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I don't think it really matters about how much was spent on such and such player. The contracts in the NFL are so fluid, the only thing that matters is do teams keep and sign the players they want.I think the Raiders have re-signed or signed everyone they wanted too with the exception of Miller. Can't really call any of the players they re-signed as bad players and actually they were our play makers.
I wouldn't want to give up a pick for him and I think that the Seahawks are going to keep him this year. If he is released, then sure, absolutely- see if we can get him. I think Bo Scaife is out there as a FA too. I am just not comfortable with what we have. If we do not get a TE that can catch then I think we have to go after Braylon... even more so now as it seems the market for him has cooled and Ford's injury. We need some guys to catch the ball.How about John Carlson?
That is the thing that is killing me. It seems we love to overpay for average guys but real impact players we are unwilling to fork over the cash. It seems backwards to me.
And the bold is where my biggest concern in losing Miller is. Now, the above posting of using DMC more in the passing game under Saunders does make a lot of sense. The article mentioned the time the Chefs had an explosive offense and utilized Holmes in the passing game quite a bit. But then again they also had Gonzo at TE. So, I am not sure I am buying that. It feels more like the Raiders were not hearing a lot of teams going after Miller and felt they could play a game with him in getting his money down. Miller prob did not feel very warm and fuzzy about that even more so after seeing ridiculous contracts go to players less valuable than he was so when the Seahawks called, he prob was more apt to listen. Plus, Cable was very much liked by the players and I think he has been a pull in grabbing not only Miller but Gallery as well (though we knew Gallery was gone).
I think you've got it backwards....GONE
With Heyer and Satele, we now have plenty of veterans throughout the offensive line to match the young guys.Smiley I assume will be a starter. Could Carlisle now be cut or is Smiley going to play the left side? Makes you wonder how serious Campbell's injury is also.
Another veteran TE I wouldn't mind adding is Kevin Boss. He mentioned that he would like to play for the Raiders if they couldn't resign Zack Miller. He is from Oregon so if he joined the Raiders he would be much closer too home.I wouldn't want to give up a pick for him and I think that the Seahawks are going to keep him this year. If he is released, then sure, absolutely- see if we can get him. I think Bo Scaife is out there as a FA too. I am just not comfortable with what we have. If we do not get a TE that can catch then I think we have to go after Braylon... even more so now as it seems the market for him has cooled and Ford's injury. We need some guys to catch the ball.How about John Carlson?
Sorry, but what can you say about the recent $70M in contracts paid to just 3 guys? They cumulatively stifle the cap space even if they aren’t dead money. I don’t think that Vince Young is in a position to do anything of value sitting on the bench in Philadelphia. Next year, he’ll just be a year older, and probably more of a head case than before sulking on the bench watching Vick be the star. Next year may be nice in terms of picks, but I prefer to have those discussions in February. Let’s stick to the here and now.
Losing Aso was already a given. He didn’t want to stay, and we couldn’t force him. Gallery was also one foot out the door last year, going with Tom Cable and his weak sauce ZBS system. Dan Loper filled in for him at LG when Gallery got hurt, and did a much better job of protecting Jason Campbell. Gallery is a case of addition by subtraction.
Campbell was acclimating himself to his 6th system in 6 years. And he never had a line that protected him like the notable franchise QB’s in the league. That said, I’ll agree that he’s nothing more than an average QB that has room to improve. He has good work habits, and the coaching staff is very smart and savvy and will put Campbell in the best possible position to succeed.
For all the pissing and moaning about losing Asomugha, he never led the Raiders anywhere. Never even been on a winning team. The key signing in my opinion was Michael Huff. He plays the single deep safety well and it took him some years to learn it. Between Branch and Huff patrolling the backfield, and Mitchell enforcing the middle routes, the secondary is about to develop a post-Aso identity. They are going to gel as a group and rely on each other instead of rely on Aso all the time. And that’s a good thing.
No telling if late draft picks Gordon or Ausberry are going to pan out. Chaz Schilens was a late rounder and he’s going to be our #1WR, so anything is possible. We could reach out and get Kevin Boss and he’d almost make up the difference for Miller’s departure by himself. Like you said, we can use a committee of TE’s, and blocking will almost certainly improve from the TE spot, so that’s a bonus.
The line of Veldheer-Loper-Wisniewski-Carlisle-Barksdale is a talented mix of linemen. Veldheer established himself as the LT of the future paving roads for DMC to find the second level and do his thing. Pass protection is not where it needs to be, but big V is smart and committed to not making the same mistake twice. LT is a strength. Loper played well last year in relief of Gallery and I expect more of the same from him in pass protection. Early reports are that Wiz II is going to step into the power blocking scheme and perform well out of the gate. Cooper is our wily old vet, and solidifies the interior right side, and Barksdale looks like a beast at right tackle. If Barnes, B. Campbell, and the other recently OL can push this unit, it will be ready to pave roads like they did last year.
Agree, and the talent and it’s an exciting time for the young wideouts to take advantage of Miller’s departure to contribute even more than they have. I like all our WR’s except DHB, whose entire career has been in neutral. I expected more fight and hunger from him, especially after being ridiculed publicly in front of his family and friends on live-TV on draft night. But as for the fast developing crew of Ford, Murphy, Schilens, and Moore, I have high expectations that they significantly outperform the results of last year’s WR crew. Especially with Saunders playbook and HueJax’s aggressive playcalling.
