Whoa, yes please if cheap.Floyd released by Bears. I wouldn't mind kicking those tires too.
This is a YUGE signing. Very important. It ensures Witten won't be back in the broadcast booth in 2020, so we got a bargain at his salary.Witten is a Raider. Huh. Ok. Definitely not the Cowboy I was hoping for us to get. Depending on the money it can be good, he can definitely add veteran leadership to a young offense. Seemed to have some left in the tank and played decently well.
Not a first, maybe two thirds. We're going to have to give him a boatload of money too.Some rumors about trading for Slay AND he just changed his twitter pic to that of him in the Coliseum.
I wonder if trade is agreed as long as a contract extension is in place?
What would you be willing to give up for him?
I don't get the Witten signing either, but they did use many TEs last year and he is a great locker room guy, so not really a big deal.Not sure I understand the Witten signing whatsoever when we seem to have some solid, young TE options in Waller and Moreau. Seems like a waste of time and money.
Mariota I can see as a defensible signing -- get some reasonable starting experience and likely more dependable than anyone we had behind Carr. Problem is I have zero faith in Mariota -- I don't trust him whatsoever, either as a guy who can game manage or lead a team to victory. But if he's a safety net that allows us to double down on Carr, so be it.
Good to hear Nick Kwiatkowski is a solid rotational player -- good to have depth, and if he can progress to a dependable option, great.
Littleton makes any of my misgivings or ambivalence above obsolete -- this was the kind of move the Raiders absolutely needed to make in FA, and they did it. LOVE having this guy on our team, and hope we aren't done looking at truly disruptive and impactful signings like this.
This is far different from years past when we'd let guys like Littleton get signed elsewhere, and just settle with signings like the other 3 above that left me scratching my head wondering what the heck we were thinking.
I agree. I saw more than rotational ability when he got his chance with the Bears last year. He seems like one of those guys that gets discounted because he doesn't have the fancy numbers on some chart but is just a dang baller when it comes to playing games. My favorite play of him last year was him coming downhill on a blitz against the Vikings. I think it was Cook went to pick him up on it. On a previous play I think he had given him a swim or spin or something.... this one he just bull rushed him. DESTROYED the RB so badly he took him into the QB and almost got the sack using the RB to do it- lol. Someone else cleaned it up and got the sack.Cold Dead Hands said:Kwiatkowski plays hard and isn't afraid of contact. Kid is better than his combine numbers.
I somehow totally forgot that Foster Moreau blew out his knee in December.ICON211 said:I don't get the Witten signing either, but they did use many TEs last year and he is a great locker room guy, so not really a big deal.
This seemed likely to happen. It’s worth a shot. It’s a passing league. We need 4 or 5 solid CBs. Injuries happen. 4 WR sets happen.Apple to Raiders confirmed:
https://www.times-standard.com/2020/03/18/cornerback-eli-apple-agrees-to-terms-with-raiders/
And help teach Waller how to block.I somehow totally forgot that Foster Moreau blew out his knee in December.
While I don't think Witten has the wheels or agility to be anywhere near impactful, let alone dominant, having a safety valve in one of the most dependable set of hands in the TE business is not terrible at all.
I guess I question whether Apple is a solid CB. I've seen him be solid -- I've more often seen him be trash. He was a huge bust on the Giants (believe it was Landon Collins who went so far as to call him a cancerous presence) and his performance was really variable with the Saints. Grades at a 63.8 from PFF at the position -- don't have too much context but seems middling.This seemed likely to happen. It’s worth a shot. It’s a passing league. We need 4 or 5 solid CBs. Injuries happen. 4 WR sets happen.
Truthfully, as much as I'm not sold on Apple, I think he could and maybe should slot in as a starter as the team stands right now.I need to see the contract details to know if I am good or not with Apple coming on board. If it is a "Hey, come in and compete to win the starting role" type of contract, I am good. If it is a "Hey, come in and be one of our starters" kind of contract... I can't say I would like that.
Apple is definitely not a CB that I would consider as solid consistently but my point was that the Raiders need CBs and need to bring in guys that should be able to help. This can’t be the last CB brought in through FA and the draft.I guess I question whether Apple is a solid CB. I've seen him be solid -- I've more often seen him be trash. He was a huge bust on the Giants (believe it was Landon Collins who went so far as to call him a cancerous presence) and his performance was really variable with the Saints. Grades at a 63.8 from PFF at the position -- don't have too much context but seems middling.
