OAKLAND RAIDERS OFFSEASON THREAD
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Raiders have Broncos on the run
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 at 7:17 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at the Denver Broncos.
If there is one thing Mike Shanahan enjoys more than beating Al Davis and reminding him of the bonus money he insists he is owed, it is the way his Denver teams have been physically superior through their ability to run the ball.
That changed in 2007, and when Davis was tallying up the plusses and minuses of Lane Kiffin’s first season, one of the biggest things in his favor was the way his teams played against Shanahan and the Broncos.
They came within a Sebastian Janikowski field goal hitting an upright of sweeping Denver for the first time since 2002, falling 23-20 in overtime in Week 2 and manhandling the Broncos 34-20 in Week 13.
You wonder if Davis’ favorite moment of the entire season wasn’t the sight of watching Shanahan sit on the ball on Denver’s final possession, essentially saying “uncle” as Justin Fargas ran for 146 yards, the Raiders gained 175 and ran up a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.
The Raiders beating the Broncos on the ground is real man bites dog stuff, as Shanahan’s 20-6 record against Oakland since 1995 has been in great measure due to Denver’s rushing superiority.
Oakland outrushed Denver 2,086 to 1,957 last season _ only the third time in Shanahan’s 13 years the Raiders gained more yards than the Broncos on the ground.
What’s more, it was accomplished with an offense in large measure stolen from the Broncos _ zone blocking, lots of bootlegs and and getting effective yardage from different running backs.
Whether the Raiders can continue beating the Broncos at their own game will be determined quickly _ Denver is at Oakland in a late Monday night game at the Coliseum in Week 1.
Broncos review
Denver was 7-9 in the AFC West, 1-1 against the Raiders. Ranked 9th in rushing, 11th in total offense, 19th in total defense, 30th in rushing defense.
What’s new
Running back Travis Henry, a rare Denver foray into free agency for a running back, was dumped after being a no-show in the offseason program and faces a suspension under the NFL substance abuse policy.
The Broncos will run by committee with Selvin Young and free agent acquisition Michael Pittman. Fourth-round draft pick Ryan Torian of Arizona State has the classic look of a one-cut, zone-blocking runner.
Linebacker Boss Bailey, brother of cornerback Champ Bailey, joins the defense, along with San Diego castoff Marlon McCree at safety. Niko Koutovides, a free agent from Seattle, will also play a large role.
What’s to like
Quarterback Jay Cutler’s mysterious weight loss last season was solved. He has Type 1 diabetes and must constantly monitor his blood sugar. The word is Cutler not only looks healthy, but is throwing the ball extremely well and appears confident and secure, perhaps relieved he knows what he is dealing with.
Not content to go the usual route with castoffs, the Broncos used a first-round pick on tackle Ryan Clady, who was a zone-blocking terror at Boise State and a perfect fit for the system.
What’s not
There was a lot of snickering when the Broncos cut Javon Walker rather than pay him a $5 millon roster bonus, only to have the Raiders sink some $16 million into him during free agency. It no doubt got louder when Walker ended up getting rolled in Las Vegas.
But the Broncos best not laugh too loud. The wideout expected to make the big plays, Brandon Marshall, sliced tendons in an offseason accident. He says he slipped on a McDonald’s bag and fell through a television set.
Considering Denver’s offseason acquisitions at wide receiver were Keary Colbert and DarrellJackson, joining Brandon Stokely, the Broncos have issues outside.
Those creaking sounds are coming from Denver’s center position. They went younger at center, signing 13-year veteran Casey Wiegmann from the Chiefs and relegating 15-year vet Tom Nalen to backup status.
Tears of joy were wept in Oakland when perennial Raider-killer Jason Elam escaped to Atlanta as a free agent. The place kickers going to camp are Matt Prater and Garrett Hartley.
There were no huge moves by the Broncos in the offseason defensively despite giving up 409 points, more than even the Raiders (398).
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 at 7:17 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at the Denver Broncos.
If there is one thing Mike Shanahan enjoys more than beating Al Davis and reminding him of the bonus money he insists he is owed, it is the way his Denver teams have been physically superior through their ability to run the ball.
