Something good brewing in Oakland (1 Viewer)

[LawFitz]

Okay, so I wasn't hot on the JaMarcus pick before the draft, but since hearing from Kiff about what he thinks about JaMarcus, I'm now okay with it. Time will tell and this pick will to a good extent define Kiff's tenure as coach of Raiders. However, looking past this pick, I REALLY like everything else that Kiffin has been doing since coming to town.

He seems to have the respect of Al Davis. From day one, Kiff has conveyed confidence and has spoken about having a broad plan to restore the franchise to the lofty levels of the past. I'm really starting to see this plan unfold via the coaching hires, value FA pickups and now the draft.

The foundation of the plan as I see it has been...

A. Hiring solid coaches - the defensive staff has done a great job and has largely been left in place. Experienced WCO offensive coordinator Greg Knapp was hired. More importantly, solid OL coach Tom Cable was also hired with Knapp. They worked together in Atlanta utilizing the zone blocking scheme to build the NFL's best running game with okay line talent.

B. Identifying and dealing with current roster problems (e.g. WRs - Porter is now on board and singing praises/ Moss is gone).

C. Getting talent via value FA pickups and trades. This was no time to go cap crazy as quantity as well as quality were needed. Griffith, Carlisle, Newberry and even McCown and Mike Williams will all compete for signfiicant roles and all came relatively cheap.

D. Utilizing good position and a large number of picks to draft as well as possible. Kiff addressed every need but DT and LB in the draft. Miller, Moses, Williams, Bush and Frampton all will compete immediately on O and D and the other players each seem like solid special teams competitors.

E. Creating a sense of competition on the roster. This was a key component at USC with Pete Carroll. Everyone competes, every year and time and again this has made their players better. Now with the offseason acquisitions, the Raiders seem to have solid competition all over the field. I can see a large number of the 11 rookies drafted making this team. I can't believe how quickly they were able to address many major roster holes.

F. Creating a sense of hope and optimism - all the moves so far and the drafting of a (hopefully) franchise QB have really changed the tune of the Oakland fanbase and the players. It's been really unbelievable reading message boards and articles how much the fans and players seem to be buying into the new program.

G. This will come later, but reinvigorating the Raider image. The franchise will always be hated on b/c of who they are, but they used to be respected. For a long time now however, players have not been proud to be Raiders. The history and tradition is there, but currently the franchise has become a joke. Making them competitive again will then give Kiffin the ability to hark upon the glories of old when motivating the current roster and when recruiting future free agents. It's only cool to wear Silver and Black and be a bad ### Raider if the current team is legit. Kiff needs to create momentum in order to use the Raider image in the same way that SC can now drawn upon it's great history when recruiting talent.

Now we move on to training camp and winning over the team. Based on his interviews I'm excited about Kiff's potential to do just that. He seems more in touch with young players given his current age and prior experience as a recruiter.

And if he can put together an offense that can score 14+ pts a game, the Raiders will be a lot more competitve right away b/c of that defense.



I'm not going to make an ultra shocking calls like playoff contention or anything like that, but I will say that I'm very optimistic about coach Kiffin and am actually very excited to see his true mark on the team when they hit the field this year.

 

[FantasyTrader]

Very solid analysis. But I just have a feeling that '07 will be a huge learning curve for this offense. There's reason for optimism but if you're looking at '07 as some sort of watermark, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm more interested in '08. For this year, JaMarcus spends more time running for his life than anything else.

 

[LawFitz]

Very solid analysis. But I just have a feeling that '07 will be a huge learning curve for this offense. There's reason for optimism but if you're looking at '07 as some sort of watermark, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm more interested in '08. For this year, JaMarcus spends more time running for his life than anything else.

I'll be looking first and foremost at the OLine. I think It will be reshuffled quite a bit and actually has a lot more talent than people think. Kiff and Co. need to fix the OLine before anything else falls into place.Newberry's health will be an interesting piece of the puzzle. He says he's 100% and ready to go, but we'll see.

 

[KING]

is he GM, and head coach? if so i'm not aware of this. most of this is stuff he is not responsible for, or hasn't had time to even do yet. looks like a bunch of homer rantings, and propaganda.

i'm not trying to troll. you're free to express your feelings, and i'm free to express mine.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I love the frontline weapons of Russell, Miller, Higgins, and Bush developing together from day one. The defense is already fine. Give em a year or two and I can see the O starting to hum.

 

[John Mamula]

the raiders will already be better than the chiefs this year.

next year, who knows...

 

[Ed Wood]

Very solid analysis. But I just have a feeling that '07 will be a huge learning curve for this offense. There's reason for optimism but if you're looking at '07 as some sort of watermark, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm more interested in '08. For this year, JaMarcus spends more time running for his life than anything else.

Lots of good things in place, but I agree 2007 is still going to be a year of hard knocks. I still see 3-13. BUT if Russell is all they say he is and he gets his feet wet in 2007 with decent results, look out 2008.

 

[Ed Wood]

He seems to have the respect of Al Davis.

I read somewhere where Davis sees a lot of himself in Kiffin and that's probably helping a great deal. Seems like it has the potential to be a great fit.

 

[The Jacket]

the raiders will already be better than the chiefs this year.

The Chiefs will make it 10 straight against the pathetic Raiders.

 

[Chadstroma]

I do not think the Raider's will make playoffs this year BUT they will be better than last year.

The D was very solid last year and really was only missing one peice which was a DE opposite of Burgess that could create pressure on the QB and prevent the opposing O-Line from rolling everything over to the left side to try to slow Burgess down. Mosses was a value pick that could potentially be the answer there.

Russell, Miller, and Bush can potentially be some major stars in future years. Likely we will see Russell half a year next year, watch Miller develop over the year and not see Bush pretty much almost at all. But again, looking forward- I love the potential for years to come after this immediate season.

