Happy New Year everyone! JUST WIN, BABY!! I'm with NY, Woodson with a pick six to win the game for the Raiders! That would be an epic end to an epic career. Looks like the Steelers are in, Jets out.
Remember Gruden's second year? Raiders went 8-8 by winning the last game of the season in KC knocking them out of playoffs. Wheatley rumbled for some incredible TDs.
I thought today had a chance to be a catalyst game like that one. Unfortunately not. The way Carr and the offense have played the second half of the season makes me nervous.
Raiders offense seemed to get worse as the year progressed, culminating into this game featuring some of the most predictable play calling we saw all year. This offseason will be a challenge, because the Raiders have a lot of work to do.
The lingering question remains; Can the Raiders produce a winning team next year?
Either give McGloin a chance or bring in a good free agent qb next year.Carr is a below average qb at best. Carr kept us from winning a lot of games this season. We also need a more creative oc, or our offense will be sputtering (in Del Rio's words) again next year.Musgrave has to go.
As bad as the Raiders played, it came down to the last drive, with less than two minutes and no time outs. So why was the offense huddling to call plays? Not that clock management mattered, since they couldn't convert, but the slow pace of the offense precluded its success.
All the underneath passes and under center snaps that telegraphed running plays were painful to watch. And it was scarier to watch how easily the Chiefs got around both our tackles.
Even if the Raiders had won, they still need to figure out why this offense has been so bad the second half of the season.
I'm disappointed that the Raiders lost yesterday. I'm disappointed that they are not playing next week. I'm disappointed that our offense took some steps back. But I feel like Del Rio and what he said in the locker room yesterday. We didn't earn it this year, but we are set to improve and build upon what we did this season. This was a first step. With that said, here is what the front office should be doing to help this team improve and take the next step:
Running back. Murray needs a solid vet who can help him see plays develop. Murray has a tendency to cut too early and miss a huge gap because he doesn't see the play developing. A good vet would help him recognize when to cut and when to let the play develop because the O-line is getting the upper hand. Forte would be an epic sign, but the Raiders don't need to throw that kind of money. Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, James Starks, or Chris Ivory would help out in this area as well.
Middle Linebacker. There is not much in the Free Agent market here, maybe a few to add some depth. Danny Trevathan, Sam Acho, Phillip Wheeler, etc. I think this position will be drafted. I'm hoping for Jaylon Smith (MILB, Notre Dame), but I'm not sure he'll be there at #14. If he's not there, who do the Raiders take? Elliott Ezekiel, and draft Jarrad Davis (MILB, Florida) in the 2nd?
Defensive Backs. Or do we address the CB position if Jaylon Smith is not there at #14? Vernon Hargreaves or Jaylen Ramsey? There is not much in the Free Agent market at this position either, except depth. Jerraud Powers, Janoris Jenkins, Brandon Boykin. We keep Amerson who has been lights out for us, possibly move Carrie to Safety to fill C-Wood's spot. There are some good free agent safeties (Eric Berry, Walter Thurmond, Eric Weddle, DJ Swearinger). But DB has got to be the second priority under Middle Linebacker.
Right Guard/Tackle. Vladimir Ducasse would be an upgrade. Though J'Marcus Webb did not do a horrific job, and is the only J'Marcus on the Raiders that ever accomplished anything positive. The right side of the O-Line proved to be the weak link. I think this is something that can be addressed in both Free Agency and the Draft. Joshua Garnett (Stanford) would be a nice 2-3 rounder, Landon Turner (NC) would be a nice late round. Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) or Ronny Stanley (ND) would be a good RT pick up in the first round if Jaylon Smith isn't there.
Receiver. Crabtree and Cooper were huge for us. The WR who was undershadowed though was Seth Roberts, who is a Free Agent. Holmes and Streater are more than likely gone, and Alshon Jefferies of the Bears is the top WR free agent who is looking to make it rain. We can bring in a few guys under the radar here though. Re-sign Seth Roberts, Kenbrell Thompkins, Mohamed Sanu, or Hakeem Nicks.
Those are just my thoughts headed into the offseason. JUST WIN, BABY!
RB: Draft a complement or upgrade. Sure, Murray needs more development; that's why you pay coaches. IMO, the Raiders should stay young at RB and most other positions. Raiders have spent so much time and effort to build through the draft; why change that now? Besides, the Raiders have too often failed with vet RBs.
MLB: I agree any upgrade is worthwhile but ball, then Heeney were significant contributors to the Raiders defense coming on stronger at the end of the year. It would be a huge disappointment if the Raiders sign another Curtis Lofton, e.g., Phillip Wheeler.
DB: IMO, this is the Raiders top priority, not MLB (Smith wears the headset and calls the defensive plays). Raiders were lost in pass coverage most of the season. Raiders need safety and CB help, ASAP. Somebody has to replace Charles Woodson! Here's were vet presence might be needed.
RG/RT: These are absolutely huge needs but, perhaps to a lesser degree, so is LT. Penn did not perform nearly as well this year as last year. This may sound like a broken record, but allowing Veldheer to leave is about to catch up with the Raiders. OL is worthy of the Raiders first-round pick in 2016.
WR: Crab was just re-signed. That's the Raiders big move at WR. They just need to stay the course and bring in as many bodies as they can until some depth sticks to the roster. Re-signing Roberts would be nice, and probably cost-effective.
hey. K.C. is the hottest team in the league. The Raiders came close, another rough start puts them behind the 8 ball, they will learn that you can't win giving the other team 14 before the game has really started. They are learning how to win, they are learning what it takes in the NFL.....that's right, next year again, but damn, if you can't be excited for the future, then you have no idea what you are looking at...it just keeps building and it will continue. Don't fret little sunshine's, it's all good.
Well, Reggie has a full compliment of draft picks and will have another close to 70 MILL to spend to upgrade the roster some more. Obviously Reggie knows how to get talent, so it's all good. The team will have a stronger roster and the young QB with another season under his belt because he still needs some maturing.
And finally some stability at the coaching position. It all points to more improvement. Nothing to bitch about, really, it's going where it should be.