That changed in 2007, and when Davis was tallying up the plusses and minuses of Lane Kiffin’s first season, one of the biggest things in his favor was the way his teams played against Shanahan and the Broncos.
They came within a Sebastian Janikowski field goal hitting an upright of sweeping Denver for the first time since 2002, falling 23-20 in overtime in Week 2 and manhandling the Broncos 34-20 in Week 13.
You wonder if Davis’ favorite moment of the entire season wasn’t the sight of watching Shanahan sit on the ball on Denver’s final possession, essentially saying “uncle” as Justin Fargas ran for 146 yards, the Raiders gained 175 and ran up a 10-minute advantage in time of possession.
The Raiders beating the Broncos on the ground is real man bites dog stuff, as Shanahan’s 20-6 record against Oakland since 1995 has been in great measure due to Denver’s rushing superiority.
Oakland outrushed Denver 2,086 to 1,957 last season _ only the third time in Shanahan’s 13 years the Raiders gained more yards than the Broncos on the ground.
What’s more, it was accomplished with an offense in large measure stolen from the Broncos _ zone blocking, lots of bootlegs and and getting effective yardage from different running backs.
Whether the Raiders can continue beating the Broncos at their own game will be determined quickly _ Denver is at Oakland in a late Monday night game at the Coliseum in Week 1.
Broncos review
Denver was 7-9 in the AFC West, 1-1 against the Raiders. Ranked 9th in rushing, 11th in total offense, 19th in total defense, 30th in rushing defense.
What’s new
Running back Travis Henry, a rare Denver foray into free agency for a running back, was dumped after being a no-show in the offseason program and faces a suspension under the NFL substance abuse policy.
The Broncos will run by committee with Selvin Young and free agent acquisition Michael Pittman. Fourth-round draft pick Ryan Torian of Arizona State has the classic look of a one-cut, zone-blocking runner.
Linebacker Boss Bailey, brother of cornerback Champ Bailey, joins the defense, along with San Diego castoff Marlon McCree at safety. Niko Koutovides, a free agent from Seattle, will also play a large role.
What’s to like
Quarterback Jay Cutler’s mysterious weight loss last season was solved. He has Type 1 diabetes and must constantly monitor his blood sugar. The word is Cutler not only looks healthy, but is throwing the ball extremely well and appears confident and secure, perhaps relieved he knows what he is dealing with.
Not content to go the usual route with castoffs, the Broncos used a first-round pick on tackle Ryan Clady, who was a zone-blocking terror at Boise State and a perfect fit for the system.
What’s not
There was a lot of snickering when the Broncos cut Javon Walker rather than pay him a $5 millon roster bonus, only to have the Raiders sink some $16 million into him during free agency. It no doubt got louder when Walker ended up getting rolled in Las Vegas.
But the Broncos best not laugh too loud. The wideout expected to make the big plays, Brandon Marshall, sliced tendons in an offseason accident. He says he slipped on a McDonald’s bag and fell through a television set.
Considering Denver’s offseason acquisitions at wide receiver were Keary Colbert and DarrellJackson, joining Brandon Stokely, the Broncos have issues outside.
Those creaking sounds are coming from Denver’s center position. They went younger at center, signing 13-year veteran Casey Wiegmann from the Chiefs and relegating 15-year vet Tom Nalen to backup status.
Tears of joy were wept in Oakland when perennial Raider-killer Jason Elam escaped to Atlanta as a free agent. The place kickers going to camp are Matt Prater and Garrett Hartley.
There were no huge moves by the Broncos in the offseason defensively despite giving up 409 points, more than even the Raiders (398).
Chiefs at the bottom of QB heap
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at the Kansas City Chiefs.
If Brett Favre were to wind up in the AFC West, the only destination that makes sense is Kansas City.
True, Favre probably isn’t going to be interested in Kansas City for one of the reasons he wouldn’t consider Oakland _ coming off a 4-12 record and in a rebuilding phase, the Chiefs don’t appear anywhere close to making a playoff run.