Still, a young 6'1 200+ CB is a great asset in a passing league, to your point. I'm just wary of bringing in a guy who in the games I've seen him play in since coming to the league, draws tons of PI laundry when that's exactly the sort of thing we as a team need to eliminate from our repertoire.
Love the Nassib signing. Dude just seems like a hustler.Carl Nassib is a good under the radar addition. 3 yr $25 million with $17 guaranteed.
Jeff Heath on a 2 year $8 million deal.
Got to say a Third and Fifth isn't that much for Slay, and at only 16.7 per year. Disappointed we didn't get this done. He's a lot better than Byron Jones and would have been a big plus for the entire defense.SDJohnny said:Not a first, maybe two thirds. We're going to have to give him a boatload of money too.
He also got a 50 million extension with 30 million guaranteed. I think this is why/how we lost out. Love what the raiders are doing and can't wait for the draft. At least we gave it a shotGot to say a Third and Fifth isn't that much for Slay, and at only 16.7 per year. Disappointed we didn't get this done. He's a lot better than Byron Jones and would have been a big plus for the entire defense.
Damn didn't even think of this.CGRdrJoe said:Any discussion of where the Raiders will play next year if the Coronavirus delays the stadium? I know earlier in the week they were still working but I can see this changing and causing a serious delay.
Can it infect those in the Nevada environment?CGRdrJoe said:Any discussion of where the Raiders will play next year if the Coronavirus delays the stadium? I know earlier in the week they were still working but I can see this changing and causing a serious delay.
yeah, I mean they are shutting down all the casinos so I would assume it can.Can it infect those in the Nevada environment?
Why wouldn't it be able to?Can it infect those in the Nevada environment?
fingers crossed for you.Why wouldn't it be able to?
I have a condo and plane tickets to Vegas April 18-24. I'm gonna be pissed if this thing is still going full blast. I know we won't get anything out of the draft even but we really didn't plan to get much anyway, we were going to Vegas for many other reasons. We were in Nashville last year and spent about 8 hours total at the draft - and only about 20 minutes closer than 5 blocks away. Our Vegas plans included mostly golf, food, and shows.
Australia struggling with it coming out of summer. Hot and Humid mostly everywhere thereI am going from having no time to do anything to lots of time... sigh....
Anyways, I read recently a study that seemed to suggest that the virus did not do well in hot and humid places. No humidity in Vegas but plenty of hot to go around. Here is to warmer weather killing this b-####### bug off.
I guess I disagree that adding in a 3rd and 5th and the huge hit in guarantee money isn't too much -- definitely a case as Slay is elite at the position, but we've been down the road of sinking too much cap space into one player and how that can hamstring us. It would have been great, but I don't want to break bank to shore up our squad.Got to say a Third and Fifth isn't that much for Slay, and at only 16.7 per year. Disappointed we didn't get this done. He's a lot better than Byron Jones and would have been a big plus for the entire defense.
Hope for the best for you as well -- I'm normally a glass half full kind of guy, but I highly doubt concerns and even safeguards will abate in 4 weeks -- if anything I would expect the same or worse developments over that span with things starting to come back to normalcy around mid-summer.I have a condo and plane tickets to Vegas April 18-24. I'm gonna be pissed if this thing is still going full blast.
Ah I see. It does die quicker in heat, but humidity and surface look to be bigger factors. Definitely can still get it though, although probably would spread much less rapidly.I was thinking infection rate for those who are outside the most of the time, esp those building the stadium.
My main hope is that the infrastructure is ramping up by then because if so things might start kicking up. All of these precautions now aren't so much about the disease or the risk, it's that the medical system can't handle it at current operational levels. They need more people, more room, and mostly more supplies and meds. The phrase "flatten the curve" really means "spread the sick out over a longer window" so that they don't have to treat 30 million people in a week - we don't have the facilities for that. But if those 30 million get sick over a 6 month period that will buy them enough time to get more antivirals, more test kits, heck maybe even a cure/vaccine/alternate treatment to shorten the recovery time - they are already looking at anti- malarial meds as a possible basis. Right now they just need to buy time, that's what all the closings and distancing is focusing on.Stompin' Tom Connors said:Hope for the best for you as well -- I'm normally a glass half full kind of guy, but I highly doubt concerns and even safeguards will abate in 4 weeks -- if anything I would expect the same or worse developments over that span with things starting to come back to normalcy around mid-summer.
We'll see.
Agholor makes a decent WR4.Depending on the money why not? We have a need, he at one point had a lot of talent. I'm a fan of all the low-key signings so far.