Losing to KC was disappointing but the result benefited the Raiders by several slots in draft order, so it's not the end of the world by any means. It was by far more disconcerting to watch Derek Carr and the Raiders offense implode toward the end of the season (not just against KC). Just hope that's not more deep rooted than a few roster upgrades. I have faith JDR will vet this problem out.
All in all, there's definitely a core to work with, and the Raiders should once again be flush with cap space. Onward and upward.
"As bad as the Raiders played, it came down to the last drive" ********************************************************************************************************************************
NYR....Well, I guess so. But yesterdays loss was like so many losses this year.
There was no clown car after week one. But even though many games were "close". Never got the feeling, outside of the Pitt and Bears games, Raiders could win them.
2 defeats to Chefs. Lions, Vikes, Pack, loss to Donks, blown out by Cincy.
All soft defeats. Never felt like Raiders were really in these games to win.
So heading into yr 5 of Reggies eternal rebuild. Still need 0-line, Rb, MLB, shut down corner....Wow, still need so much. Hard to imagine slow Reggie getting much done in off season.
00 - I definitely hear ya on the snails pace, but there's some consolation in knowing the Raiders can play poorly (on one side of the ball) and still scrap out games like SD and Denver, as well as yesterday putting themselves in a position for a final chance to win. The game has a lot of moving parts, and they all have to mesh, but there are some core players and coaches in place.
That said, the wish list is long. I want to add LT to your list, but I am hopeful - to the point of being overly optimistic - that Ben Heeney will be a future baller at MLB for the Raiders. The kid is quick, aggressive and talented. Lots to work with.
Team improved by nearly 10 points per game over last year. That's a lot of improvement. We lost a lot of close games, but hell, that means we actually had a bunch of close games.
I think there are a lot of hard decisions for the off season. Do we wait for Watson or move on? Can Ball and Heeney cover inside LB, or do get another guy? Can Feliciano play guard?
There are other needs too, but DB isn't a hard call - get some.
Points scored is a bit deceiving. Raiders scored 20 or less points in half their games, and 15 or less in five games. There were times when the offense was downright anemic.
You have to feel good at TE and pretty good at WR, and we have perhaps 1/2 of a decent RB group, but OL is a clear weakness... particularly the right side. Also, Penn's contract is up and he's not getting any younger. He's big but not as quick as perhaps he used to be. This year is proof. He could provide another stopgap season but LT has to be on the minds of the front office.
I agree with NY that DB is the biggest need. I see Amerson the only player worth starting. 3 new starters in the secondary has becoming habit with Reggie, not good at one of football's most important positions. Also two new tackles on the o-line and at least one new lb. Finally if Mario Edwards does not come back (anyone know how bad his injury is) then at least another d-lineman.
Basically the Raiders will have at least (6-8) 1/3 new starters next year. That is a little scary in my opinion
I don't think it is scary, but dependent on how quick the new players can learn. My problem with Heeney is he over-pursues the play. His got an excellent motor about him, and he pushes and pushes and pushes, and that is what anyone wants to see, but he has got to manage his excitement and stay within the play. I think that is why he loses the starting spot to Ball.
If Heeney can keep the excitement and not over-pursue, he is hands down the better player, and effectively becomes a Clay Matthews/Brian Cushing type player, but at the MLB spot (dare I say Mike Singletary?). I think we have the defensive talent to move to a 3-4 defense too, which is a stronger defensive scheme. If we did that, then both Heeney and Ball could play.
As far as CB, I can see TJ Carrie moving to safety. He played there a few times this season and was excellent, he seemed to fit there better. He had trouble covering guys at CB, but not as bad as Hayden, who when he got beat would reach out and grab. But let's not forget, we still have a couple other solid young CBs on roster too. Keith McGill and Neiko Thorpe I think have proven that they are better than Hayden, and I think they deserve a shot to prove their worth as much as Hayden. The only reason that Thorpe and McGill haven't surplanted Hayden is because of Reggie, Hayden is Reggie's guy. That is why I don't really have CB as high as a priority than MLB, especially if we stay in a 4-3.
McKenzie clearly went for a youth movement in the secondary in 2016, despite a plea from Mark Davis to secure two corners. So far, that approach has failed. It would have been much worse had it not been for a very fortuitous early season waiver acquisition of Amerson; who, as a castoff, was hands down better than roster CB.
Maybe the young guys can be developed, but that remains to be seen. Suffice to say, the secondary is already taking a huge hit by losing Woodson. And that's probably understated.
Personally, I don't believe the Raiders will perceive MLB as a priority. They didn't see CB as a priority last year, and we see where that took them.
Nate it is scary because continuity and familiarity between players is important. This is particularly true of O-line and Defensive Backfield. Even if Reggie can find 6-8 high quality new starters (a tall task indeed) it will take them a season or two to gel.
More importantly McGill and Thorpe please dude if they are the Raider corners next year we are in serious trouble. They are bottom of the roster type journeyman players who will be lucky to be in the NFL 24 months from now. I also don't believe JDR is such a weakling that he would play Hayden over those two just to help REggie salvage his draft if they were in fact better.
Raiders have the worst 4th qrtr point differential in the league. This speaks to a weak O-line hence no closing running game and an awful secondary combined with a mediocre pass rush.
I am very excited for the future and expect a playoff game next year but there is no denying there is still a lot of holes in the roster at starting positions and zero depth.
Sandy, I enjoyed your comment, and get it too. I get that it is scary from the point of gelling with other players. I can see that being more of an issue on the offensive side of the ball than the defensive side though. The bottom line for me is that most of these players know each other. That is part of scouting; players on the current roster have as much pull of bringing someone in as a free agent because they are familiar with one another. It is not always the case, but it does happen quite a bit. This was clearly seen with Veldheer signing in Arizona. Sometimes it is a relationship with the coaches, and sometimes it is from a relationship with the GM/Owner. Sometimes it is the perception of the team, and the quality of the team (the one thing that is changing with the Raiders).
