What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

2015 Oakland Raiders Thread

DocHolliday said:
No need to sign Crabtree if the plan is to draft one of the top WRs with pick 4.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree and don't want to make it seem like I am stumping for Crabtree.

My feeling is that it seems like kind of a soft market for the remaining WRs and Crabtree may actually end up in a "prove it" situation where you can get him for short term/short money and make him play for his big payday.

If Williams and the two QBs are gone by #4 (which I think will be the case) having Crabtree at a good price would not preclude them from going after Cooper (or dropping a spot or two for White, or a few more for Green-Beckham, Parker or Strong). I also think it would help a rookie to not always be facing the top corners and double teams. If Crabtree doesn't prove-it you walk away in two years, tops while still having your stud rookie WR to lead the passing attack and if Crabtree does prove it then look out.

Ultimately I don't think Crabtree (or Harvin or Bowe) are McKenzie guys so I don't see it happening but getting Crabtree on a prove-it deal seems like a risk worth taking.

 
Dan Williams will be 28 in June

Curtis Lofton will be 29 in June

Malcolm Smith will be 26 in July

Roy Helu will be 27 in December

Lee Smith will be 28 in November

Boy this looks a lot different than last season.

 
Chaka said:
Ultimately I don't think Crabtree (or Harvin or Bowe) are McKenzie guys so I don't see it happening but getting Crabtree on a prove-it deal seems like a risk worth taking.
Click to expand...
Agree. I think there is reward vs. risk here. if there is an opportunity to structure the deal so that he can be cut at any point due to lack of production or locker room disruption. Then definitely worth taking a run at him.

The age of the players been added is encouraging, as well as their history of health. Much different than last season.

 
DE Michael Johnson (turned 28 in Feb) just released from the Bucs.

FS Rahim Moore (turned 25 in Feb) is visiting the Texans. After cutting Branch I would think the Raiders are pursuing him aggressively.

 
It pains me to say it, but I really think the L.A. deal is our best bet to contend in the near future.

Oakland just can't support an NFL team, hell, Oakland can't even support a full police force.

 
Yah. Mark Davis needs to sell the team. He doesn't have the money to play with the big boys.

We're ####ed.

 
No. 16 said:
Yah. Mark Davis needs to sell the team. He doesn't have the money to play with the big boys.

We're ####ed.
Click to expand...
I was just going to post the same thing. No matter how much window dressing they put on this, it will still be a stinking pile until Davis divests himself. We need an owner with deep pockets to get this thing turned around.

 
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports free agent DeMarco Murray is expected to make a decision by Wednesday evening, and that the Raiders are believed to be offering the most money.
Oakland, Dallas, Philadelphia and Jacksonville are believed to be the four teams in the running. Yahoo's Charles Robinson reported Wednesday afternoon that Murray's "top choice" was to play for the Eagles. Reports have suggested the Cowboys have offered $5 million annually. Re-upping with the Cowboys makes by far the most sense from a football standpoint, but Murray has appeared quite peeved at Dallas' handling of his free agency.
 
32 Counter Pass said:
No. 16 said:
Yah. Mark Davis needs to sell the team. He doesn't have the money to play with the big boys.

We're ####ed.
Click to expand...
I was just going to post the same thing. No matter how much window dressing they put on this, it will still be a stinking pile until Davis divests himself. We need an owner with deep pockets to get this thing turned around.
Click to expand...
It's a mixed bag - the team is missing out on free agents but is also forced to build the old fashioned way. I like what the Raiders have done since 2013 more than any time in recent memory.

 
cstu said:
32 Counter Pass said:
No. 16 said:
Yah. Mark Davis needs to sell the team. He doesn't have the money to play with the big boys.

We're ####ed.
Click to expand...
I was just going to post the same thing. No matter how much window dressing they put on this, it will still be a stinking pile until Davis divests himself. We need an owner with deep pockets to get this thing turned around.
Click to expand...
It's a mixed bag - the team is missing out on free agents but is also forced to build the old fashioned way. I like what the Raiders have done since 2013 more than any time in recent memory.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. Seems, more i hope, that all the media guff spoke bout this team is ignored MD and RM and they have agreed that a longterm plan, despite fans, haters and media, looking for instant lack of results and the catalyst for change again

 
We are in the midst of an 8 year rebuilding plan. It should not take that long to turn a team around. The poor stadium situation and lack of cash flow are a real problem. I can't find a silver lining and I can't see how it's a good thing to not get really good free agents.

 
ICON211 said:
We are in the midst of an 8 year rebuilding plan. It should not take that long to turn a team around. The poor stadium situation and lack of cash flow are a real problem. I can't find a silver lining and I can't see how it's a good thing to not get really good free agents.
Click to expand...
Suckling for 8 years is not the same as being in a rebuilding plan.And personally I never knew about the rule requiring all guaranteed contract to be put into an escrow account immediately. But now that I do know that, and that MD has really shallow pockets for an NFL owner, so I am not at all surprised that the didn't land any marquee guys and you shouldn't be either.

I do, however think that they have legitimately improved the defense and that there are still some solid players out there to be had. Plus a lot of the crazy FA money has dried up already which should make Oakland a more attractive landing spot. Sad that it has to be like that but it's true.

This problem, and it is a legitimate problem, falls on the head of Davis and no one else.