But while I deliniated my reasons in a previous blog as to why it wouldn’t make sense for the Raiders to pursue Favre, it would make perfect sense for Carl Peterson to do as he did 15 years ago with Joe Montana and attempt to get one last year or two out of a legend.
Otherwise, the Chiefs are pinning their hopes on Brodie Croyle, winless in six starts last season. It didn’t help that Croyle had little help from his blockers last season _ the Chiefs have one of the worst offensive lines in the league.
But the fact is, Croyle couldn’t win the starting job from perennial backup Damon Huard at the outset last season, and although he is the expected starter in 2008, there is no hard evidence he is up to the task of being an NFL starter.
A third-round pick in 2006, there is every chance the Chiefs will be looking for their quarterback of the future in the 2009 draft, which would make Arrowhead Stadium the perfect place for a guy like Favre who may not be able to resist the urge to play, even if it’s against his better judgement.
When the Raiders beat the Chiefs 20-17 at Arrowhead last Nov. 25, the best quarterback on the field was not Croyle _ who was 12-for-23 for 145 yards and an interception _ but Daunte Culpepper, who was an efficient 15 of 22 for 170 yards and no interceptions.
Short of Favre, you wonder if the Chiefs consider making a run at Culpepper if Croyle struggles as he did last year during training camp and the preseason.
If the Chiefs don’t bring in a quarterback, it’s up to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to work miracles in his first year on the job.
Kansas City is the lone team in the division without a settled quarterback situation, with San Diego (Philip Rivers), Denver (Jay Cutler) and Oakland (JaMarcus Russell) firmly committed to their quarterback of the future.
Objectively, it’s difficult to look at the Chiefs as currently constituted and believe they can stay out of last place in the division.
Chiefs review
Kansas City was 4-12 in the AFC West, 1-1 against the Raiders. Ranked 32nd in rushing, 31st in total offense, 13th in total defense, 28th in rushing defense.
What’s new
Draft netted probable starters in DT Glenn Dorsey, LT Brendan Albert, CB Brandon Flowers. Change-of-pace speed back Jamaal Charles arrived in the third round. Did very little in free agency, adding LB Demorrio Williams from Atlanta.
What’s to like
Dorsey and Flowers bring much needed youth and enthusiasm to a unit that sorely needs it. WR Dwayne Bowe was the league’s top rookie receiver last season, his numbers (70 receptions, 995 yards, 5 TDs) even more impressive given Kansas City’ poor passing game. Tony Gonzalez (91 receptions) remains the gold standard at his position and appears to have plenty left in the tank.
Arrowhead Stadium remains one of the NFL’s crown jewels in terms of a home venue and is always an advantage for the Chiefs.
What’s not
Kansas City committed huge money to Larry Johnson, and when he went down with an ankle injury, the running game went with him. The Chiefs averaged 3.3 yards per carry _ only the Chicago Bears were worse _ and gained just 1,248 yards.
(It’s a measure of how poor the Raiders played defense against the run that the Chiefs put two backs _ Johnson and Kolby Smith) over 100 yards against Oakland).
Perhaps Johnson will return to his 2005-06 form, when 3,359 yards. But he also carried 416 times in 2006 and 336 in 2005, and history has not always been kind to that kind of workload. The fact is, Johnson has more tread on the tires than your average 28-year-old running back.
As happy as the Chiefs were to get Dorsey, they traded Jared Allen, one of the league’s top pass rusher and someone who has tormented the Raiders on a fairly regular basis, to Minnesota. Will Oakland regret passing on Dorsey? Maybe, some day. But they’ll make the Dorsey-for-Allen swap every time.
Williams was added to a linebacking corps which was expected to be a strength but instead was below average. Napoleon Harris, who has never been a bigtime playmaker, was the leading tackler. Donnie Edwards is past his prime and Derrick Johnson, a former first-round pick entering his fourth year, has been up and down.
News update
The Raiders announced the signing Thursday of wide receiver Chaz Schilens, a seventh-round pick out of San Diego State. Left unsigned heading into camp are wide receiver Arman Shields and defensive end Trevor Scott.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at the Kansas City Chiefs.
If Brett Favre were to wind up in the AFC West, the only destination that makes sense is Kansas City.