There are various factors involved in bringing in a Free Agent, but I would say, normally about 70-80% of these free agents coming in are based on some type of relationship that is already in the front office or someone on the roster. I believe Derek Carr was drafted by the Raiders due to the relationship the Raiders have with DeFilipo.
The reason it may take some free agents a year to get going is not relationship, but more learning the nuances of the defensive/offensive schemes. That is why I'm not too concerned about the Raiders. They have new coaches, new schemes to work on and learn. I think it will be better next season. I agree with you that playoffs next season is the expectation. There will always be holes to fill, but it is easier when the foundation to build on is in place; and that is what we have with the Raiders now.
On a different note, I really love this site. I appreciate you guys here and the different perspectives. Thank you Take. JUST WIN, BABY!
I haven't seen the Raiders 2016 FA list but the downside should be minimal... Amerson should be re-signed ASAP. That has to be a priority on a team with, arguably, no other decent CBs.
Probably safe to also assume the Raiders may have gained enough respectability with JDR and KN Jr to attract top FAs.
However, one clear downside in the FA market is the uncertainty of where the team will be playing next year and in following years. The stadium issue has hit a wall. Two moves are possible; one transitional and one permanent. Young players just coming into the league won't care but it will be a big issue for some vets.
Sandy, I'm pretty sure that's true. My point is that the uncertainty of a move (or two) may deter some FAs, particularly those with families. I don't blame Mark Davis. I think he's done everything he can and would already have a new stadium in Oakland if he could afford it. IMO by not contributing funds to a stadium project (sure they're offering a site) Oakland/Alameda are suggesting they stand to gain zero economic benefit from keeping the Raiders in Oakland. That's far from true, and they may actually put some businesses out of business, as well as all the jobs and taxable sales they will lose.
Think about all the cities that would bend over backwards to keep or attract an NFL franchise. Oakland is not one of them. Just the opposite. To that point, do you think if AL was still alive, Raiders would be going full steam ahead out of town?
A real eye opener. Raiders scored a grand total of 70 points in 4th quarter of games.
And keep in mind, 13 of those point were total garbage time vs Cincy.
Everyone knows most NFL games are won, or lost, in the 4th quarter. Raiders have to show they can make the adjustments at halftime, and win the 2nd half if they are going to be real contenders.
Sandy....True the LA market would attract more players to come to Raiders. But LA also brings many distractions, and temptations with it as well. Guess there's not much choice though.
Right now the Raiders are worth 1.4 billion. A move to LA will put them about 2.4 billion because they have to share stadium and revenues with the Dunderdolts. Not too mention the $550 million to move. The Raiders would actually be worth about 1.7-1.9 million the first few years (not too mention the loan they'd have to pay back to the NFL for the stadium they build). In Oakland, if the city/county can work a new deal with the Raiders and NFL to get a stadium done, they could save all 3 franchises, the Raiders will have a higher profit/revenue for themselves, and be worth more. With a new stadium in Oakland, no relocation fee, but a loan from the NFL. A new stadium would put the Raiders in a better financial situation than sharing a stadium and revenue in LA (not too mention the possibility of having to change to the NFC). I hope the Raiders stay in Oakland. I'm not sure they have the votes to move. We will see.
It's a bit surprising the Raiders are even worth that much, but that's the latest figure from Forbes ($1.43 billion as of Sep-2015; up about a half billion since 2014). It's probably a moving target because of all the potential fees and other costs of a new stadium. Even so, the $2.0 billion sale of the Clippers suggests premium valuations can be had. I might be biased, but I'd rather own the Raiders.
Interestingly, less than 4% of the current valuation is attributed to the Raiders brand, which is something AL worked so hard to popularize.
AL paid $180k back in '66! Think about that for a moment.
If Al were alive he would make a beeline for LA. Nate I think the Raiders would be worth far more in LA than Oakland even with another team. LA is one of the biggest markets in the US.
$70M+ cap space, a good core of young players, another draft to add talent/depth, overall franchise stability, a HC & QB to count on in the key Alpha Male leadership roles -- 2016 is our year to reach the dance after 13 years.
I'm excited and optimistic about the upcoming season which is a nice change.
Sandy - Raiders needed a pass rusher and Edwards had no record of success in that dept. in college (+/- 8 sacks total). Plus, some pundits had questioned his work ethic.
Then he was exemplarily in his first season with the Raiders.
Reading the articles on relocation I have a bad feeling the Raiders will be the odd man out San Diego and st. Louis in LA while Raiders stuck in Oakland playing in the worst Stadium in professional sports in North America. Scary shit
Sandy - that's how I see it. NFL owners don't want to give the Raiders anything, most of all a free pass to a much larger market. Plus, I don't think Mark Davis can afford to move out-of-market and pay any relocation fee; which means the owners would probably have to waive the fee to give the Raiders a fighting chance.
A's recently signed a 10-year lease, so somebody thinks O.co still has shelf life. Unfortunately, that deal makes it even more difficult for the Raiders, on several levels.
My prediction is that the Raiders' stadium issue remains stuck in neutral for a few more years. In that time, the team becomes more competitive, and perhaps draws more interest from the city/county and/or others. Even then, a move will likely involve Davis selling a stake in the team to generate the funds he will need.
Currently, Raiders play in one of the smallest stadiums in the league; and they have to block off the mezzanine so they appear sold out at games.
Arguably, this whole mess could be the result of 14 years of substandard performance.
So it's mind blowing that the Forbes valued the Raiders 50% higher in one year, from 2014 to 2015.
4 years into the McKenzie project and the Raiders have not achieved a .500 season. There a ton of examples of teams flipping in 1-2 years, it should not be acceptable. People seem to be ok with less than mediocrity because they have "made some improvements". Top picks all but 1 of those years and a truck load of cap money. He needs to be gone.
Watched the Steelers-Bengals game last night, and that is the kind of intensity the Raiders are going to have to play with on both sides of the ball. It was an ugly game, lot of cheap shots by both teams (Steelers got away with a bunch of crap), but in the end, the pundits will only talk about the Bengals meltdown; and rightfully so. It was ugly. You should check out the video of Burfict kneeing Big Ben in the shoulder twice after he sacked him and knocked him out of the game. The Raiders need to take lessons from this. Play aggressive and gritty, but keep a check on your emotions.