Getting rid of Moss was the right thing to do. He is a gamble on being a locker room presence when he is happy and when he is not happy he will give T.O. a run for his money. Picking up a 4th was decent return.

Getting McCown and Williams for a 4th was another good move. McCown will run the show until Russell is ready and Williams has a fresh start with someone he has known since he was in H.S., if anyone can get Williams to produce at the NFL level it should be Kiffin.

The offensive line signings have some potential. The line is the key but I think Cable as the coach already improves the line play right away. The line play last year was horrible and it just seemed to be a bad coaching job to blame. If Kiffin, Cable, and Knapp fix the line then the offense will be respectable.

Rhodes should keep Jordan healthy and fresh and they should both be able to move the team along with improved line play.

Overall solid moves. They should improve to somewhere around a 6-10 or even 7-9 team this year.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

They elook better than this time last year, But is JRuss a WCO QB??? I think his skills in that O is a bad fit.

 

[Ed Wood]

They elook better than this time last year, But is JRuss a WCO QB??? I think his skills in that O is a bad fit.

True that. I'm thinking it'll be a little more vertical WCO than we're used to seeing.

 

[ILUVBEER99]

the raiders will already be better than the chiefs this year.

Raiders are actually attempting to build an offense, KC just gave up on O and is playing scrubs who wouldn't even be picked up if they were on the waiver wire.

 

[Ed Wood]

the raiders will already be better than the chiefs this year.

Raiders are actually attempting to build an offense, KC just gave up on O and is playing scrubs who wouldn't even be picked up if they were on the waiver wire.

Kiffin hasn't coached a down in the NFL and he may already be better than Herm Edwards.

 

[msommer]

They elook better than this time last year, But is JRuss a WCO QB??? I think his skills in that O is a bad fit.

True that. I'm thinking it'll be a little more vertical WCO than we're used to seeing.

Didn't Knapp try that with Vick?Just asking...

 

[LawFitz]

is he GM, and head coach? if so i'm not aware of this. most of this is stuff he is not responsible for, or hasn't had time to even do yet. looks like a bunch of homer rantings, and propaganda. i'm not trying to troll. you're free to express your feelings, and i'm free to express mine.

Dude, you certainly have a right to your opinion. No caveats or apologies required.To answer your post, for which of the points do you think he is not in some material way responsible? Al Davis is the defacto GM, especially now that most accounts say that personell chief Mike Lombardi is on the outs and had limited input in this past draft. You don't think Davis was in constant communication with Kiffin? Even when he hired the guy, Davis said that one of the big reasons was b/c of Kiff's deep knowledge of the current draft pool given his recent past as an SC recruiter.You don't think Kiffin was involved in the prospect grading process? You don't think he and Knapp played roles in getting the FAs? Most of the moves made so far are very much in line with what Kiffin has been saying so far. He talked about the draft as if he was intimately involved with every selection. He has talked about competition on the roster and I think he's done a pretty good job of getting talented bodies in to create that competition.

 

[LawFitz]

They elook better than this time last year, But is JRuss a WCO QB??? I think his skills in that O is a bad fit.

True that. I'm thinking it'll be a little more vertical WCO than we're used to seeing.

Didn't Knapp try that with Vick?Just asking...

Vick and Russell have VERY different skill sets.

 

[greyone]

you should add your thoughts in the raiders thread(7 pages short). Lots of good discussion, comments, articles, homers, reasonable-homers, to share your thoughts with.

Most of the things you mentioned are shared thoughts.

 

[LawFitz]

They elook better than this time last year, But is JRuss a WCO QB??? I think his skills in that O is a bad fit.

The WCO is a generic phrase. The original WCO was created by Sid Gillman and later refined by Don Coryell and after that by Bill Walsh. Coryell focused more on longer plays to open the underneath. Walsh focused on the underneath to open up the long plays.The version that was run by Chow and company at SC threw in plenty of long balls. Especially when they had Carson Palmer, but even with noodle-armed Leinart.The key to playing QB in this offense is QUICKLY reading plays and then making good decisions and ACCURATE throws. Having the ability to go long is a bonus, but just b/c Russell has a big arm, doesn't disqualify him from having the other qualities mentioned here.His 67% completion rate last year is a good sign. His throwing into double coverage a lot is not. But he's also just 21 years old. Kiffin helped to develop Palmer and Leinart. IF Russell has the ability to learn to read and react at this level, there's no reason why Kiff can't use his talents in this offense.

 

[The Jacket]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.

The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.

GET REAL.

Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

 

[greyone]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.GET REAL. Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

can you explain...like what.the only thing i believe is exaggerated is maybe filling the holes. We have no idea if the holes have been filled. But players have been hired to address those issues.Also Mccown...i have no idea what he is capable of...so i am not sold on him, yet. I don't jack about this guy. I really don't remember him being a respectable starter. REMEMBER: he was a starter where? arizona, thats not saying much.Other than that....just lots of optimism.

 

[LawFitz]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.GET REAL. Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

Yeah and can you tell me WHY they had such a bad offense? Or what changes have been made?Like I said, I'm not calling a playoff berth here, but if the team had been able to score last year, they would've been very competitive b/c they have a very good defense. Or are you not aware of that either? I would guess not.Do you have anything at all to contribute other than pointing to the 2-14 record and rolling your eyes?The Saints were 3-13 prior to last season. Again, not trying to say the Raiders are gonna be this years Saints, but come on, dude. Last year is over. Time to look forward.

 

[Tom Servo]

G. This will come later, but reinvigorating the Raider image. The franchise will always be hated on b/c of who they are, but they used to be respected. For a long time now however, players have not been proud to be Raiders. The history and tradition is there, but currently the franchise has become a joke. Making them competitive again will then give Kiffin the ability to hark upon the glories of old when motivating the current roster and when recruiting future free agents. It's only cool to wear Silver and Black and be a bad ### Raider if the current team is legit. Kiff needs to create momentum in order to use the Raider image in the same way that SC can now drawn upon it's great history when recruiting talent.