True, Favre probably isn’t going to be interested in Kansas City for one of the reasons he wouldn’t consider Oakland _ coming off a 4-12 record and in a rebuilding phase, the Chiefs don’t appear anywhere close to making a playoff run.
But while I deliniated my reasons in a previous blog as to why it wouldn’t make sense for the Raiders to pursue Favre, it would make perfect sense for Carl Peterson to do as he did 15 years ago with Joe Montana and attempt to get one last year or two out of a legend.
Otherwise, the Chiefs are pinning their hopes on Brodie Croyle, winless in six starts last season. It didn’t help that Croyle had little help from his blockers last season _ the Chiefs have one of the worst offensive lines in the league.
But the fact is, Croyle couldn’t win the starting job from perennial backup Damon Huard at the outset last season, and although he is the expected starter in 2008, there is no hard evidence he is up to the task of being an NFL starter.
A third-round pick in 2006, there is every chance the Chiefs will be looking for their quarterback of the future in the 2009 draft, which would make Arrowhead Stadium the perfect place for a guy like Favre who may not be able to resist the urge to play, even if it’s against his better judgement.
When the Raiders beat the Chiefs 20-17 at Arrowhead last Nov. 25, the best quarterback on the field was not Croyle _ who was 12-for-23 for 145 yards and an interception _ but Daunte Culpepper, who was an efficient 15 of 22 for 170 yards and no interceptions.
Short of Favre, you wonder if the Chiefs consider making a run at Culpepper if Croyle struggles as he did last year during training camp and the preseason.
If the Chiefs don’t bring in a quarterback, it’s up to offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to work miracles in his first year on the job.
Kansas City is the lone team in the division without a settled quarterback situation, with San Diego (Philip Rivers), Denver (Jay Cutler) and Oakland (JaMarcus Russell) firmly committed to their quarterback of the future.
Objectively, it’s difficult to look at the Chiefs as currently constituted and believe they can stay out of last place in the division.
Chiefs review
Kansas City was 4-12 in the AFC West, 1-1 against the Raiders. Ranked 32nd in rushing, 31st in total offense, 13th in total defense, 28th in rushing defense.
What’s new
Draft netted probable starters in DT Glenn Dorsey, LT Brendan Albert, CB Brandon Flowers. Change-of-pace speed back Jamaal Charles arrived in the third round. Did very little in free agency, adding LB Demorrio Williams from Atlanta.
What’s to like
Dorsey and Flowers bring much needed youth and enthusiasm to a unit that sorely needs it. WR Dwayne Bowe was the league’s top rookie receiver last season, his numbers (70 receptions, 995 yards, 5 TDs) even more impressive given Kansas City’ poor passing game. Tony Gonzalez (91 receptions) remains the gold standard at his position and appears to have plenty left in the tank.
Arrowhead Stadium remains one of the NFL’s crown jewels in terms of a home venue and is always an advantage for the Chiefs.
What’s not
Kansas City committed huge money to Larry Johnson, and when he went down with an ankle injury, the running game went with him. The Chiefs averaged 3.3 yards per carry _ only the Chicago Bears were worse _ and gained just 1,248 yards.
(It’s a measure of how poor the Raiders played defense against the run that the Chiefs put two backs _ Johnson and Kolby Smith) over 100 yards against Oakland).
Perhaps Johnson will return to his 2005-06 form, when 3,359 yards. But he also carried 416 times in 2006 and 336 in 2005, and history has not always been kind to that kind of workload. The fact is, Johnson has more tread on the tires than your average 28-year-old running back.
As happy as the Chiefs were to get Dorsey, they traded Jared Allen, one of the league’s top pass rusher and someone who has tormented the Raiders on a fairly regular basis, to Minnesota. Will Oakland regret passing on Dorsey? Maybe, some day. But they’ll make the Dorsey-for-Allen swap every time.
Williams was added to a linebacking corps which was expected to be a strength but instead was below average. Napoleon Harris, who has never been a bigtime playmaker, was the leading tackler. Donnie Edwards is past his prime and Derrick Johnson, a former first-round pick entering his fourth year, has been up and down.