As far as that game last night, I blame the referees for not getting control of the game. Munchak should have been ejected after grabbing that dudes hair. Burfict should have been ejected after that hit to Brown. Joey Porter should have been ejected for being on the field (he claims to have been checking on Brown, but Brown was nowhere near where he was). Pacman should have been ejected for his actions. Refs were a joke in that game, lost control, but never did anything to get it back. The League should be handing down some fines and suspensions for both teams, and the refs.
Sharing a stadium with division rivals? Complete BS. Raiders, adios amigoes. You are now either Burger King or McDonalds, thanks to the No Funds League, and either team's ability to retain business. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/relocation-699539-committee-billion.html
Looks like the Raiders are going to be the odd man out of LA as it appears the NFL will approve a Rams/Chargers stadium in Carson. Question, now the the NFL Committee recommended the Carson Project, does Stan Kroenke still build his Inglewood stadium and buck the owners?
It shouldn't come as a surprise anyone that the Raiders would get shafted by a vote of the NFL owners. However, the Rams and Chargers have deep pockets and can make an expensive move and new stadium project work; whereas, the Raiders not so much.
Staying in Oakland will be the most cost-effective result for the Raiders, who simply can't afford to move.
Also, assuming both the Rams and Chargers move, the Raiders may stand to get a share of funds from the relocation fees paid by these teams. At the very least, it should fill the coffers of the NFL and perhaps open the door for more NFL participation with a new stadium in Oakland.
IMO, Mark Davis will need to sell a stake in the team to help fund a new stadium. While the city/county won't spend a dime of taxpayer money, they have agreed to provide a site (which they should lease to the Raiders for $1.00).
The status quo removes uncertainty - and at least some of the offseason distraction - of a move.
Told ya, it was all a charade. The plan was known a long time ago and just some fine tuning had to be done. They will remain what they are = the OAKLAND RAIDERS. The League will kick in some money, Mark said he has a lg junk to put into the Oakland project. What Oakland Raider fan wants them in LA again, baffling. The team lost it's identity in LA and it was the worst move Al ever made.
NY, Oakland/Alameda County has not agreed to provide a site. They feel Mark Davis is asking for too much land to build a new stadium. That is just one sticking point; which is why Mark has not said that he is happy to be staying in Oakland. In fact, on CSNBayArea, a reporter asked him if he was glad to stay, and his response was, "Stay where? We don't have a lease with Oakland, it expired. We don't have a place to play right now."
In fact, he is back looking at Portland, and there are reports here in Austin, that he has purchased land between Austin and San Antonio. It would make me happy if that happened, and a lot of other Raiders fans that have transplanted here. I dont think it will happen, but I'm hoping something will be done in Oakland. The problem is that this vote gives the city/county more leverage than Mark Davis. I think it was a move by the League to try and force Mark Davis to sell, and get the Raiders out of the Davis family.
Nate - I read somewhere that a site would be provided, but no taxpayer funding would be made available. I will try and find that article when I get a chance. Nevertheless, it is still a fluid situation, which includes the Raiders as a fallback option.
Mark's comments about having nowhere to play are a bit overblown. What are the chances O.co boots them out, or that they can't identify a reasonable substitute for the 2016 season?
I agree the city/county now have more leverage, but I'm not sure about the NFL vote being steered against Davis. IMO, it's more to do with finances. The NFL owners are conceding entry into the second largest market in the country. They want to get paid, which is something the Raiders can't afford.
PS even if we agree the city has more leverage, it's pretty meaningless considering they are not offering anything... including a site if what you say is true.
The Raiders have the worst stadium situation in north american pro sports. That has not changed since yesterday. $100 mm in NFL money does not even help in terms of building an NFL stadium.
The league is trying to push the Raiders into being a tenant of the 49ers which is equally distasteful to moving out of the state of california
Marc has done nothing proactive on the situation in the 5 years since Al died. He is an inept "Tommy Boy".
The only palatable solution in my opinion is to sell majority of the team to someone who is willing to finance a new stadium in the east bay.
Stadium issue long predates Mark's ownership; as AL also did nothing for a long time.
I guess it's possible the Raiders could become a tenant of the 49ers. As distasteful as that may sound, it might be a good short-term solution to put the ball back in the Raiders favor in Oakland.
Raiders might be better off signing a short-term lease someone beside O.co. Give the city/county something to chew on. They experienced a significant enough economic loss the first time the Raiders left that they invited them back. And perhaps they've experienced problems with the bond debt but you can't tell me the city/county doesn't benefit economically from having the Raiders in town. That's BS if they suggest that.
One final thought; Raiders Forbes valuation has more than doubled since Mark took ownership. With the money Davis has, plus financing available through the NFL, I think he has some options with respect to sale of non-controlling ownership interest and getting a stadium project off the ground. We all assume the Raiders will continue to get better on the field, so things may look different in another year.
Mark has to get APPROVAL by the other owners, you can't just up and move to Dumbfuck USA. The City is working with Mark and the NFL to get it done....Mark is overacting a tad. This has been the plan all along, it was all posturing and keeping the NFL in the news....they are playin ya.
AND ANYONE who advocates for the selling of the team to some dumbfuck owner who wouldn't care who Al Davis was or John Madden or any other great Raider = you are not a Raider...= get lost.
And why do you think the value of the Raiders has doubled???????? IT's BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR FUCKING HOUSE IN ORDER, told you it would take time and the world see's it....do you?
One more thing, why do you think they invested all that money on a training facility? BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY Weren't MOVING, you are being played.
The only chance of the Raiders building a new stadium is if a investor comes in to put up the majority of the $ required. Davis + city of Oakland + relocation fees + NFL doesn't = a new stadium. A super wealthy investor like Ellison of Oracle or other super wealthy investors is the only way to get a new stadium. Otherwise, it is more seasons at the worst professional venue in all of professional sports.
Personally, I can live with that IF the Raiders continue to improve as as a football team. I don't need shiny and new if I've got a playoff caliber, exciting team capable of eventually winning or competing for a SB.