Good cheap signing to protect our cash flow (I see the scrutiny of our cap space and cash flow is again being picked up by media...sigh) on a prove it deal.Agholar seemed to be pretty decent as a slot. Good insurance if Renfrow gets hurt, can spell him and can perfrom as the 4th WR. It is a 1 year deal.
I am still looking for us to hit the draft pretty much the same way before FA.Good cheap signing to protect our cash flow (I see the scrutiny of our cap space and cash flow is again being picked up by media...sigh) on a prove it deal.
Love the approach we're taking -- knowing we're looking to fill out our WR1 through the draft, let's get guys who have flashed talent on sensible 1 year deals to provide depth and see if they can shake out in our system and for our needs.
Agholor comes with some baggage -- his drops over the last year or so were puzzling and frustrating to watch, especially as he has a lot of talent and has flashed it at times (SB was a good example). He's an up and down player right now and this deal pays him accordingly -- we didn't reach or overpay and we retain great flexibility. A lot of our FA signings over the last month or so may not pan out but there is very little risk in seeing if they can't add some depth.
Really looking forward to the draft. Can't wait!
Agree -- this is really like the Mack draft, although in this case I think we have more certainty that a guy we both want and need - Jeudy or Lamb -- will be there for us. Not sure we didn't simply get lucky with Mack falling to us back then -- either way, it's going to be a no-brainer pick at 12.I am still looking for us to hit the draft pretty much the same way before FA.
CeeDee or Jeudy with our first pick followed by BPA LB or CB. If Claypool is there in the 3rd going back to WR again with some more defensive players. Later potentially an Oline or two but overall, mostly D.
Those three 3rd rounders make me salivate. I mean, we got Maxx, Isaiah and Moreau with our three 4's last year followed by Renfrow in the 5th... what is Mayock going to do with trips a full round earlier.Agree -- this is really like the Mack draft, although in this case I think we have more certainty that a guy we both want and need - Jeudy or Lamb -- will be there for us. Not sure we didn't simply get lucky with Mack falling to us back then -- either way, it's going to be a no-brainer pick at 12.
And agree with using BPA D with 19, but with FA we have a lot of options. I am not as familiar with this year's class in terms of depth and drop-off at the LB, S, and CB positions, only that in general, blue chip CB/S players seem to be scarcer/more valued. We definitely need some help raising the bar in our secondary -- I have faith that guys like Mullen, Abram, and Johnson showed tonsof promise. But they are still relatively unproven, and nothing like adding more depth and potential there.
All this to say is that while we have more flexibility to draft other positions at 19, or even trade back, I hope we don't and just get BPA D -- I trust Mayock to find gold in the later round picks.
was racking my brain for 5 seconds on this one..."Jones? Jones? Who the heck is Jones?". I forgot we acquired Zay last year.Those three 3rd rounders make me salivate. I mean, we got Maxx, Isaiah and Moreau with our three 4's last year followed by Renfrow in the 5th... what is Mayock going to do with trips a full round earlier.
I really am hoping we can get Claypool with one of those. Our WR corps would be awesome... CeeDee/Jeudy, Williams, Caypool, Jones outside
Renfrow, Agholar slot.
With out Oline, running game and Waller?!
We NEED that top #1 WR. It was obvious last season that we had weapons but the offense was sorely lacking that top guy. Think of this... D's were able to gameplan for Waller and the running game as the top threats. Williams flashed early and then was hobbled for the rest of the year but he isn't a #1 guy. He is, IMO, an excellent #2 guy but as soon as AB went freaking haywire that was my biggest concern. I remember even writing a post being elated about how Williams played early because it looked like he could be that #1 guy... I am not sure if it was just he doesn't have that in him or if it was injury but his skill set is definitely built around being that #2 guy. If we have a true #1 that frees up the entire offense. Williams becomes more dangerous. Waller gains mismatches that can't be compensated for with help or else risk our #1 and Williams breaking you. NO way can they put extra men in the box to keep us in.was racking my brain for 5 seconds on this one..."Jones? Jones? Who the heck is Jones?". I forgot we acquired Zay last year.
I totally agree that adding a WR in the 1st and another in the 3rd would be a big boost but, honestly, I'd be fine with just a WR in the 1st and heavily bias towards D overall, and O-line just cuz, with the rest of our picks. I think a top 3 WR line up of "rookie WR stud" (he says with fingers firmly crossed) plus Williams and Renfrow to round out the top 3, plus Waller and the running game. I'm super hopeful about that.
Alternate scenario: I don't follow college football but hear that this is a deep WR class. Could we go D with BOTH of our 1st rounders, and then take a couple of WRs in the 3rd instead? Thoughts on that?