 
Chaka said:
ICON211 said:
We are in the midst of an 8 year rebuilding plan. It should not take that long to turn a team around. The poor stadium situation and lack of cash flow are a real problem. I can't find a silver lining and I can't see how it's a good thing to not get really good free agents.
Click to expand...
Suckling for 8 years is not the same as being in a rebuilding plan.And personally I never knew about the rule requiring all guaranteed contract to be put into an escrow account immediately. But now that I do know that, and that MD has really shallow pockets for an NFL owner, so I am not at all surprised that the didn't land any marquee guys and you shouldn't be either.

I do, however think that they have legitimately improved the defense and that there are still some solid players out there to be had. Plus a lot of the crazy FA money has dried up already which should make Oakland a more attractive landing spot. Sad that it has to be like that but it's true.

This problem, and it is a legitimate problem, falls on the head of Davis and no one else.
Click to expand...
We are now in year 4 of a long drawn out rebuild. There has been some progress made, but the team is still 4-12, 4-12, 3-13 the last three years and I don't know how much better than that the team will be this year. I can understand people preaching patience, but this is not the way an NFL team should operate. I was not aware the entire guaranteed portion of the contracts had to be held in escrow either and that article definitely shed some light as to part of why the Raiders can not get top notch free agents. What happens when/if our home grown players are up for big contracts after their rookie deals? I agree that this is a huge Mark Davis problem.

 
The players leave for more money than the Raiders can pay. That is the answer to your question. Always.

The Raiders need to move and/or get new owners.

The Raiders can improve to a winning record but will never compete with the big boys of the NFL.

 
Done plenty of times in the annals of professional sports, if Oakland wants to turn things around they'll have to build around value plays in FA and hits in the draft.

Sux that they're handicapped financially until they get a new stadium, but that's coming sooner or later and IMO they don't need to sign marquee FA to make it happen. Green Bay only did it twice in three decades of dominance since FA opened, and only on can't-miss players: Reggie White and Charles Woodson.

Reggie's slowly been rebuilding the roster after tearing it down for the first two years. The financial handicap is slowing that process, no doubt, but I think I like what I'm seeing despite the challenges. Cap is staying clean, young pieces are slowly being added. Most important pieces on any football team, besides GM/ownership:

Coach

QB

Pass rush - outside DL / LB; 3-tech DT

C and blindside T

WR1

CB

Rush Def - inside DL / LB

Remaining OL

RB

Special Teams

S

JDR, Carr and Mack & Co will decide how this thing gets graded. Loving the Hudson signing more and more BTW, along these same thoughts.

 
Raider Nation said:
Nate Allen? He's gotten burned more than Elvis "Toast" Patterson.
Click to expand...
Safety, to me, was a need that no one talked about, like TE and MLB.

Like Lofton as a two-down steady vet, and hope we get Gresham.

Cutting Branch with no viable alternative, and only adding Allen, makes me nervous. That Dowling kid better be something else. Not a fan of how this position is being handled.

Also, not much out there at safety in FA or the draft.

 
I'm super pumped up about JDR captaining the ship -- seriously. We may not be a great team, but it will be a disciplined, professional team. Gotta start somewhere.

 
Chaka said:
Nate Allen is better than Tyvon Branch sitting on the trainer's table, so there's that.

:shrug:
Click to expand...
My Eagles buddies were razzing me about Allen, they don't love him there (grain of salt and all that, they're Philly fans, they hate everyone).

I told them it's too bad Allen didn't blow out his knee, Chip would've signed him long term. :devil:

 
Oh my lord. Knighton signed for 1 year, $4 mill in WAS.

I can practically smell the stench over my broadband. Talk about no one thinking he was worth anything.

 
If you had to choose:

Dwayne Bowe off the street, for a reasonable contract (let's say 5 mill per)

or

trading a 3rd for Kenny Stills

 
massraider said:
Oh my lord. Knighton signed for 1 year, $4 mill in WAS.

I can practically smell the stench over my broadband. Talk about no one thinking he was worth anything.
Click to expand...
Wow. I wonder how much Reggie offered him...or if he was even offered a deal at all.Maybe JDR doesn't think as much of Knighton as he led people to believe.

 
I would not mind Bowe or Stevie. Stills impressed me last year, but I don't know if I would give up a 3.

Knighton thing is very interesting. How out of shape could he have gotten in like two months?

 
Wow. The suspension is still looming and obviously there are serious character concerns, along with potential P.R. nightmares. But he won't be 27 until July, will probably come at a discount and dude is a P-L-A-Y-E-R.

So, is he worth pursuing?

 
The thought of Hardy on the Raiders makes me nervous and excited all at once. Bring it!

I think if they went after C. Shorts it wouldn't be the worst idea.

 
Chaka said:
Wow. The suspension is still looming and obviously there are serious character concerns, along with potential P.R. nightmares. But he won't be 27 until July, will probably come at a discount and dude is a P-L-A-Y-E-R.

So, is he worth pursuing?
Click to expand...
It appears the NFL is collectively waiting for the NFL offices to resolve his status. I mean, look at the other names left in free agency, his name sticks out, talent-wise.

I would love Hardy, and there's a chance he winds up being the biggest FA steal there is. But that's speaking as a desperate fan. The team made noise about the kind of players they want, and they have really stuck to it. Any chances they've taken on character cases have been minor, and nothing really scary/questionable. Stacey McGee and Shelby Harris are the only ones I can think of. They have brought in a ton of solid guys, and you can tell. All positive from the players, vets as well as rookies.

If anyone didn't hear Kawakami's interview with Mark, check it out. He specifically addressed domestic violence, and said they wouldn't tolerate it. I applaud him, and love the principle, but am sad that Greg Hardy won't be entering the field in war paint, with the Black Hole going crazy.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top