I believe with continuance of the Raiders exploding in 'value', the City will want to be a part of that. if next year the team makes the playoffs, you will see a fever and the City will want to keep it. If and when the Raiders are truly relevant as a playoff contender every year, Oakland City would be insane to pass on it. Raider Nation is worldwide, the team becomes a powerhouse with star players....there is all the leverage Mark will need to get what he wants from the City. it's in process right now. City, Raiders, NFL will make deal , guaranteed. It's gonna be OK, Raiders are on the way, don't need to live in the negative past no more. It will take more time, but it will get done, it's OK, lol
"And why do you think the value of the Raiders has doubled???????? IT's BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR FUCKING HOUSE IN ORDER,
Really? Would you like a definition of value before you make that leap?
"Team values are enterprise values (equity plus net debt) and reflect pending moves into new stadiums. Revenue and operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) are for the 2014 season, net of revenue sharing and stadium debt service."
Raiders still have the second lowest value in the league. They are a 1.43 billion franchise against operating income of $39mm. That's valuation = 37x NOI. Yikes!
Bills are valued lower but generate more income. I guess that's because it had been largely assumed the Raiders would get a new stadium (with that uncertainty growing now).
The #1 team is Dallas, valued at $4.0 billion, against $270 million NOI, at a value factor of 14.8x NOI.
Even at $4.0 billion, Cowboys (at less than 15x income) appear to be a huge bargain compared to the Raiders (at over 37x). By this measure, the Raiders are grossly overvalued.
So, it's more like valuation is based on Raiders NOT getting their house in order. Even building a new stadium and taking on massive debt won't close that gap.
BTW, Clippers recently sold for $2.0 billion, inflating the value of virtually every pro sports franchise. Also, the Bills sale was over $1.0 bil.
IMO, Browns brass will not allow power trip but I will guess that Jackson learned from his mistakes in Oakland and will be a solid HC. He's a top OC in the league now.
Although, he would have been far better off going to the Giants, who have a QB. Jackson now has to deal with Manziel.
NY, From CSNBayArea, "Without reaching formal negotiations, there is already a large sticking point. The Raiders want more free land on the O.co Coliseum site than the city is willing to give. Without that, the Raiders contend, everything else is made difficult.
'It’s going to take land,' Davis said. 'We haven’t been talking about money, we’ve been talking about land.'"
Now, Libby Schaaf has come out yesterday and said that the City/County is willing to dispose of development near the BART location, and give some of that to the Raiders to build a stadium for a reasonable price. I assume this will bump the cost of a new stadium up. So Calico is right, it is going to take an investor. The problem has been with the last 3 proposals, that the investor wants more shares in the Raiders management than Mark Davis is willing to give; which is why the Raiders have rejected them.
The bottom line, the Raiders are back to square one. Taken with what Mark said afterward, that this is not a win for the Raiders, means he knows that he is going to have to be willing to give up more control and compromise to something he doesn't want. That doesn't mean he will not kick and scream and throw a fit. I think this was a direct swipe at the Raiders. The NFL will not make as big of a profit with the Rams/Chargers, as they would if the Raiders were in LA (the largest fan base in LA is the Raiders). The Chargers and Rams are second class to the Raiders fan base.
The NFL owners recognized that Oakland/Alameda are being fair, but the Raiders cannot afford it. They are not making it easy for them, and are cutting the rug out from under him. There were rumors that the Raiders could possibly get the relocation fees from both teams to help build a new stadium, but that was voted down quickly. He will get $100 million on top of $200 million already committed, but that still leaves a $300 million gap to what Davis wants. Now that Schaaf has offered new land, that cost grows. The NFL and Oakland/Alameda has forced Davis to bring on an investor, one that will want more shares in ownership than Mark wants to give; but he doesn't have a choice. They are doing to Mark what Al did to the original ownership when he bought the Raiders ... muscling him out.
"Hue Jackson new HC of the Browns. Any thoughts?" NY, I read that Hue took the job based on the action of getting rid of Manziel, he doesn't want to deal with him.
The Browns will cut Manziel, and Hue will go after a QB. Who he goes after? Who knows. I think McFadden will end up in Cleveland. He is done in Dallas, and they will probably cut him and go after a RB in the draft.
I hope he does well in Cleveland. He's a great coach/motivator and game plans to the strengths of his players. That is what makes him successful. If he can get a great DC/Asst HC like Lovie Smith, look out! The Browns could be playoff contenders next season with someone like that. Like Amy Trask said, "I would like to see how he does with a staff he hand picks."
I think the Browns got themselves one hell of a coach. Given the non-football people they hired to run the team it was a wise move to get Hue. He knows offence which is what the nil is about he is a brilliant play caller. Two, he has energy and passion.
Jones,
No one who writes in to Rt's blog wants to see Mark sell control and further dilute Al's legacy and the team's soul it is a sad reality of what may be the only option. BTW, you say a lot of crazy things but your statement that Mark is playing the nil and somehow is in the process of outsmarting the league and Oak is a real showstopper
CJ,
You are on point big time.. My only quible is being being in the coliseum which means being one of the less profitable teams it puts the Raiders at a disadvantage to become great.
NY,
Totally agree on the inflation re clips. The valuations for all teams are falsely inflated by my estimation 20-30% except for the premier teams, Dallas, NE, LA, NY Giants are inflated based of the out of market clippers price. BTW I think one day the Rams will be worth as much as the cowboys.
Marc's problem is not valuation its raising equity for a stadium. A stadium costs at least 1 bill if not 1.3 in Oak. The nil will kick in 500 (400 loans 100 equity) that means 500 to 800 mm in additional equity or loans. Marc has neither the cash or the cash flow to borrow.
If this sounds crazy, let me know, but could Raiders end up in San Diego ?
It looks like Chargers will go to LA, leaving SD without a team.
If the past tells us anything, it's that sometimes a city has to lose it's team before they wake up and reality hits.
