Is this the year the Raiders Fortify the Front Seven?

The Oakland Raiders have multiple holes to fill and as of now not enough draft picks to get it done. The Raiders have actually had a successful off-season signing the majority of their own free agents and filling holes on their offensive line without over-spending on free agents.

The team is currently two deep or better at every position on the offensive line prior to additions from the draft or un-drafted players.

The next step has to be attacking the two biggest weaknesses on the team; the defensive line and linebacker group. The scouting department will have to come up big here two ways 1) scouting talent 2) presenting these findings to Al Davis.

The Raiders have been horrible at stopping the run, the team ranked 31st in the league in 2008 allowing 159.7 yards per game with an average of 4.7 yards per carry. The best way to stop this trend is drafting a run-stopping Defensive Tackle or two.

The worse decision would be to roll out the same group without a new addition. Draft-wise the position has been grossly neglected. If the common goal is to draft a starter in every round it hasn’t worked out as planned in Oakland.

Over the last five years the Raiders have had 39 draft picks; of those only five are starters, 16 are backups, eight are on other teams and another eight are out of the league.One of the five first round picks was traded (Fabian Washington), another was benched after a five-game tryout at Free Safety.

In the past ten years at Defensive Tackle the Raiders have drafted Rod Coleman (’99), Daren Yancy (’99), Junior Ioane (’00), Chris Cooper (’01) and Attaj Hawthorne (’05). Rod Coleman was recently signed and given a chance at a comeback with the Saints.

My statement is justified when you consider Tommy Kelly was an un-drafted free agent in 2004. There have been many who came to the Raiders via free agency this practice has been more of a stopgap than a fix and needs to stop.

This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on Rich Snead & Keith Rowan, the newest members of the player personnel staff. It has been great to see that the Raiders have been re-building through the draft as of late or acquiring young players in free agency.

That trend needs to continue on the defensive side of the ball improving the front seven. First of all, the Raiders essentially went with a three man rotation at the position in 2008 as oppose to the standard four man rotation needed for a 4-3 base defense.

Seven of the top 10 teams against the run in 2008 made the playoffs, the three that didn’t allowed less than 100 yards per game.

Minnesota led the league against the run but still drafted a DT in the fifth round. Philadelphia ranked fourth, fueled by two former first round picks, but still drafted a DT in the second round.

The Titans ranked sixth against the run but drafted a DT in the second round; due to the loss of a DT in free agency will draft another DT this year.

The Raiders were able to restructure several contracts to provide the team more cap space to work with but youth needs to be served on the defensive line. The team has nine players on the team age 30 or older; the four guys at DT are ranging from age 28-30.

If the team decides to not draft two defensive tackles in this years draft what happens next year when the group is a year older?

What indications do the Raiders or we have as fans have that this group can accomplish stopping the run and getting after the passer in 2009 when it had great difficulty doing just that in 2008?

When it comes to the Raiders draft there has been a lot of talk that the team needs to address the offensive tackle or wide receiver position in the first round. There is some validity to these claims but the offensive line was addressed in free agency.

Wide Receiver is still a need that can be filled after the first round but more important is addressing the front seven. During the draft there usually is a run on certain positions in 2008 that position was offensive tackle with eight going in the first round and the Raiders not cashing in on one of them.

This year like every year, there are no guarantees but that position could be linebacker and the Raiders need to acquire one of the best in the draft to improve the position. That means selecting one in the first two rounds. The same can be said for the Defensive Tackle position.

The Raiders need a run stopper; guys that have the size and strength to fill that need are B.J. Raji, Ron Brace, Fili Moala, Terrance Taylor and Sammie Hill.

The Raiders also need a Strong side or Middle Linebacker; the guys that have the size and strength to fill those needs are Aaron Curry, Rey Maualuga, James Laurinaitis, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, Larry English and Clint Sintim

Here is where the problem comes in, several other teams have switched base defense to a ‘3-4 front’ and are in need of Nose Tackles and Linebackers to fit their scheme. If the Raiders decide to pass on drafting at these positions in the first two rounds the majority of the guys mentioned will be off the board.

