As the Raiders world turns (1 Viewer)

[BustedKnuckles]

James Lofton has agreed to terms to join the Oakland Raiders offensive staff, news that came as a surprise to coach Lane Kiffin.

According to a team source, Kiffin was told by a third party not affiliated with the club that Lofton was coming aboard.

Kiffin met with Lofton on Monday after his return from Mobile, Ala., in an interview session senior executive John Herrera described as "excellent."

Herrera said Wednesday there were no announcements regarding team business. The Raiders seldom make announcements until contracts are actually signed.

According to the team source, who preferred to remain anonymous, Kiffin neither extended a job offer to Lofton nor was he ever told by Al Davis or anyone in the front office an offer had been made.

Except for Senior Bowl business, Kiffin has declined comment on any matters pertaining to the Raiders that have transpired since the end of theregular season. Kiffin could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

Rumors were rampant at the Senior Bowl that Kiffin was asked to resign by Davis and that his authority on personnel and coaching staff hires had been stripped, reports Herrera said were false.

Lofton's most likely position is wide receivers coach, which was filled last season by Charles Coe. Coe, 58, came to the Raiders in 2007 from Alabama State, where he had been head coach.

Following the regular season Lofton was unexpectedly fired by Chargers coach Norv Turner. He interviewed for

the head coaching job with the Raiders twice — once when Art Shell was hired and again when Kiffin came aboard.

Hiring Lofton without Kiffin's knowledge is significant in that Davis gave the 32-year-old coach the latitude to remake the entire offensive staff after Oakland scored just 12 touchdowns on offense in 16 games the previous season.

Following a 2-14 season, not a single offensive staff member remained, with Kiffin hiring an entirely new staff with Davis' final approval.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

And still more.....

It's been a tough week for Oakland Raiders' owner Al Davis. The 78-year-old has been the target of much criticism in the Lane Kiffin resignation letter fiasco, adding to a long list of complaints that have built up over the past five losing seasons.

The good thing for Davis is: he obviously doesn't care what the media has to say.

So I'll keep going, and pile on. This time, though, (for the sake of sounding repetitive and driving fans to insanity) the main center of focus won't be Kiffin. Instead, it'll be linebacker Sam Williams.

Early this week, the Raiders (well ... Al Davis) signed the soon-to-be-unrestricted-free-agent outside linebacker to a one-year, $700,000 contract.

Williams was scheduled to become a free agent this offseason alongside CB Nnamdi Asomugha, WR Jerry Porter, RB Justin Fargas, QB Josh McCown, C Jeremy Newberry, T Cornell Green, S Jarrod Cooper and DEs Tommy Kelly and Chris Clemons.

You could make a case that each and every one of those players is more deserving of attention than Williams. Still, the 27-year-old linebacker was the first unrestricted free agent to earn a contract to stay with the team in 2008.

Williams was a so-called "Davis pick" in the 2003 draft, selected in the third round (83rd overall) that offseason. The Fresno State grad was forecast by many to fall somewhere between the fifth and sixth round, but Davis still opted to grab the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder with the team's fourth pick that year.

Since then, the Clayton, Calif., native has spent more time off the field than on it. And when he is playing, No. 54 doesn't look like a linebacker that was chosen 115 slots higher than former Indianapolis Colts and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Cato June.

But that's the NFL draft. It's unpredictable, and hindsight isn't worth worrying over. You re-sign the steals and let go of the busts when the time comes.

Unless you're the Raiders. Then you keep the busts, as long as the owner still likes them.

 

[kaso]

Yikes. Although I understand that the Raiders don't talk to the media often, and if they do it usually doesn't reveal anything significant, I am growing tired of all of these reports.

Davis really needs to start making some intelligent decisions here.

 

[Chadstroma]

And still more.....

It's been a tough week for Oakland Raiders' owner Al Davis. The 78-year-old has been the target of much criticism in the Lane Kiffin resignation letter fiasco, adding to a long list of complaints that have built up over the past five losing seasons.

The good thing for Davis is: he obviously doesn't care what the media has to say.

Or how the fans feel.