This is the important point in your analysis, IMO. For teams like the Raiders, Cowboys and , mystique counts for a lot. As a Steeler fan, there's always part of me that will always hate the Raiders, but now it's almost like they deserve...pity? Oakland is a proud franchise, and they deserve better than what they've had the last couple of years. If Kiffin can get the team to buy into the Raider mystique again (and a few wins would help it immensely), then I think things'll be OK. I can see improvement to 6-10, but not much more. My

 

[kensat30]

Very solid analysis. But I just have a feeling that '07 will be a huge learning curve for this offense. There's reason for optimism but if you're looking at '07 as some sort of watermark, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm more interested in '08. For this year, JaMarcus spends more time running for his life than anything else.

I'll be looking first and foremost at the OLine. I think It will be reshuffled quite a bit and actually has a lot more talent than people think. Kiff and Co. need to fix the OLine before anything else falls into place.Newberry's health will be an interesting piece of the puzzle. He says he's 100% and ready to go, but we'll see.

I live a town over from Newberry and we frequent the same bar. I asked him straight up 2 seasons ago how the knee was doing (braced up at the time) and he said it was 100%. Dude is in denial, his knee is toast.

 

[LawFitz]

I live a town over from Newberry and we frequent the same bar. I asked him straight up 2 seasons ago how the knee was doing (braced up at the time) and he said it was 100%. Dude is in denial, his knee is toast.

Thx for the info. He's participated without restriction during the first minicamp, but obviously that is no gauge of whether he is capable of playing during the regular season.I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on him as we head into preseason. Jake Grove, the other center was highly touted coming out of Va Tech 3 years ago, but like Gallery has been a disappointment so far.Poor C play will definitely hold back this line as it tries desperately to improve.

 

[azgroover]

G. This will come later, but reinvigorating the Raider image. The franchise will always be hated on b/c of who they are, but they used to be respected. For a long time now however, players have not been proud to be Raiders. The history and tradition is there, but currently the franchise has become a joke. Making them competitive again will then give Kiffin the ability to hark upon the glories of old when motivating the current roster and when recruiting future free agents. It's only cool to wear Silver and Black and be a bad ### Raider if the current team is legit. Kiff needs to create momentum in order to use the Raider image in the same way that SC can now drawn upon it's great history when recruiting talent.

This is the important point in your analysis, IMO. For teams like the Raiders, Cowboys and , mystique counts for a lot. As a Steeler fan, there's always part of me that will always hate the Raiders, but now it's almost like they deserve...pity? Oakland is a proud franchise, and they deserve better than what they've had the last couple of years. If Kiffin can get the team to buy into the Raider mystique again (and a few wins would help it immensely), then I think things'll be OK. I can see improvement to 6-10, but not much more. My

The Raiders have spent my entire life looking to restore "the mystique". Why should we think this time around is any different until we see some results?

 

[Bruno2]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.GET REAL. Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

If Al Davis did nothing at all this offseason and left Art Shell, Tom (French Toast or Pancakes?) Walsh, Jackie Slater, Irv Eatman and all other offensive coaches in place, then maybe the above comment would have truth to it. Even the biggest Raider-Haters of them all have to admit at least they're making changes. Whether it will work out or not, we'll see after a year or two. The bottom line is at least Davis is doing something about it, there is no way their offense could be any worse than last year's anyway. I'm alot more optimistic (cautiously) now than I was at this time last year that's for sure.As for how much Kiffin was involved in the draft selections, purely my opinion, but I think he was instamental in selecting most of the players. Except for the Johnnie Lee Higgins pick, my gut tells me that was a Davis pick, he sure looks like a prototypical Al Davis WR.Just my

 

[Raider Nation]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.GET REAL. Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

Hit the bricks and pop in that reel-to-reel footage of Super Bowl IV.

 

[massraider]

I'm with ya, LawFitz, all the way. It's been a good offseason. But the wheels will fall off real quick if:

Kiffin isn't the guy

we still can't block, or

JaMarcus isn't the man.

I am very pleased with everything, absolutely everything I have seen thus far. But ther's still a lot of work, and at least another year of bad jokes.

 

[Cookiemonster]

The biggest reason for optimism I have this year is that not only the players, but Al Davis himself seem to be on KIFFIN'S page. Davis seems to have turned over the team to Kiffin much like he did to Gruden a while back. We'll see if its true when Kiffin is traded/given up for a 1st and 2nd round pick when he begins to command more power than the almighty Al himself.

The other reason I am excited for the upcoming season, is that even a small improvement in the O-line should account for another 6-8 points per game. Supposedly enough for the defense to win a few and the offense to win a few. I'm thinking of a floor of 5-11 but more likely 6-10 to 9-7 (missing playoffs). Honestly, even A.Walter looked good on quite a few passes when he was given more than 2.7 seconds to get the ball off. Brooks even better. With a little improvement and something that reminds you of a running game (be it a healthy Jordan, Rhodes or Bush) that is not a one-wheeled Jordan or Fargas and you should see even more improvement in the passing game.

Very easy to be optimistic this year. Look for more wins in the 2nd 1/2 of the season instead of the team folding for the last 7 games like the last two years.

 

[LawFitz]

I'm with ya, LawFitz, all the way. It's been a good offseason. But the wheels will fall off real quick if:Kiffin isn't the guywe still can't block, orJaMarcus isn't the man.I am very pleased with everything, absolutely everything I have seen thus far. But ther's still a lot of work, and at least another year of bad jokes.