Adding Center Samson Satele to the team was nice, Keep in mind that in the deal the Raiders traded away more than just a sixth round pick. Oakland swapped fourth round picks and moved down 18 spots.

As always I’m hoping that the Raiders will draft well and continue to improve the team. I want the defense to dramatically improve at stopping the run. I want the improvement to be so dramatic a change that you’ll have to place a warning placard in Oakland the reads “Frequent Stops”.

I know what you’re thinking, but a guy can dream can't he?

The team as of now doesn’t have a 5th or a 6th round pick. My middle round ‘sleeper pick’ at Outside Linebacker for the silver and black is Jason Williams of Western Illinois.

A Chance meeting with a Raiders Legend

My love of watching athletic competition on any level and the simple act of supporting a friend’s daughter participating in a weekend High School Track & Field meet in Southern California converged into a chance meeting with Raiders Legend Greg Townsend.

Beyond the occasional face plants, hurdles being knocked down, runners collapsing from exhaustion I witnessed the kids put forth a strong effort in various events awaiting my friends daughter’s event.

I had no advance acknowledge that Greg was going to attend the event but on a rather cold afternoon for Southern California, 48 degrees with 35 mph winds very close to the coast it happened. Prior to both of us donning our hoodies due to the wind while looking over the crowd I recognized him.

A few moments later there I am face to face with one of my favorite players, Raider legend Greg Townsend. I stepped to him, introduced myself and told him that I was a die hard Raiders fan and obviously a fan of his. He greeted me with a handshake and a smile. We spoke and I told him that I missed watching him play he responded “all good things come to an end” I had to mention to him that I felt he was the best Defensive End in Raiders history.

Some Raider fans might argue about that and even say Howie Long was the best. I love Howie Long and enjoyed watching him play for the silver and black as well as being inducted into the Hall of Fame, but when you consider Greg Townsend holds the team records for games played (190), Sacks (107.5), and Tackles (338) he is second to Charles Woodson in forced fumbles with 13, my statement is justified.

He is in good health and running a football camp called “The Lineman Combine” teaching kids how to play both offensive and defensive line positions and how to play the game the right way. What better way to learn to play the game of football than having hands-on teaching from a guy who was selected to the Pro Bowl twice, a guy selected All-Pro four times, a guy who is 15th on the NFL all time career sacks list and a Super Bowl champion.

Stay tuned Raider fans, I will track him down again and interview him and talk Raiders football in "The Locker Room".

Is C Alex Mack the Raiders Choice?

A contingent from the Oakland Raiders including Head Coach Tom Cable, Offensive Line Coach Jim Michalczik and Line Assistant Chris Morgan converged on Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of California to take a closer look at Center Alex Mack.

There were at least 20 teams represented at the Cal pro day. Mack is one of the best center prospects in this year’s draft and the focus of everyone’s attention.

The Raiders will rank him higher then several other teams due to the fact that he is an excellent fit for their offense. He has played in a zone blocking system similar to the one the Raiders use for four years. He has also been named first-team all-conference for three consecutive years.

If you ask several people the idea of drafting a center with the seventh overall pick in the draft would be entirely too high. But the next logical question would be will Mack be available in the second round at pick number 40?

He has been projected by scouts as a guy that can go in the second or third round; there has been talk of him being selected late in the first round. As far as the Center prospects in this draft the word depth comes to mind.

Coach Cable kind of rebuffed the thought of drafting a center with the seventh pick by stating he didn’t think it was too high to make the pick when you’re in need of a center and as we all know the Raiders are in need of a Center with Jake Grove signing with Miami.

This could be a continuation of the pre-draft smoke screen that several teams release so no one knows which way their is leaning regarding their draft choices. I also don’t think the team will select him in round one. Moving past where the pick is made and focusing on the player and the position.

Alex Mack is tall standing at 6’ 4” and weighs 312 lbs.; he is very tough, smart, durable and highly competitive. He is a guy that puts in a full effort on every play; he is often seen getting downfield for a second or third block. He is known as a technician that has quick feet to lead screens, trap block inside and simply eliminate linebackers on the second level.