News update
The Raiders announced the signing Thursday of wide receiver Chaz Schilens, a seventh-round pick out of San Diego State. Left unsigned heading into camp are wide receiver Arman Shields and defensive end Trevor Scott.
Will McFadden be buried in committee?
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Sunday, July 20th, 2008 at 12:05 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at Raiders running backs:
Starters–RB Justin Fargas, FB Justin Griffith.
Reserves–RB Darren McFadden, RB Michael Bush, FB Oren O’Neal, RB LaMont Jordan, RB Adimchinobe Echemandu, RB Louis Rankin.
The last time the Raiders led the NFL in rushing, they did it by committee and were proud of it.
The roles were clear. Tyrone Wheatley was the first-down hammer, rushing 232 times for 1,046 yards. Napoleon Kaufman was the change-of-pace back, carrying 93 times for 499 yards in 14 games before being injured. Zack Crockett was automatic in short-yardage, and Randy Jordan did a little bit of everything, rushing for 216 yards and catching 27 passes.
Terry Kirby didn’t play often, but managed 19 catches as a receiving back. Jon Ritchie was the classic block-and-catch fullback, not getting a single rush from scrimmage but catching 26 passes.
Which brings us to 2008. The Raiders, top-to-bottom, have one of their best groups of running backs ever.
The most talented back, and the best talent since the days of Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson, is rookie No. 4 overall pick McFadden _ and it remains to be seen whether he will start.
How _ and how much _ the Raiders use McFadden this season will be the most intriguing aspect to the club’s most gifted position group.
If McFadden were to become everything the Raiders believe he can be, think along the lines of Marshall Faulk _ a runner/receiver headed for the Hall of Fame who from 1998 through 2001 had more than 2,000 yards rushing and receiving. In 1999, Faulk rushed for 1,381 yards and caught 87 passes for 1,048 more.
Faulk was no gadget back, carrying 314 times for 1,282 yards as a rookie for the Indianapolis Colts and also catching 52 passes.
McFadden probably won’t get anywhere near that amount of work in 2008. And he isn’t likely to get the 182 carries (for 962 yards) and 91 receptions for (941) that Charlie Garner got for the Raiders pass-first offense in 2002.
The Raiders return Fargas, who didn’t start until Week 7, missed the last two games to injury and still gained 1,009 yards. They also get their first real look at Bush, given a year to rehab a broken leg. Bush is a 240-plus pound load who has the power to lower his shoulder but who is also nimble enough to make tacklers miss and is a superior receiver to Fargas.
Attrition could take care of some workload issues, with running back being a physically demanding position and Fargas’ running style making him particularly vulnerable.
If they manage to keep each other healthy, even allowing for putting two of the three potential lead runners in the backfield at the same time, it’s worth examining whether any system which doesn’t give McFadden the chance to be another Faulk _ or even a Garner _ is the wisest course of action.
As productive as Fargas was, and as fascinating as Bush is, McFadden is the guy with $26 guaranteed and the kind of speed to immediately change a game. If he is up to it, you give him the ball and throw him the ball as many times as he can take it.
Echemandu won a job in training camp last season but the talent pool appears too steep this year. Rankin could be practice squad material.
What’s to like
Assuming the Raiders utilize a share-the-load approach, all runners seem to be on board.
Fargas is an extremely loyal Raider, a guy who really believes in all the slogans and tradition even though the team has been a mess through most of his tenure. McFadden willingly shared time with Felix Jones at Arkansas and seems to enjoy everything about practice and playing football. Bush will be happy to play at all after being out for a year.
Jordan is merely biding his time until he is sent packing. For the Raiders to sign their last two draft picks, and if they are serious about signing recently released safety Greg Wesley, Jordan will need to go. Don’t be surprised if Kiffin announces his depature Wednesday when he meets with the press for the first time in Napa.
Fargas is a tough and inspirational runner who showed no signs of an MCL strain which kept him out the last two games of the season.
The receiving skills of McFadden and Bush will give JaMarcus Russell important checkdown options which could result in big gains.