Cases in point. Baltimore loses Colts, gets Ravens. St. Louis loses Cards, gets Rams(now loses Rams). Cleveland loses Browns, gets Browns back. LA loses Rams & Raiders, took a long time, but gets back Rams & Chargers(?).
Point is, maybe SD wakes up after losing Chargers, and comes around to woo the Raiders. Does this sound crazy ? Is it possible ?
Raiders already have a natural fan base in SD, and a large one at that.
The San Diego Raiders....I kind of like the sound.
The San Diego Raiders?! Ouch! Raiders fans fill half the stadium when they play there, so perhaps that helps make it a real possibility...
...because Oakland is not going to lift a finger to keep the Raiders. Zero investment means zero interest. Perhaps the A's sealed that fate by signing a long-term agreement. Losing the Raiders will impact lots of businesses and that overall economy.
If the Raiders moved to San Diego, they will eat the profit up that the Chargers/Rams expect to find in LA. Another possibility comes from Red McCombs who has built a plan that the Raiders want. The only problem is these plans are in San Antonio. Red went on San Antonio sports radio this morning and said he has 12 investors to make it happen, Mark Davis has land between Austin and San Antonio (45 minute drive apart) that is big enough for a stadium, and the Raiders have a huge following here because a lot of tech jobs have moved here to Austin, from California.
I think Mark is trying to convince Red to bring his investors to Oakland though. Red said the biggest problem is the need to make Mark want to be here, because he has deep sentiments in Oakland. This sounds crazier than San Diego, but San Antonio is a real option. Red told the sports radio guys that he would take care of any issues between Jerry and the Texans owner; and he has the power to do it too. If anyone has a bigger voice here in Texas, it is Red McCombs (former owner of the Vikings).
The problem is, Oakland is trying to attract more career jobs to help revamp the city. This is accomplished with the "Coliseum City." The A's and Warriors are on board with this plan. The Warriors are not sold that it can be done, so they are looking to move and have a plan in place. The Raiders don't like it because it takes away most of the parking for tailgating; and takes away from valuable concession profits. The 3 plans that Oakland has presented, that Mark has rejected, have been plans about Coliseum City. The A's have the where-with-all to make a profit around concessions; Mark Davis doesn't. Concessions is where the most money is made if football because they don't play as many games. Parking is another huge profit maker. This is a HUGE problem and I'm not sure that the Raiders or Oakland can come to an agreement on. Mark knows that if Oakland goes this route, and he stays, he will eventually have to sell the team.
That is why San Antonio is a viable option. He can have what he wants because he will own the land, stadium, and concessions.
Anon - thanks for that link. The $100 mil offered by the NFL to keep the Raiders in Oakland may just be another hurdle for them to get a new stadium completed. It may prompt the parties to try longer to negotiate a new stadium but, in the end, the city/county are worthless in this process.
It's possible the NFL just made it even harder for the Raiders.
I thought Jerry Jones and AL were friends, at least mutually respected each other. This arrangement was Jones making. He should personally put up the remaining funds the Raiders need.
Yeah the Raiders got the short end of the stick from the NFL but let's face facts a lot of the blame can be put on Mark and some on Al. The Raiders have not done anything pro-active to try and get a new stadium in years. Probably since Al was trying to secure the Hollywood Park site, 20 plus years ago.
It seems the NFL would also be happy to see Mark marginalized, as the only way for him to retain majority ownership is to be a tenant in the 49ers house as I think LA will not be available.
The NFL owners can be divided into three groups.
1) Uber billionaires like Kraft, Kroenke, Jones, Lurie, Snyder etc.
2) Old guard like Mara, Rooney families
3) Third rung losers who inherited their team and are largely useless such as Mark and Mike Brown and tend to be the have nots
It's very clear that Al Davis did nothing to prepare the Raiders for the future. Mark was unprepared and over his head. Even that is not entirely his fault.
Food for thought. One of the top 3 MVP candidates for this season and one of the QBs in the conference championship game this weekend was the quarterback when Reggie took over. The Raiders had one of the best in the league at the single most important positions in the game. He walked and in 4 years the Raiders have not achieved a .500 record.
Bryan - To your point, did you catch this from PFT?
"Ben, Peyton, Brady are 13 of the last 15 AFC Super Bowl quarterbacks"
Brady is now on his 10th AFC Championship game. So, yeah, having a good QB is vital.
To another point, some folks still squawk at Hue Jackson but he's a good coach, if only that he's a top OC in the league who's unproven as a HC (never had a chance in Oakland under AL).
Reggie made a conscience choice to fire Jackson, and maybe Jackson deserved it for his late season tirade but he clearly demonstrated a lot of passion to make the Raiders a winner.
The rest is history; McKenzie hired Allen and the Raiders coaching staff went into mental hibernation for three seasons prior to JDRs arrival.
In hindsight, I would have liked to see what Jackson could have done working with McKenzie for the three years we wasted with Dennis Allen. I don't question that it may have still led us to Del Rio (who, ironically, needs at least one more season to prove he is better for the Raiders than Jackson was then... just saying!).
Jackson is a savant as a playcaller. I loved how he brought energy and did the things like a ring walk with Andre Ward. There is good reason why he is rayed 1 by espn of the new coaches.
JDR brings a professionalism to the job and seems like a decent leader. However given his lack of offensive knowledge I wonder who will be the one to lift Carr to the next level. It sure is not going to be Musgrave.
I'm don't know what to think of Peter King. Some of his stuff is good, and some of it is outright horrible. There is no middle ground with him and the material he puts out. He did a piece about "what really went down" on the LA stadium vote. His conceptual argument was stupid, "Owners voted the deeper pockets" something everyone knew was going to happen.
At the same time, what is underlying in his article but not directly said is that the owners not only voted for the deep pockets, but it was a vote to begin pushing out the owners of the other 2 franchises (Raiders/Chargers) by forcing them to deal with their current markets. Dean Spanos is tired of San Diego politics, but he does not have any other market with a loyal fan base. Spanos is also an owner that doesn't have very many allies in the League. I think by forcing him to continue to talk with San Diego, knowing that he doesn't want to be a tenant with Kroenke; the League could force him to sell the team and move the Chargers to St. Louis, and help them re-invent a fan base.