He is an excellent run blocker with a solid lower-body that allows him to put his man on his back the majority of the time. He has an edge, gets into his blocks quickly and keeps his feet moving and plays to the whistle with intensity and really seeks to finish blocks.

Mack helped to pave the way for a Cal team that averaged 165.7 rushing yards per game with nine individual 100-yard efforts. His strengths are Intelligence, Size, Leadership and Athleticism.
Coach Cable and Coach Michalczik have Cal ties, but this fact was kept under wraps during the pro day. Alex Mack performed well at his pro day, I doubt he has moved into the 1st round but anything can happen on draft day.

Will Al Davis provide Defensive Coordinator John Marshall with the tools to succeed?

The fastest way to make a team more competitive is to improve the defense. The Raider defense that John Marshall will coordinate has several holes to fill but the most work needs to be done with the front seven.

The Raiders have been terrible at stopping the run and the draft and free agency provides the team with two opportunities for improvement.

The Raiders went against the norm for them, and spent a lot of money in free agency last year and failed miserably and arguable have the same number of holes to fill or more this year.

Spending money in free agency is a good thing when the money is spent of the right players, in regards to Oakland that wasn’t the case.

The team doesn’t have as much room under the salary cap to work with this year so first things first the team needs to release players to receive some cap space.

It would be wise for the Raiders to cut ties with Kwame Harris, Cornell Green, Terdell Sands, William Joseph, John Wade, Kalimba Edwards, Sam Williams, Andrew Walter, Ronald Curry and Drew Carter. Gerard Warren has been hit and miss, one game he is unblock able and non-existent in other games.

The team needs to keep him in the DT rotation until he can be replaced.

The team needs to find out the trade value of Michael Huff & Stanford Routt.

Huff is still only 25-years old and could still develop, the team could keep him for one more year or regret trading him early but it is a fact that he hasn't lived up to expectations. As everyone knows it took Nnamdi Asomugha four years before he lived up to expectations and the same could be true for Huff.

The unquestioned team MVP Asomugha himself expects to be franchise tagged, again.

In my opinion tagging him would provide him with a raise to $11.7 million for 2009 but it would be a mistake and strikes me as eerily similar to what happened to Charles Woodson a few years ago.

The Raiders won’t have a lot of money to spend in free agency but will need to sign a few; here is a list of attainable impact free agents targets: DT Kedric Golston, OG Jahri Evans and C Jeff Saturday.

Moving on to the draft, the Raiders need to make a definitive statement that stopping the run is a high priority. This team needs a better defensive tackle rotation, a group of four players that will stop the run and put pressure on the passer from the interior of the defense.

The Raiders need to come out of this draft with a strong side linebacker or middle linebacker and two defensive tackles. The group of defensive tackles that the team should be targeting: B.J. Raji, Ron Brace, Evander Hood, Fili Moala, Terrance Taylor, Sammie Lee Hill, Dorral Scott.

The Linebackers the team should target: Rey Maualuga, Aaron Curry, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, Chris Sintim, Jasper Brinkley, Kaluka Maiava and Zack Follett.

I don’t feel that the Raiders need to draft a defensive end but if need be I would take a close look at Robert Ayers, Chris Baker and Paul Kruger. The majority of the guys mentioned will be at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week; all of the one’s that were invited to the senior bowl and declined have something to prove.

These are moves that would solidify the front seven of the defense, slow the opposing teams running game, put pressure on the passer and provide more of an impact of Sundays. The Raiders ranked 31^st against the run last year and sticking to the plan listed above would go a long way toward correcting that statistic.

Seeds of change in Raiders front office are bearing some fruit

The 2008 season ended for the Oakland Raiders with a little bit of momentum heading into 2009 after two wins over the Texans and the Bucs. There is still a lot of work to do in Oakland to right the ship.

We’re 88 days away from the 2009 NFL draft as this article is being written, the Raiders are drafting in the top five, again, which isn’t surprising. Every year at this time, team needs as well as team priorities for every franchise are mentioned, in addition to the one million mock drafts that are everywhere.

