG
#1,244
May 15, 2002
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#1,244
So far it's looking like Walker is a bit heavy... but once he slims down he'll be alright. I think our season rides on his health. The good news is he's working out and hasn't had to take too much time off (knock on wood)
 
T-Rip

T-Rip

T Camp
#1,248
Jan 18, 2006
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#1,248
theres a good article about him in the west county times today. Noone really knows if his knee will hold up or not. Shanahan* says he needs surgery within the next 2 to 4 years. I refuse to believe one receiver is gonna make or break the Raiders season.
 
T

Tony

Sicc OG
#1,251
May 15, 2002
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#1,251
LOL... that's what I'm saying. Our whole offense will depend on his health. He's going to be JR's number one wideout so he's gotta come through and snatch balls out of the air like he was doing in Green Bay. If he goes down with an injury, I think we're going to be screwed (Offensively)! We'll see....
 
corinthian

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
#1,252
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
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#1,252
I don't see it that way at all. we're going to be a run-happy team. so if one of our recievers goes down, it won't have that much impact. I also expect zach miller to be jruss' go to guy more than anyone.
 
T

Tony

Sicc OG
#1,253
May 15, 2002
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#1,253
Our offense wasn't all that last year and we only won 4 games as a "run-happy" team. Teams that win ball games are teams that can pass the ball. What happens if we get down early in games? You can't comeback from a 2 TD deficit running the ball. With the additions of Walker, Carter, McFadden I believe we're going to pass more this year. Plus our qb has the strongest arm in the NFL, so we might as well use it since we're paying him a ton of money. What good is his arm if all he's going to do is hand the ball off?

Teams will load the box with 8 men and dare us to pass. We have to be prepared to make defenses respect our passing game and then running lanes will open up.
 
corinthian

corinthian

Just Win Baby!!!
#1,254
Feb 23, 2006
5,704
1,257
113
43
3rd ID
#1,254
the way I see, the running game opens up the passing game and not the other way around. jruss will get his fair share of passes in, but don't expect him to be rich gannon this coming season. dude is basically a rookie. either way, he is going to be a good improvement over the two bumbling fumbling qb's we had playing last season.
 
Chree

Chree

Medicated
#1,256
Dec 7, 2005
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#1,256
lol tony, smh, no1 gonna be scared to load the box with 8 players and regret it, the only wr that really commands a double team is Walker (When Healthy)....
 
Defy

Defy

Cannabis Connoisseur
#1,258
Jan 23, 2006
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Rich City
#1,258
Bay Area news stations are reporting that Darren McFadden has signed a contract with the Raiders with over $20 million in guaranteed money. Glad to see there won't be a repeat of last year's hold out with Russell
 
Defy

Defy

Cannabis Connoisseur
#1,260
Jan 23, 2006
24,139
16,658
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Rich City
#1,260
I got a new job so I'll be able to afford to go to a raider game or two......I hella wanna go to opening night tho.....also copped 3 raiders hats....yee!

 
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