This is very true, on all three accounts. And the car ain't going if ain't got wheels, that's for sure. I'll be looking closely at these details throughout...1. Can Kiffin coach up talent? Can he motivate, teach and lead? Can he design an offense?2. Was it scheme or a lack of talent that resulted in the worst OLine play you've ever seen last year? Can the talent up front (if it's there somewhere) be coached up? How much of a difference will be made by the new guys or the zone blocking scheme?3. Will JaMarcus learn to read NFL defenses and be a coach on the field? With that gun and his size, he could make a good team great if he can further develop the mental part of this game. He hasn't proven anything at this point. He could be anywhere from total bust to Culpepper 2.0 - a smarter, healthier version.I will say for sure that if Kiffin personally wanted JR, as he's said, then I feel A LOT better about Russell's prospects.It's WAY early, but at this time last year, I was feeling awful about Shell, especially after he hired the bed and breakfast OC. I get a 180 degree different vibe from this coach. He seems young, smart and extremely hungry. Most people thought he was in over his head but so far he seems to be making very veteran type moves. He is the son of Monte and has been watching coaches since he was a kid. Maybe that has given him a unique advantage over other rookie head coaches. Time will tell, but the brew smells good so far.

 

[FavreCo]

the raiders will already be better than the chiefs this year.

The Chiefs will make it 10 straight against the pathetic Raiders.

With what???

 

[LawFitz]

The biggest reason for optimism I have this year is that not only the players, but Al Davis himself seem to be on KIFFIN'S page. Davis seems to have turned over the team to Kiffin much like he did to Gruden a while back. We'll see if its true when Kiffin is traded/given up for a 1st and 2nd round pick when he begins to command more power than the almighty Al himself.

The other reason I am excited for the upcoming season, is that even a small improvement in the O-line should account for another 6-8 points per game. Supposedly enough for the defense to win a few and the offense to win a few. I'm thinking of a floor of 5-11 but more likely 6-10 to 9-7 (missing playoffs). Honestly, even A.Walter looked good on quite a few passes when he was given more than 2.7 seconds to get the ball off. Brooks even better. With a little improvement and something that reminds you of a running game (be it a healthy Jordan, Rhodes or Bush) that is not a one-wheeled Jordan or Fargas and you should see even more improvement in the passing game.

Very easy to be optimistic this year. Look for more wins in the 2nd 1/2 of the season instead of the team folding for the last 7 games like the last two years.

Al Saunders last year said this OLine had a lot of talent. Tom Cable this year said that it definitely has more talent than they had in Atlanta. Newberry said it has the most talented he's ever played with. Kiffin has called it a team strength.Somewhere beneath that debacle last year seems to be some talent. If they can uncover it and at least become a decent OLine, I think the team as a whole has a lot of potential for improvement.

 

[greyone]

Al Saunders last year said this OLine had a lot of talent. Tom Cable this year said that it definitely has more talent than they had in Atlanta. Newberry said it has the most talented he's ever played with. Kiffin has called it a team strength.

Somewhere beneath that debacle last year seems to be some talent. If they can uncover it and at least become a decent OLine, I think the team as a whole has a lot of potential for improvement.

Atlanta lead the league in rushing two years in a row. with "that" line. Drafting 1 Olineman shows alot of confidence with the current people in place.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

One of their biggest holes was QB and they addressed it in the draft. They get Russell but they also steal McCown and possibly BMW if he works out.

McCown and Russell will upgrade that position immediately...they have 2 good young arms now. Porter slides into the WR1 role, BMW brought in, and they drafted a WR IIRC. Bush in year 2 might be starting. You can see where they are going to rebuild the next couple of seasons and should be ready to compete quickly. I like what they are doing so far this off season...all that said I hate the Oakland Raiders.

 

[QUEZILLA]

I know Lanes younger brother, but have never met Lane. Some of my close friends have, and they said he definitely knows his football. More like Monte than Chris.

 

[Atomic Dawg]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.

The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.

GET REAL.

Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

Hit the bricks and pop in that reel-to-reel footage of Super Bowl IV.

NICE!Give him a break. At least let him go back to their last playoff win in '96.

Any one know where you can get the all-leather Chiefs comemerative Super Bowl helmet.

K eep Choking

 

[rascal]

Very solid analysis. But I just have a feeling that '07 will be a huge learning curve for this offense. There's reason for optimism but if you're looking at '07 as some sort of watermark, I think you'll be disappointed. I'm more interested in '08. For this year, JaMarcus spends more time running for his life than anything else.

I'll be looking first and foremost at the OLine. I think It will be reshuffled quite a bit and actually has a lot more talent than people think. Kiff and Co. need to fix the OLine before anything else falls into place.Newberry's health will be an interesting piece of the puzzle. He says he's 100% and ready to go, but we'll see.

Carlisle and Newberry will help your o-line as well as moving Gallery away from LT as well.Your defense should be solid again, although I don't know if your d-line will be able to repeat last years performance (ie Sapp). If your o-line can gell enough to keep Russell of his back and open some holes for Lamont, the Raiders should get closer to .500 unfortunately (bronco fan).

 

[LawFitz]

More positive rumblings... Maylock or Kirwin to the Raiders to take personell duties from Lombardi?...

Raiders to hire TV draft expert?

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Thursday at 1:11 pm

If the television draft gurus are so good, why aren't they working for NFL teams?

The Raiders apparently think the NFL Network's Mike Mayock is more than a talking head, endlessly spouting the worth of upsides and 3-cone drills.

The word I'm getting is Mayock, who worked for ABC Sports, CBS Sports and Fox Sports Net before becoming Mel Kiper Jr.'s chief competition for the league-run NFL Network, is a serious candidate to become a personnel executive with the Raiders.

Mayock is one of a number of possibilities for what is seen as the inevitable replacement of Mike Lombardi.

Lombardi was involved in a much-publicized rift with Art Shell last season, with the former Raiders coach blaming the personnel man for being the source of anonymous quotes given to various media outlets criticizing the Shell regime in general and offensive coordinator Tom Walsh in particular.