What it surprising are the facts that if you were to look at these items for the Raiders for the last two seasons the needs are basically identical, with only one difference being the team has their franchise quarterback.

A quarterback is only as good his offensive line and wide receivers. The team needs for the Raiders prior to the 2008 NFL draft were Defensive Tackle, Safety, Offensive Tackle, Wide Receiver and Cornerback. One year later the team has the exact same needs.

This could be for a number of reasons in my book it is attributable to having several holes to fill on the team. These holes need to be filled through the draft and the Raiders need to resist the temptation of bringing in several free agents, which has been the plan in the past and develop their young players.

The Raiders possess one of the smallest scouting staffs in the league although that staff was bolstered in 2007 with the hiring of Rich Snead, the former Titans director of player personnel. This is his second stint with the organization, he worked for the Raiders 1990-1993. He now serves as Al Davis eyes and ears but as always Al will have the final say on anything Raiders.

There were two other additions to the Personnel department George Streeter & Keith Rowen. The moves added new blood to the scouting department and gave the Raiders five individuals with 20-plus seasons of experience. However, George Streeter was dismissed during the 2008 off-season.

This hire was huge because it not only helps the team draft better talent but it is also proof that Al Davis seems to realize that he needs help, especially when it comes to evaluating talent.

Snead’s contribution is evident with the last two drafts but make no mistake no one is going to tell Al what to do. He has the unenviable task of showing Al who will improve the team’s performance on the field from a talent standpoint.

There are several key things to note about draft success but the one that stands out to me is how a team views talent. The other three questions that must be asked are, about the player’s versatility? Is he the right fit for the team’s scheme? Is the player ready can he make the transition from college to the pro game?

It is known fact that a team's not going to hit on every pick, that just doesn’t happen but the additions mentioned have at least raised the Raiders batting average.

If the Raiders draft a WR, Will Michael Crabtree & Jeremy Maclin be the only Wide Receivers drafted in round One?

The three biggest needs for the Raiders on draft are OT, DT and WR. The Raiders will draft a wide receiver in 2009 but it doesn't have to be in the first round. If the Raiders draft a WR in round one does that mean that there will be two wide receivers drafted in round one?

In the 2008 NFL Draft no wide receivers were selected in the first round.

It appears that it will be different in 2009 as Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin & Florida WR Percy Harvin have 1st round grades as of now. That could change after the college all-star games, NFL Combine and individual Pro Day workouts.

So far there are the only three, every year NFL scouts breakdown a players strengths and weaknesses prior to the draft and give teams their assessment of prospects. There’s always one or two players that make a mercurial rise up several team’s draft boards with phenomenal workouts.

It appears that NFL teams are now shying away from drafting wide receivers in the first round unless the prospects are elite level or can’t miss prospects at the position.

This could be due to several first round picks not developing as planned or everyone remembering Matt Millen dragging down the Lions franchise by selecting several receivers.

Sometimes the scouts are right and several times the scouts are dead wrong. It really depends on what team a prospect is selected by, what type of offense a prospect is asked to play in, and that teams quarterback and coaching staff.

Looking back at the last five NFL drafts the numbers of wide receivers drafted are getting lower. In 2007 five receivers were selected with the Chiefs Dwayne Bowe & the Colts Anthony Gonzalez being the most successful in the year selected.

In 2006 the Steelers Santonio Holmes was the only receiver selected in round one. In 2005 six receivers were selected with the Ravens Mark Clayton & the Jaguars Matt Jones being the most successful. In 2004 seven receivers selected in round one but Larry Fitzgerald & Lee Evans were the best of that class.

When you speak of positions in the NFL such as wide receiver job requirements start with a player’s size. The minimum size is 5-9 180 lbs.; the optimum size is 6-3 220 lbs. The size and speed factor for all position has been huge but for most wide receivers the bigger the better.

The bigger receivers in the league are such threats on slant patterns, red zone weapons and impossible to stop in jump ball situations. In light of this information and the fact that the teams aren’t drafting a lot of receivers in the first round scouting is very important.