The NFL knows that Mark Davis is not going to agree to anything Oakland/Alameda pushes out because it takes away his profits in parking and concessions. At the same time, if the deal is reasonable and Davis continues to reject, the League is going to work with Oakland by forcing Davis to sell. Oakland is a good market (better than Buffalo, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland), and with a Coliseum City, it has the chance to be a better market. The NFL knows this. It wouldn't surprise me if the Chargers and the Raiders had new owners by 2020.
The "deeper pockets" thing makes some sense because the Raiders simply can't afford a move that involves a hefty relocation fee, something the owners want to collect and seem to have absolute power over enforcing the amount. IMO, the owners think they're doing the Raiders a favor by denying the move and bringing part of the relocation fee(s) paid by others to the Raiders as compensation for denying their move.
Well deserved, as are selections for Mack and Woodson. It's a real shame that Woodson is retiring. Love to see him play with the Raiders during a season that really meant something... hopefully, that will be 2016.
I can not stand Peter King but I read the article you are referring to and in this case I think he was right on. Kroenke money was the difference. The owners could not stop him from moving, he had already broke ground and can pay for the stadium without outside funding.
Inglewood though not as good a location was a far better economic proposal for the league than Carson. Nate think about what went down and look at my post a few above. the billionaires won and the old guard lost.
Contrast Mark to the other owners he is way out of his league in terms of resources, intelligence and just general professionalism. He just does not have the gravitis.
I am not one to believe in conspiracy theories but the NFL has backed MArk into a corner of their choosing which is 49ers tenant or new ownership.
Nothing against TExas but if they become the San Antonio or St. Louis Raiders it will really be hard for me to cheer for them.
I agree, moving St Louis or San Antonio would be tough to digest. At least the Raiders have some history in LA, and even San Diego comes with a built-in fan base; although, that doesn't mean a lot to east coast fans.
However, I believe Davis has, or will have more options than tenant or sale. Davis probably has the ability to build without selling a controlling interest, and it might actually be affordable long-term if the Raiders can make the hyper leap back to being a winning org.
IMO, the problem is not as much Davis or the NFL owners as it is the city & county which expects to get back every penny of what they know was a bad investment with Al Davis.
I am interested to know how you could see Davis building a stadium with out new ownership. The math does not work. At least 1 billion cost, maybe minus 500 max from the nfl which is 400 in loans leaves a 500 hole to fill that by your own admission the city can't fill and Mark can't take on 900 in debt.
I think Mark may have to sell an interest but he probably could pull it off without selling his controlling interest. I don't exactly know how current ownership breaks down, but 20% sale should generate $300mm. With the $100mm the NFL is offering, doesn't that about close the gap Mark needed to build in the $850mm range. I don't think the Raiders ever spoke of spending a billion on a stadium in Oakland.
There may be debt options as well... possibly banking on the notion the Raiders may soon once again be a viable investment. However, there's the small problem of collateral. Not sure what an empty stadium is worth these days but I have a good guess.
Yeah, 5 Raiders make the Pro Bowl....Reggie sucks.
Let's not forget to complain that Palmer was traded or that Veldheer was let go or the Mario Edwards Jr was a horrible pick....even though Palmer had said he wanted out.....once again, this site is voted to dumbest Raider site of all time, except for me.
Who's voting Jones? Ooo you mean this site is devoted to...guess just the trolls are stupid. I am not a Raider , I am just a fan. Go make ur own sight and see if you are trolled
By the way, you are the troll, not me. I don't use multiple names and play troll games like you. Looks like the TRUTH has finally made you come out of the closet. LMFAO = go fuck yourself.
Looks like the clown uniform team is in the super bowl again. Hard to believe.
Aren't there any men playing in the NFL anymore ? All you have to do to beat Donks is hit P. Manning, AKA, Mr. wobble passes, one good shot, and that's it.
Oh well, guess we'll find out Feb 7th if NFC team can Man up, so to speak.
This will be the Doncos 9th Super Bowl appearance! All the mediots were quick to point that out last night, and how they tie the Steelers and Cowboys in this category. But failed to mention that they've only won twice. I hope the Panthers keep it that way. Meanwhile, Latavius Murray was selected to the Pro Bowl. Raiders now have: Marcel Reece, Charles Woodson, Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Latavius Murray, and Khalil Mack!
Nate....The thing about the Donks is, they always ride their tremendous home field advantage to many playoff, and now super bowl appearances.
But once away from their comfort zone of home field, they are quickly exposed as the ordinary team they are.
Of course, football fans now have to suffer through another Donko beatdown, while the NFL "experts" scratch their heads and wonder what happened. Donks AWAY FROM HOME, that's what happens.
My prediction: Despite Manning's last attempt to remake success, Cam Newton is state-of-the-art. Panthers will mop the field with the Broncos. This year's SB will be as lopsided as the NFC Champ game.
It will take bigger upset then 69 Jets for Donkeys to win this game.
Sure Donkey defense is a little better than 2 years ago. But guess what, their offense is a lot worse.
And those clown uniforms they wear. Donkeys are the only team, if you go back to the AFL days, that changed their uniform, and each time, made it even uglier.
Mike Silver, not known for his kindness to the Raiders; has a great piece on Al Davis. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000628997/article/al-davis-the-openminded-maverick
Las Vegas Raiders! Won't happen, but not just because the NFL doesn't want a team in sin city. It's because they aren't going to let the Raiders move anywhere.
Even more so because the Raiders simply can't afford to move without someone else paying the freight. Whatever relocation fees the Chargers and Ram are levied will set precedent for what the Raiders would pay, should they move. It sounds like hundred of millions are at stake, particularly if the NFL is willing to part with up to $100mm of that money for the Raiders to stay in Oakland.
NYR.....One option, if Mark Davis were to move the Raiders, is to simply not pay the relocation fee. And if the league blocks the move, sue the league claiming relocation fee is an illegal shakedown with no real merit.