Asomugha should be a third round pick but not Miller or Gallery. The maximum number of picks a team can get is four and you lose one whenever you sign a simuliarly valued player from another team. The value is a secret formula largely based on the player's old and new contract amounts. We wont sign anybody in Asomugha's pay range so that pick is a given. Between Miller and Gallery we should end up with at least one later pick if not two. I didnt think we'd bring back Satele but we did and we signed some other guys. So we are looking at 2 or 3 picks but only one will be a third round pick. Yes, we traded our 2012 2nd and 4th round picks for rookie RT Barksdale and J Campbell.
How many balls went the way of Routt and Huff because the QB was not even going to look to the right side of the D and test Aso?'No. 16 said:
Very good point - over past 2 yrs he was thrown at 54 times and allowed 23 receptions. By leaving I think he made Routt & Huff a lot of money they likely don't deserve.
Well said UnknownCoach.
I'm not crying about the losses of Aso or Miller, they obviously didn't want to be hear so good riddance. I think we will be just fine without them. We have some very good players on this team.
I didn't know much about Denarius Moore when he entered the NFL, but I think we found another late round WR. I really like what I see from him so far.
I am definitely looking forward to seeing what he does in the preseason games.
Funny you bring this up.Routt actually had 99 balls thrown his way only giving up 39 completions for a catch rate of 39.4% (Tied for 3rd behind Revis and Terrence McGee).
I would love it if the Raiders signed Kevin Boss. I know he isn't at the same talent level as Miller but he would lesson the blow of losing miller. Boss is a better blocker which would be nice with our young offensive line, also Boss is very tall 6'7" and would make an excellent red zone target. Hope he signs quickly.
They should just offer him an incentive laden contract; let him prove it on the field and earn his money.Interesting news via Vittorio Tafur on Twitter:
I would love it if the Raiders signed Kevin Boss. I know he isn't at the same talent level as Miller but he would lesson the blow of losing miller. Boss is a better blocker which would be nice with our young offensive line, also Boss is very tall 6'7" and would make an excellent red zone target. Hope he signs quickly.
If the choice was Seymour or Aso, I would take Seymour every time. Nothing against Aso- obviously I love the guy. But Seymour brings unparalleled leadership and drive to make the Raiders a winner. Plus, I will always favor a lineman over a DB.
Crossing fingers.Interesting news via Vittorio Tafur on Twitter:
I would love it if the Raiders signed Kevin Boss. I know he isn't at the same talent level as Miller but he would lesson the blow of losing miller. Boss is a better blocker which would be nice with our young offensive line, also Boss is very tall 6'7" and would make an excellent red zone target. Hope he signs quickly.
I think Boss is a great fit. He is a blocker who can catch. He won't stretch any D's or anything but he is a reliable big target.Interesting news via Vittorio Tafur on Twitter:
I would love it if the Raiders signed Kevin Boss. I know he isn't at the same talent level as Miller but he would lesson the blow of losing miller. Boss is a better blocker which would be nice with our young offensive line, also Boss is very tall 6'7" and would make an excellent red zone target. Hope he signs quickly.
I don't disagree with anything. I am just saying that it looks like a trend that we over pay for lesser players while we let top players walk. I am still hurting over Woodson leaving us and now Aso and Miller. :(
Can't fully agree with you regarding paying "lesser players" vs top players. You have to consider what we can get with the savings from Routt vs Aso and looks like now Miller vs Boss. Look what happened after Woodson left. Aso came from no where to become a stud CB. Another repeat of the same situation?
I don't think you'll see players that just signed deal restructuring. And I sure don't think Loper gets cut. He is starting.I don't care about the cap figures. The Raiders always work the cap correctly, and teams haven't been in 'cap hell' in years.
Loper came on and did a pretty decent job when Gallery went down to injury last year. Yeah, Loper is a journeyman, but he already knows the system.Smiley was injured last year and is on his 3rd team in 3 years. Just another journeyman signed off the scrap heap, taking Mario Henderson's $1.7M he would have gotten if he didn't pack on the weight.Neither is a long term answer. But Loper is the starter for now.
I have no idea. And neither do you.
http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2011/8/4/2345595/2011-oakland-raiders-training-campLink mentions Smiley and Loper in yesterday's practice. Smiley, as long as he's healthy will start at one guard spot. Seriously, he's very good. Its looking like the other will be either Campbell or Carlisle. The article notes that Campbell isnt expected to be out for too much longer though the missed time is putting him behind.
Good signing by the Raiders. A big thank you to Richard Seymour for restructuring his contract. Boss is not the ball catcher that Miller is, but he's a bigger red zone target and better blocker than Zach. He definitely fills a hole in the offense, and can be JCamp's security blanket standing tall in the secondary. Even if they go with a committee approach, with Boss and Meyers, either way they get better blocking from the TE position overall than last year.
Very good deal.No way is Kevin Boss half as productive as Zach Miller!Way to go Al!
Is long as its not much guaranteed. I'm actually not happy thinking Boss could be our starting TE for the next 4 years. This year its good since we already lost Miller. It would have been better though to pay more and lock up Miller. Of course, I'm pretty sure we made Miller a good offer. Anyways Boss is a Raider, not a Giant so I'll learn to like him more.
The FO tried to sign Miller. I'm hopeing Boss is just a short term answer as a starter. When someone else steps up, Boss could either be cut or moved into the blocking TE role. Its not like we let Miller go because of Boss. We signed Boss because Miller decided to leave.