By now it should be a known fact that many of the NFL’s best receivers have been found in the middle rounds such as Hines Ward, Steve Smith, Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, and Brandon Marshall. Another one of the best receivers, Wes Welker, was an undrafted free agent in 2004 a player has to want it.

Great speed is good to have but it isn’t as important as some people think. Some of the best receivers have quickness and strength to beat press coverage. They also possess the tenacity and hands to make catches in traffic, the size and leaping ability to be downfield and red zone threats.

There are seven guys in this year’s draft that may not hear their name called in the first round but have first round talent. There are no guarantees but these prospects have shown the ability to be playmakers in college that could develop into solid contributors with the proper coaching on the next level.

These are Wide Receivers that have the size, skill and ability to make an impact on an NFL team:

Darrius Heyword-Bey 6-2 206 lbs.
Has excellent size and speed, he is one of the nations most explosive receivers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxiAbDVB9MQ

Hakeem Nicks 6-1 210 lbs. North Carolina
He has excellent hands, strength and route running skills but needs to improve his speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKj5tKb3Uek&feature=related

Brandon LaFell 6-3 210 lbs. LSU
He has excellent hands & strength. He finished the season with 63 receptions, 929 yards & eight touchdowns. He had 12 catches for 126 yards & a TD in LSU’s come from behind 40-31 win against Troy rallying from being down by 28 points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXOU8qg-hg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY4ZPAh54ec

Derrick Williams 6-0 200 lbs. Penn State
He is a productive player with exceptional speed, good separation skills, catches the ball well and is an excellent kick returner. He could add more size and strength for the next level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVXsNa-yjMI

Ramses Barden 6-6 220 lbs. Cal Poly-SLO
He is this year’s top small school prospect, due to his impressive size and athleticism; he is rising up the draft charts. He doesn’t have elite top-end speed but he does have impressive body control and soft hands. Like Mike Williams before him, tall receivers with slow 40 times don’t do well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oypUsE7dho8&feature=related

Kenny Britt 6-4 215 lbs. Rutgers

Good size, speed, catches the ball well, is good running after the catch finished last season with 87 receptions for 1,371 yards seven touchdowns with a 15.8 yard per catch average.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HYzZzufMRU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bmvT8odZ4

Brian Robiske 6-3 200 lbs. Ohio State

Has good size, catches the ball well and in stride, a polished route runner and reads defense’s well. Doesn’t have elite speed but he has all of the intangibles to be a solid receiver on the next level. He has the frame to put on more weight. He is also the son of a NFL WR's coach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ZpTF7EEx4

Oakland Raiders need to retool Defense in the trenches

Part IV – The Defense

The Oakland Raiders finished the season on a two-game winning streak, which was nice to see, but a 5-11 record and another top ten draft slot. This is the last of a four part article regarding necessary changes, written as if I was tasked with turning the Oakland Raiders around.

I’ve addressed 1) The Head Coach 2) The Front Office 3) The Offense and the 2009 NFL Draft in previous articles.

The word change is necessary due to the fact that what has gone is the same as if has been in the past everything has been done Al’s way. More than likely this will continue, but for the good of the team and the loyal Raider Nation a change is necessary.

In my book Al Davis has two choices here 1) to remain as the owner and bring someone in to handle the football operations. Call the guy a buffer if you like but a strong front office personnel person or General Manager is necessary because it is blatantly obvious that Al has failed in this capacity.

The defense will get a makeover starting with the coaching staff; the defense was a big part of the Raiders record. The change needs to include personnel and scheme.

Let’s start with the Defensive Coordinator, Rob Ryan an Al Davis favorite. His contract is up and according to published reports by NFL.com’s Adam Schefter & the San Francisco Chronicle he will join new Cleveland Head Coach Eric Mangini as Defensive Coordinator of the Browns.

Ryan was hired prior to the 2004 season; the Raiders have struggled against the run every year, prior to his arrival the team was giving up an average of 156.9 yards per game.

The 2008 Raiders finished 27th in total defense (360.9 yards per game), 31st against the run (159.7 yards) and 10th against the pass (201.2 yards). This can be attributed to one structural problem, a total disregard for the Defensive Tackle position.