Lombardi retained his position after Shell was fired and was even seen on the field at a recent voluntary minicamp practice. He had been banned from the practice field by Shell and was usually taking a jog around the Raiders facility during practice.

Why did Lombardi survive so long?

Because he had information regarding free agency and the Raiders' draft. Now that the Raiders team is virtually set except for a second wave of free agency, Lombardi can be freed to look for another job.

Mayock has been in television since 1996, even working as a reporter for NCAA Tournament basketball coverage from 1997-99, but was a safety at Boston College and was drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers in the 10th round of the 1981 NFL draft. His NFL career consisted of nine games for the New York Giants in 1982 and 1983.

While Lombardi had some administrative duties he assumed at the outset after Bruce Allen left to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, chances are Mayock, if he were hired, would concentrate on personnel.

Al Davis has the final say in all personnel matters, with Kiffin having more input than any other Raiders coach by virtue of his recruiting background at USC. Many of the administrative duties once handled by Allen are in the hands of Mark Jackson, Kiffin's hand-picked choice as director of football development.

Another name to keep in mind is Pat Kirwan, also an analyst for the NFL Network and NFLcom. Kirwan has a background in both coaching and personnel with the New York Jets.

Kirwan is close friends with USC coach Pete Carroll and is often seen on the sidelines at USC games, where Kiffin worked as an assistant coach.

The first whiff of Detroit quarterback Josh McCown coming to the Raiders came from a Kirwan report, and he was steadfast in his belief the Raiders would deal for McCown and draft Russell.

In Kirwan's recent story on NFL.com, he notes that Keyshawn Johnson was picked No. 1 overall by the Jets on his watch, and floats the idea that, "I always thought Johnson would finish his career on the West Coast, probably as a Raider."

Lane Kiffin, in a radio interivew on Fox Sports Radio, told host Chris Myers the other day he just happened to be watching a video cut-up of Johnson in action for the Carolina Panthers last season but was vague regarding his level of interest.

The Panthers cut Johnson a day after drafting another USC receiver, Dwayne Jarrett, in the second round.

In 2003, Kirwan, working on behalf of agent David Dunn, helped prepare Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer for the NFL draft. Kirwan ranked Dunn as his top prospect on NFL.com, while at the same time accepting the a free from the agent.

The NFL concluded there was no conflict of interest.

 

[Chaos Commish]

Al Saunders last year said this OLine had a lot of talent. Tom Cable this year said that it definitely has more talent than they had in Atlanta. Newberry said it has the most talented he's ever played with. Kiffin has called it a team strength.

Somewhere beneath that debacle last year seems to be some talent. If they can uncover it and at least become a decent OLine, I think the team as a whole has a lot of potential for improvement.

Sims, Gallery, McQuistan, and Booth have all showed they can be above average to excellent guards. Booth was a beast down the stretch last year. McQuistian supposedly has more upside. They HAVE TO DEVELOP TACKLES. I think the two rooks from last year may be the best bets, but that's a little scary. Anyway. I agree this talent isn't near as bad as advertised and the two 2nd year guys may be studs as soon as September.Anway LF. I'm glad you didn't jump off that bridge over JaMarcus. I just nabbed him in my rookie draft. I think you're going to like him, and your input here last August was appreciated. It would have been a most unfortunate suicide.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Al Saunders last year said this OLine had a lot of talent. Tom Cable this year said that it definitely has more talent than they had in Atlanta. Newberry said it has the most talented he's ever played with. Kiffin has called it a team strength.

Somewhere beneath that debacle last year seems to be some talent. If they can uncover it and at least become a decent OLine, I think the team as a whole has a lot of potential for improvement.

Sims, Gallery, McQuistan, and Booth have all showed they can be above average to excellent guards. Booth was a beast down the stretch last year. McQuistian supposedly has more upside. They HAVE TO DEVELOP TACKLES. I think the two rooks from last year may be the best bets, but that's a little scary. Anyway. I agree this talent isn't near as bad as advertised and the two 2nd year guys may be studs as soon as September.Anway LF. I'm glad you didn't jump off that bridge over JaMarcus. I just nabbed him in my rookie draft. I think you're going to like him, and your input here last August was appreciated. It would have been a most unfortunate suicide.

Kiffin's confidence in line was revealed through draft Last weekend, the Oakland Raiders had 11 opportunities to fix an offensive line that allowed a league-worst 72 sacks in 2006.

In the end, though, 31-year-old head coach Lane Kiffin felt just one addition was enough.

In the wake of last season's offensive debacle, many had expected the Raiders to react with a complete overhaul of the unit's front five. Of the 10 or so O-linemen rotated down in in Oakland's trenches last season, only one showed a small degree of potential, sixth-round rookie guard Kevin Boothe. Logically, then, dumping the team's current linemen and adding others through free agency and the draft was seemingly the best answer.

To some degree, Kiffin followed that logic, except for the dumping and drafting part.

Instead, the rookie head coach first revamped the team's coaching staff, then made vital position shifts up front and later added proven veterans to the mix. After all that was complete, he felt just one rookie was enough.

On Saturday, the team spent its second of three third-round draft selections (91st overall) on ex-Florida State tackle Mario Henderson.

Henderson, a 6-foot-7, 302-pound senior, was one of four linemen to start all 12 games for the Seminoles in 2006. According to Charley Casserly, a CBS Sportsline contributor and former general manager, the young tackle excelled as a senior against top-notch first-round defensive ends Gaines Adams and Jarvis Moss.

At the combine, Henderson ran the 40-yard-dash in 5.11 seconds, benched 225 pounds 20 times, ran the 20-yard shuttle in 4.87 seconds and completed the three-cone drill in 7.6 seconds.

Overall, though, Henderson is still a very raw talent, and he is certainly not ready to make a smooth transition from being a LT in college to one in the NFL.