Griffith is one of the NFL’s smallest fullbacks but has good cut-blocking skills as well as an excellent knowledge of the offense. He is one of the guys Kiffin counted on to keep the locker room free of divisive influences.
O’Neal is a more physical blocker than Griffith and could be important as a chip blocker helping to protect Russell.
What’s not
McFadden had a fumbling problem in college, although the Raiders contend it was overblown due to the amount of drops which came on kickoff returns and as a quarterback. The ball was secure in his hands during minicamps and OTAs, but that’s not the same as an NFL game.
Kiffin is hinting that Bush could be pigeon-holed as a short-yardage back, and it remains to be seen whether that will be his strength. True, there are some fearsome clips of Bush knocking over would-be defenders, but most of them are in the open field and not at the line of scrimmage.
Fargas is a below average receiver, something Kiffin conceded gave the Raiders problems as they reached the red zone.
The Raiders would love O’Neal to emerge as a starter and develop into a Lorenzo Neal-type blocking threat, but so far he has been prone to nagging injuries such as muscle pulls.
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Sunday, July 20th, 2008 at 12:05 pm in Oakland Raiders.
In the days leading up to the first day of training camp, I’ll review the state of the rest of the AFC West and how they match up with the Raiders, as well as all Raiders position groups heading into the first practice on July 24. Today’s entry takes a look at Raiders running backs:
Starters–RB Justin Fargas, FB Justin Griffith.
Reserves–RB Darren McFadden, RB Michael Bush, FB Oren O’Neal, RB LaMont Jordan, RB Adimchinobe Echemandu, RB Louis Rankin.
The last time the Raiders led the NFL in rushing, they did it by committee and were proud of it.
The roles were clear. Tyrone Wheatley was the first-down hammer, rushing 232 times for 1,046 yards. Napoleon Kaufman was the change-of-pace back, carrying 93 times for 499 yards in 14 games before being injured. Zack Crockett was automatic in short-yardage, and Randy Jordan did a little bit of everything, rushing for 216 yards and catching 27 passes.
Terry Kirby didn’t play often, but managed 19 catches as a receiving back. Jon Ritchie was the classic block-and-catch fullback, not getting a single rush from scrimmage but catching 26 passes.
Which brings us to 2008. The Raiders, top-to-bottom, have one of their best groups of running backs ever.
The most talented back, and the best talent since the days of Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson, is rookie No. 4 overall pick McFadden _ and it remains to be seen whether he will start.
How _ and how much _ the Raiders use McFadden this season will be the most intriguing aspect to the club’s most gifted position group.
If McFadden were to become everything the Raiders believe he can be, think along the lines of Marshall Faulk _ a runner/receiver headed for the Hall of Fame who from 1998 through 2001 had more than 2,000 yards rushing and receiving. In 1999, Faulk rushed for 1,381 yards and caught 87 passes for 1,048 more.
Faulk was no gadget back, carrying 314 times for 1,282 yards as a rookie for the Indianapolis Colts and also catching 52 passes.
McFadden probably won’t get anywhere near that amount of work in 2008. And he isn’t likely to get the 182 carries (for 962 yards) and 91 receptions for (941) that Charlie Garner got for the Raiders pass-first offense in 2002.
The Raiders return Fargas, who didn’t start until Week 7, missed the last two games to injury and still gained 1,009 yards. They also get their first real look at Bush, given a year to rehab a broken leg. Bush is a 240-plus pound load who has the power to lower his shoulder but who is also nimble enough to make tacklers miss and is a superior receiver to Fargas.
Attrition could take care of some workload issues, with running back being a physically demanding position and Fargas’ running style making him particularly vulnerable.
If they manage to keep each other healthy, even allowing for putting two of the three potential lead runners in the backfield at the same time, it’s worth examining whether any system which doesn’t give McFadden the chance to be another Faulk _ or even a Garner _ is the wisest course of action.
As productive as Fargas was, and as fascinating as Bush is, McFadden is the guy with $26 guaranteed and the kind of speed to immediately change a game. If he is up to it, you give him the ball and throw him the ball as many times as he can take it.
Echemandu won a job in training camp last season but the talent pool appears too steep this year. Rankin could be practice squad material.