This lack of judgment is the main reason the Raiders have been gashed yearly against the run. I give you Rod Coleman fifth round pick in 1999, Junior Ioane fourth round pick in 2000 and Anttaj Hawthorne sixth round pick in 2005; these are the last three Defensive Tackles drafted by the Oakland Raiders.

Tommy Kelly was an undrafted free agent in 2004, of the 23 DT’s from that draft class only 13 are currently on active NFL rosters. The Raiders need to cut ties with Terdell Sands & William Joseph and add two DT’s in a rotation with Tommy Kelly & Gerard Warren.

Instead of drafting at the position Al has chose to throw money at the problem and has brought in several past-their-prime or fringe free agents such as Sam Adams, Ted Washington, Dana Stubblefield, John Parrella, Warren Sapp, Ed Jasper, Gerard Warren, Donnell Washington, Terdell Sands, Rashad Moore, Josh Shaw and William Joseph.

This practice has to stop; the Oakland Raiders biggest priority of defense is to stop the run. This team needs a big run-stuffing defensive tackle, one that demands a double team. The team needs to draft a defensive tackle but it isn’t necessary to do so in the first round, this is where scouting comes into play.

Ron Brace will be available in the third round,

Until this team possesses a person to fill this role the team will struggle when ran on. Conversely, the team has drafted more defensive ends over the years, ten to be exact. If the goal is to stop the run why not draft more players at the defensive tackle position to be effective against the run than smaller ends.

The Raiders have selected Tony Bryant round two 1999, DeLawrence Grant round three 2001, Chris Cooper round six 2001, Kenyon Coleman round five 2002, Tyler Brayton round one 2003, Sam Williams round three 2003, Shawn Johnson round six 2004, Quentin Moses round three 2007, Jay Richardson round five 2007 and Trevor Scott round six 2008.

The Raiders have also been deficient in drafting linebackers, with the exception of Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard.

Both are good young linebackers that are better against the pass than against the run. I like Kirk Morrison’s game and development a lot but the team needs a bigger middle linebacker that has the bulk to stack and hold up when teams run up the middle.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/77766-thoughts-on-the-2009-nfl-draft-for-the-oakland-raiders

This is one of the reasons that I stated in early November that the Raiders need to draft USC MLB Rey Maualuga with the number seven pick in the draft. I’m aware that the team needs an offensive tackle and a solid tackle can be had in round two or three.

William Beatty is an offensive tackle from UCONN rising up the draft board that could be had in the second round.

More than likely the top three or four tackles in the draft and the top wide receiver Michael Crabtree, should he declare, will be off the board when the Raiders draft.

The Raiders need to have a draft day game plan and establish an identity on both sides of the ball. Since we’re discussing the defense that identity needs to be that you will not run on the Oakland Raiders. The team needs to draft an impact player with the first pick and Rey Maualuga, SLB Aaron Curry and FS Taylor Mays all meet that criterion.

The Raiders are in need of a SLB but if Maualuga is drafted to play MLB, Kirk Morrison could play SLB. Having a DT the demands a double-team would help to keep the linebackers clean so they’ll be free to make plays. Other linebackers the team could add Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews and Clint Simtim.

The Raiders need to sign CB Nnamdi Asomugha to a well deserved long-term deal and re-sign CB Chris Johnson. Another free agent that the Raiders need to resign is P Shane Lechler.

It is time to move FS Michael Huff for a draft pick; he has been a bust, he was drafted to be a playmaker and has made very little plays. SS Gibril Wilson is a player but needs a running mate at FS. If Taylor Mays isn’t selected another safety the Raiders could select in the third round is Kevin Ellison who is versatile enough to play both free & strong safety.

Whoever the new Defensive Coordinator is he needs to get this unit solid fundamental football, stop the run and get after the passer. It is important to take away the run and force an opponent to do something else.

The Raiders are in a division that runs the ball and the team hasn’t been consistently competitive due to not being able to stop the run as well as making plays on third down and getting off of the field. These are the issues facing Al Davis and the new Defensive Coordinator.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)