Obviously, Kiffin feels he can justify his draft-day moves (or lack thereof).

Thus far, he has made two major position changes, brought in two proven veterans and added a knowledgeable coach with a fresh blocking scheme.

The former USC assistant's first duty was to bring in former Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach Tom Cable. After implementing a zone blocking scheme in Atlanta, Cable helped Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn and the Falcons' offense rank at the top of the NFL in rushing in 2006. In 2007, the 42-year-old assistant will look to employ the same system in Oakland.

Next, Kiffin undid what former head coach Art Shell did wrong.

The ex-Fresno State quarterback will shift 32-year-old veteran Barry Sims back to left tackle, while soon-to-be fourth-year lineman Robert Gallery will slide back to the right. At the very least, the only way Gallery would return to the left side would be through Sims, which is a task much easier said than done. Shell, on the other hand, simply handed Gallery the job prior to 2006 and forced Sims to play on the inside.

Finally, after making modifications inside his ball club, Kiffin added veterans from the outside.

This offseason, Oakland brought ex-San Francisco 49er Jeremy Newberry and former Denver Broncos tackle Cooper Carlisle into the mix, along with career backup Cornell Green. Combined, Carlisle and Newberry have suited up for 185 regular-season contests and started in 128. Green, the third signing, has played in 51 games for four different teams and started in eight.

Considering the additions of Newberry and Carlisle, along with the return of Sims, Gallery and Jake Grove, the Raiders aren't necessarily lacking in serviceable options for next season. Throw in last year's rookie additions of Boothe, Paul McQuistan and Chris Morris, along with reserve players Chad Slaughter and Green, and there is seemingly an overabundance of linemen in Oakland.

Oh, and don't forget the one new rookie, Mario Henderson.

Certainly, Oakland was transparently awful up front in 2006. However, the odds that each lineman is really as disappointing as the numbers read is highly unlikely. After all, it wasn't just the offensive line that underperformed in '06, but the entire offense, from center to quarterback to wide receiver.

Simply put, Oakland's line seemingly got better when Shell was fired and Kiffin was hired.

Before the additions, before the adjustments and, yes, even before the draft.



p.s the jacket does`nt fit

 

[BustedKnuckles]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kiffin wants all his players to compete -- starting now

By Jason Jones - Bee Staff Writer

ALAMEDA -- The best way to write down a Raiders depth chart is in pencil.

Between free-agent additions, drafted rookies, players traded for and holdovers from recent Oakland futility, there are new faces and familiar names changing places.

The Raiders begin a mandatory three-day minicamp today at team headquarters. New coach Lane Kiffin is in no rush to declare starters at several spots, particularly on offense.

Seven of the 11 players the Raiders drafted last weekend and all of their major free-agent acquisitions play offense. Among those are two new quarterbacks, No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell and Josh McCown, a six-year veteran acquired from Detroit.

There was sentiment among players last season that starting jobs were predetermined. Kiffin is distancing himself from such notions.

"I don't know what it was last year, and I really don't care because I can't control it," Kiffin said. "It has nothing to do with what we're doing now. ... When they come in here, it's about competition."

Kiffin won't run full-contact practices but likes to say, "everything you do counts" when it comes to playing time -- even without pads.

Kiffin said he has moved around offensive linemen, still trying to find the right mix. Today will be the first look at the latest incarnation of a unit largely responsible for allowing 72 sacks in 2006. LaMont Jordan, the starting running back the past two seasons, now has free-agent addition Dominic Rhodes and recently drafted Michael Bush joining returnee Justin Fargas in the battle for carries.

Second-round pick Zach Miller joins free agents Fred Wakefield and Tony Stewart to compete for time at tight end.

The big questions on defense concern whether two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess, who reportedly wants a new contract, will show up today and who will start opposite him at right defensive end.

Rookies will be in town, too, and Kiffin told them last weekend not to show up timid.

"I said, 'You're not coming here to sit on the bench,' " Kiffin said. "You're not coming here to be on the practice squad, you're not coming here to (think), 'Well, there's these guys there, so I'm just going to be sitting.' That's not how it works here.

"You're coming here to compete. And you better be coming here to start because if you don't, then we screwed up and picked the wrong person."

That was meant for the rookies, but it applies to everyone the same.

 

[LawFitz]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kiffin wants all his players to compete -- starting nowBy Jason Jones - Bee Staff WriterALAMEDA -- The best way to write down a Raiders depth chart is in pencil.Between free-agent additions, drafted rookies, players traded for and holdovers from recent Oakland futility, there are new faces and familiar names changing places.The Raiders begin a mandatory three-day minicamp today at team headquarters. New coach Lane Kiffin is in no rush to declare starters at several spots, particularly on offense. Seven of the 11 players the Raiders drafted last weekend and all of their major free-agent acquisitions play offense. Among those are two new quarterbacks, No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell and Josh McCown, a six-year veteran acquired from Detroit.There was sentiment among players last season that starting jobs were predetermined. Kiffin is distancing himself from such notions."I don't know what it was last year, and I really don't care because I can't control it," Kiffin said. "It has nothing to do with what we're doing now. ... When they come in here, it's about competition."Kiffin won't run full-contact practices but likes to say, "everything you do counts" when it comes to playing time -- even without pads.Kiffin said he has moved around offensive linemen, still trying to find the right mix. Today will be the first look at the latest incarnation of a unit largely responsible for allowing 72 sacks in 2006. LaMont Jordan, the starting running back the past two seasons, now has free-agent addition Dominic Rhodes and recently drafted Michael Bush joining returnee Justin Fargas in the battle for carries.Second-round pick Zach Miller joins free agents Fred Wakefield and Tony Stewart to compete for time at tight end.The big questions on defense concern whether two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess, who reportedly wants a new contract, will show up today and who will start opposite him at right defensive end.Rookies will be in town, too, and Kiffin told them last weekend not to show up timid."I said, 'You're not coming here to sit on the bench,' " Kiffin said. "You're not coming here to be on the practice squad, you're not coming here to (think), 'Well, there's these guys there, so I'm just going to be sitting.' That's not how it works here."You're coming here to compete. And you better be coming here to start because if you don't, then we screwed up and picked the wrong person."That was meant for the rookies, but it applies to everyone the same.