What’s to like
Assuming the Raiders utilize a share-the-load approach, all runners seem to be on board.
Fargas is an extremely loyal Raider, a guy who really believes in all the slogans and tradition even though the team has been a mess through most of his tenure. McFadden willingly shared time with Felix Jones at Arkansas and seems to enjoy everything about practice and playing football. Bush will be happy to play at all after being out for a year.
Jordan is merely biding his time until he is sent packing. For the Raiders to sign their last two draft picks, and if they are serious about signing recently released safety Greg Wesley, Jordan will need to go. Don’t be surprised if Kiffin announces his depature Wednesday when he meets with the press for the first time in Napa.
Fargas is a tough and inspirational runner who showed no signs of an MCL strain which kept him out the last two games of the season.
The receiving skills of McFadden and Bush will give JaMarcus Russell important checkdown options which could result in big gains.
Griffith is one of the NFL’s smallest fullbacks but has good cut-blocking skills as well as an excellent knowledge of the offense. He is one of the guys Kiffin counted on to keep the locker room free of divisive influences.
O’Neal is a more physical blocker than Griffith and could be important as a chip blocker helping to protect Russell.
What’s not
McFadden had a fumbling problem in college, although the Raiders contend it was overblown due to the amount of drops which came on kickoff returns and as a quarterback. The ball was secure in his hands during minicamps and OTAs, but that’s not the same as an NFL game.
Kiffin is hinting that Bush could be pigeon-holed as a short-yardage back, and it remains to be seen whether that will be his strength. True, there are some fearsome clips of Bush knocking over would-be defenders, but most of them are in the open field and not at the line of scrimmage.
Fargas is a below average receiver, something Kiffin conceded gave the Raiders problems as they reached the red zone.
The Raiders would love O’Neal to emerge as a starter and develop into a Lorenzo Neal-type blocking threat, but so far he has been prone to nagging injuries such as muscle pulls.
Man WTF?
Sources in Oakland say don’t be surprised if Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha holds out from the first couple of weeks of training camp to express disappointment with his contract situation. The Raiders failed to work out a long-term extension for their star corner prior to the July 15 deadline for franchise players to sign contracts longer than one year. The parties cannot resume negotiations until after the season, and Asomugha has yet to sign his tender of just under $10 million. Word is Asomugha, widely regarded as one of the best man corners in the league, has received no assurances that he won’t be tagged again next offseason, much to his dismay. We hear Asomugha might have agreed to play for the league minimum base salary this season, had he been given a long-term deal with a lucrative bonus, just so he could have some security in the future. There is a sense in Oakland that the Raiders dropped the ball on this one and that Asomugha will be looking for a way out of town after the season.
Sources in Oakland say don’t be surprised if Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha holds out from the first couple of weeks of training camp to express disappointment with his contract situation. The Raiders failed to work out a long-term extension for their star corner prior to the July 15 deadline for franchise players to sign contracts longer than one year. The parties cannot resume negotiations until after the season, and Asomugha has yet to sign his tender of just under $10 million. Word is Asomugha, widely regarded as one of the best man corners in the league, has received no assurances that he won’t be tagged again next offseason, much to his dismay. We hear Asomugha might have agreed to play for the league minimum base salary this season, had he been given a long-term deal with a lucrative bonus, just so he could have some security in the future. There is a sense in Oakland that the Raiders dropped the ball on this one and that Asomugha will be looking for a way out of town after the season.
I hope Namdi stays, I think he has too much class and respect that he change his ways and follow where ever the money goes. Hes too much of a classact to be like that I remember way back He was on the raiders report his rookie year and he said something along the lines where he wants his career to be with one team. I mean didnt he grew up as a raider fan. Im sure Al will in due time will compensate him greatly. I like players who focus on their game rather than their bank accounts....
ASO is gone if he doesnt get tagged next season...cbs are hella primadona just like WRs...if they dont feel like they are the best on the team they will move onto teams that they will be the legit #1.....after yall got dhall i TOLD every single one of you that aso was gone......yall can hope and pray all you want about getting him signed next season but he will be a UFA on the open market and will get A LOT more from other teams.....