Like I said, I REALLY like what he's doing so far. Competition is a very important theme for this team.

 

[RedRaiders]

The hyperbole from some of the idiots on this forum is hilarious.The Raiders were 2-14 and had a historically bad offense.GET REAL. Hahahahahahaha. You're living in a f'ing dreamworld.

You've never seen teams with last place schedules dramatically improve from one year to the next? This is a pretty current trend in the NFL.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

this should be merged with the ***official*** thread.

 

[The Jacket]

With what???

Whatever it is they used to bone them 8 straight times the last four seasons.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Q&A with Michael Bush

May 2, 2007

The Oakland Raiders selected Louisville RB Michael Bush with the first pick of the fourth round in the 2007 NFL Draft. Bush took a minute to speak to the media after he was selected. Here’s what he had to say.

Q: How is the leg coming along?

Michael Bush: The leg is doing well. I’ve been jogging, jumping rope, squatting, and the swim mix, it’s getting better.

Q: When will you be ready to go with that leg?

Michael Bush: This week I will be doing film work and being a student of the game. As of right now, it’s up to the team as far as the things they want me to do.

Q: How do you feel about being on a team with JaMarcus Russell?

Michael Bush: Honestly, its great just being around some good guys. I worked out with JaMarcus Russell in Arizona, I know he’s a good guy. I am looking forward to getting on the team and having some fun.

Q: Would it have made a difference if the Raiders picked you at the end of day one rather than the first pick of day four?

Michael Bush: No, I don’t think so. The last pick of the third round and the first pick of the fourth round are basically the same thing. So it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. I was still shocked that I wasn’t picked up at least in the third round. Right now it’s just a blessing that a team picked me up and gave me a shot and the Raiders are that team. I’m just ready to be committed.

Q: After having Bobby Petrino as a coach in Louisville, do you feel good about coming in here and competing right away?

Michael Bush: Yes, I feel real good about what that coach taught me in Louisville. Coach (Kiffin) is an upscale guy in Oakland for the Raiders. He has a real fast tempo with practices and I think I’ll fit in real good.

Q: Dealing with your injury must have been really disappointing to you. Have you gotten over the mental aspect of the disappointment?

Michael Bush: I’ve got a chip on my shoulder cause you know the guys are scared to take a broken leg, I’m just ready to go and prove to people they are wrong and show them that I am back to the way I was in college.

Q: How many teams before the draft inquired about you?

Michael Bush: A lot of people contacted my agent to see how the leg was doing and how I was feeling. But you know, I think Oakland got the best deal and everybody says they got the steal of the draft.



Q&A with Zach Miller

May 2, 2007

The Oakland Raiders selected Arizona State TE Zach Miller in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. On Saturday afternoon, the former Arizona State standout took a moment to speak to the media following his selection. Here are some highlights:

Q: How much contact did you have with the Raiders?

Zach Miller: I had a lot of contact at my pro day and I had a lot of interest from them. But I didn’t have a lot of contact after that. It kind of went dead for a while. I knew they were interested. It was hard to tell how much they were interested.

Q: Since you and Andrew Walter. played together in college, have you spoken with him about the Raiders?

Zach Miller: I talked to him back in January and he was saying that we should catch some passes and throw me the ball a little bit just during the draft process. I got a chance to talk to him about the Raiders and how funny it would be if I got picked by them and played with him. He helped me out with my decision to come out early. I just asked him for advice, what he thought, and how I compared in the NFL. I had a good talk with him back in January.

Q: Are you excited about the opportunity to come in and play with quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell and Andrew Walter.?

Zach Miller: Yeah, I am excited. Two great quarterbacks. I played with Andrew before and actually during the draft preparation I got the chance to catch balls from JaMarcus Russell. JaMarcus Russell is a phenomenal athlete and such a good quarterback and then I know Andrew from ASU. I think it is a great situation coming in. I think he will be able to help me with the plays and the quarterback obviously knows his stuff so I think he is going to be beneficial to me.

Q: Do you see yourself coming in and starting right away?

Zach Miller: I feel like I can come in and compete right away. I feel like I am prepared for that and I anticipate coming in and doing what I can to help the team and make sure that I am playing as hard as I can.

Q: What was your impression of JaMarcus both physically and leadership-wise during the time you got to spend with him in Arizona?

Zach Miller: It was only one workout. I really didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with him. I trained at a different place but when we were there he [Russell] was working hard and had such great arm strength. I am not used to that.

Q: Do you consider your blocking adequate for this level and is there anything you need to work on?

Zach Miller: I feel like I’m a good blocker and I’m going to continue to get better but I feel like that is one of my strong points and my game. I’m trying to pride myself on being a complete tight end that can catch passes as well as be a blocker.

Q: Is it really surreal that a few months ago you were facing Lane Kiffin at USC and now he’s your new head coach?

Zach Miller: You know it’s pretty amazing to play against him in one season and the next season he’s coaching you at the NFL level. I think Coach Kiffin is going to be a great coach and I’m glad I’m coming to that team with him coming in. He’s building the team up around the new coaching staff. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Q: What were you doing while waiting to be drafted?

Zach Miller: It was a pretty long day, we had a record first round for length and I was waiting for a while. I started watching the draft at nine, obviously. And then as each team went by I was thinking I might get that call and Oakland finally came through with it and I was just so ecstatic.

Q: Are there any tight ends that you look up to in the NFL?

Zach Miller: I watch Todd Heap because he played at ASU growing up. And I watched Tony Gonzalez playing for the Chiefs and when I was really young Shannon Sharpe. But right now I think I’m similar to Jason Witten from the Cowboys. He can catch as well as block. But there are a lot of tight ends in the NFL that all do a real good job that I have always compared myself to.

 

[LawFitz]

With what???

Whatever it is they used to bone them 8 straight times the last four seasons.

Yeah, b/c neither team has had any major changes this offseason. Riiiight.Even ignoring the Chief's losing HOF linemen in recent years, give Oakland even a half decent offense last year and the Chiefies probably lose both games. I think Oaktown will have that half decent O this year. If the Oakland D is as good as it was last year, the Chief games are definitely winnable.For any Chief supporter to be so confident is either extreme homerism or lack of insight as to the state of these two teams right now.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

With what???

Whatever it is they used to bone them 8 straight times the last four seasons.

Kansas City **Despite being a run-dependent team with looming OL problems the Chiefs' first three picks were WR Dwayne Bowe, DT Turk McBride and DT DeMarcus Tyler. Bowe is a big, adept target, but won't get many catches if his QB is getting flattened.It was on the second day that the Chiefs' draft started some head scratching. Kansas City had been trying to acquire a fourth-round pick for weeks, and left the door open for a deal (Kansas City's two fifth-round picks for a fourth) on Saturday night. They got no takers, and had to wait until the fifth round to address their secondary and offensive line issues.Only they didn't address the secondary and offensive line issues.They took Louisville running back Kolby Smith and UCLA kicker Justin Medlock in the fifth round. PLAYERS LOST—CB William Bartee (released).—OT Jordan Black: UFA Texans; $3.5M/2 yrs, $1.5M SB.—WR Dante' Hall (trade Rams).—DE Eric Hicks (released).—S Sammy Knight (released).—LB Kawika Mitchell: UFA Giants; 1 yr, terms unknown.—OG Will Shields (retired). —DT Ryan Sims (traded to Tampa Bay)—OT Kyle Turley (released).—CB Lenny Walls: UFA Rams; 1 yr, term unknown.Larry Johnson - #27 - Running back - 6'1" - 230lbsNews: A source close to the situation puts the odds of Larry Johnson staging a training camp holdout at 50-50. Trent Green - #10 - Quarterback - 6'3" - 217lbsNews: A source told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Trent Green will end up with the Dolphins, "we just dont know when."Impact: The source denied one report that Green's equipment was already sent to Miami. Green's trade or release may not take place until June or July. (Wed. May 2, 2007)

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Russell's first practice

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Friday at 2:21 pm

The sun broke through the clouds during JaMarcus Russell's first practice as a Raider, but there was no rainbow or pot of gold.

The gold will come when Russell signs his contract. The rainbows will come when Russell isn't throwing against the wind, as he was Friday morning.

"Hit the cutoff man next time," chided linebackers coach Don Martindale when one deep fling came up short.

Russell, wearing No. 2, operated as the No. 3 quarterback behind Andrew Walter and newly acquired Josh McCown. He never cut loose with the breathtaking long pass, although there were a few mid-range lasers which reached their target in an instant.

He was big, of course,"a monster of a man," as defensive tackle Warren Sapp put it.

Russell's velocity was a hot topic. Sapp took notice of a bullet caught by wide receiver Johnathan Holland.

"I bet he's got some markings on his chest," Sapp said. "If nothing else we're going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody's going to the hospital for some trauma."

"Looks like someone hired a jugs machine and put a torso on it," wide receiver Doug Gabriel said.

Russell, with limited action, showed good mobility and seemed to blend in well with his teammates. None of the quarterbacks were exceptional. Walter, in fact, had interceptions by Thomas Howard and B.J. Ward taken back the other way for what would have been scores.

Minicamp news and notes:

– Derrick Burgess was present and accounted for, wondering what all the "holdout" talk was about. As the team stretched before practice, Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan made their way over to Burgess for a few words.

When asked afterward why he didn't attend the voluntary minicamp, Burgess said dryly, "It was voluntary."

– Sapp isn't the man he used to be. The veteran defensive tackle looks slimmer than he has in years, but didn't go into specifics about how much weight he lost.

"I haven't been on a scale in awhile and I'm not looking for one," Sapp said.

– Darnell Bing is a strong safety and changed his number to 29.

Considering he missed all of last season with a neck injury after being drafted by a linebacker, Bing is essentially a rookie.

But longterm, it could provide the Raiders with an opportunity to move smallish strong safety Michael Huff to free safety, a prospect that should make Stuart Schweigert uneasy.

– No one seemed too overly worked up about Randy Moss, positive or negative, although Sapp seemed happy there wouldn't be a distraction similar to the one a feuding Jerry Porter had with Art Shell last season.

"I'm sure we don't want Moss around here not playing, walking around in street clothes with a (middle-finger) shirt on like Porter," Sapp said. "We're in a much better situation. he has a team, we have a team. We cna go play. At least we can take that out of the mix."

– Robert Gallery took every snap with the first team at left tackle. On most plays, he was joined by Paul McQuistan at left guard, Jake Grove at center, Cooper Carlisle at right guard and either Barry Sims or Cornell Green at right tackle.

Sims said it was too early to be concerned with which side he was on or with depth charts.

– Kevin Huntley was taking reps with the first team defense at right end, with Tyler Brayton working at defensive tackle with the second team.

– Among those who did not practice due to injury were tight end Tony Stewart, running back Justin Fargas (both unspecified) and center Adam Treu (recovering from quadriceps surgery). Rookie running back Michael Bush (broken leg) won't be ready until training camp at the earliest.

– No sign of personnel executive Mike Lombardi. The Raiders are interested in NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, but there is a question of whether Mayock is interested in relocating to the West Coast.