Sandy - easy and inexpensive flights to Las Vegas. I've been to Oakland once to see a home game. I'd be in Vegas once a year. Moving to Vegas would be a tremendous economic boom for the Raiders.
PFT reported the Chargers may stay put in SD, at least another year. If they don't move that would open the door for the Raiders. But it still won't matter. The relocation fee is $550 million!
On the flip side, by the Chargers not moving, the Raiders stand to receive a smaller share of the relocation fees which, at least for now, only includes the Rams. So instead of $100mm, it might be $50mm.
But, it appears, the NFL is still prepared to help finance a new stadium in Oakland, with up to $300mm available (that's how much they offered the Chargers).
R-00 A midnight move, while very Al Davis-esk, is extremely unlikely by Mark Davis, who is far more of a straight shooter. Also, it defies the bylaws of the league. Davis is a franchisee who owns exclusive rights to Oakland. He has no inherent rights to other cities. Also, LA, for example, is the second largest market in the country. Owners aren't going to let the Raiders just skate into LA, nor should they... if I'm being objective.
My prediction hasn't changed. The stadium issue will continue to fester and the Raiders are stuck at O.co.
So we can sit back and watch which price goes up faster: The cost of building a new stadium, or the market value of the Raiders which Mark Davis will almost certainly have to sell a stake in order to afford a new stadium. One thing to keep in mind, interest rates are still near record lows. If rates climb, as they eventually will, the debt service cost becomes much greater. Debt service on hundreds of millions is nothing to sneeze at... if you have Mark Davis money and a long-failing franchise.
Chargers are staying in San Diego for the 2016 season instead of leasing LA Coliseum. They have reached an agreement with the Rams to join them in 2017.
LA is officially not an option for the Raiders. I think the League is forcing Mark to stay in Oakland, where he will lose profits from parking and concessions, and force his hand to sell. I just hope if this happens, Amy Trask is the one who buys.
"Also, it defies the bylaws of the league" ***********************************************************************************
True, but as Al Davis proved, just because NFL makes a "Rule", it doesn't mean it will hold up in court.
Relocation fee sounds like a shakedown to me. Fee is not helping the Raiders franchise, but rather damaging it, by limiting, or even stopping any move. Smells fishy to me.
R-00 - Al might have tested those waters but, in that vein, what's to keep the Raiders from moving to Dallas or NY, or anywhere that a franchise(s) already exists. I don't think this would play out the way it did in the 80s. Even with Davis's case as legal precedent, the NFL probably set whatever safeguards it needed to prevent that from ever happening again. The relocation fee might be part of that safeguard.
Nate - The way I read it, the Chargers only delayed their decision, leaving the Raiders hanging for at least another year. Spanos agreed to terms with the RAMS but also gave SD time to complete a vote needed to pass the proposed public funding for a new stadium. Chargers might still end up staying in SD, and all that has to happen is to pass a vote for what SD officials have already proposed.
Raiders would have been better off if the Chargers just moved. Then they would receive a share of the relocation fee as consolation.
Seems like everything the NFL, Rams and Chargers do just continues to hurt the Raiders. Maybe there is a lawsuit brewing! You'd still need Al's balls to initiate it.
Chargers have a year to exercise their option to join the Rams, and they have the ability to extend that option another year should SD vote favorably to subsidize a new stadium (presumably a contingency to protect the Chargers during that process).
So the Chargers have the ability to delay the Raiders access to LA for two years, after which the Raiders have another year to decide if they want to become a tenant with no equity at the Rams new stadium in Inglewood. That's three years!!
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf:
"I recognize that the Raiders have a powerful brand and that they will always have options outside of Oakland," she said. "And, I remain committed to proving to them that Oakland has the most to offer them."
Is she f'n kidding? What are they offering?
If they were offering anything at all, this probably wouldn't even be news. They'd be building a stadium.
San Diego can delay a move to LA, but only had a year to reach an agreement with the Rams if they were going to move or not. Basically, the Chargers have given San Diego this next season to make a decision about keeping the Chargers.
I say the Raiders are officially out of Los Angeles because Stan Kroenke has made it clear he does not want to enter any agreement with the Raiders or Mark Davis. He knows that the Raiders have a bigger brand in Los Angeles, and he would lose money in that deal. I think that is more of the "League" talking than Stan, the "League" doesn't want the Raiders in LA, which is why they voted the way they did.
The Chargers just gained the upper hand on San Diego with the agreement with the Rams. This is a move the Chargers cannot delay. They either go in a year, or they don't. They only thing that can delay a physical move to San Diego is the stadium (which is to be completed before 2018 season). If Chargers move, they will probably play at the Chavez Ravine for a season. Not sure that San Diego will get something done for the Chargers that they would like.
Raiders, meanwhile, have no backing from the League, and no backing from the city; just lip service from both. Mark Davis lost the majority of his investments from the inheritance tax; and is struggling. It doesn't help that Mark Davis does not own the land the Raiders play on; and his profit-making abilities are few. League wants more owners like Kroenke and Jerry. They forced DeBartolo out of San Fran, and now they are trying to do the same to Mark. Right now, nothing can stop the Raiders from looking elsewhere. They have been approved to look at locations to re-locate the team. They would have to be approved once a site is selected, unless, Mark imitates his dad and does it without League approval.
"Mark Davis lost the majority of his investments from the inheritance tax"
I wasn't aware he paid any taxes yet. Isn't Carol Davis still alive? She more or less owns the team.
Clearly, Mark is not the renegade that Al was; not even close. So he would presumably face a large relocation fee (up to $550mm) just like the Rams and possibly the Chargers. That fee is bigger than his bankroll, so trips to San Antonio, LA, Vegas or anywhere else are probably a waste of his time.
You should google Tim Brown's interview with Rich Eisen yesterday. I saw it on Twitter because I follow both. Tim talked about why he feels Bill Callahan sabotaged the Super Bowl against Gruden and the Bucs. He said all week, the Raiders offense practiced to pound the ball with Wheatley to use the size advantage of the O-line against Tampa's small defense. The last practice (Friday) before the game, Callahan changed the plan to go with the offense scheme/plan they used all season; the plan/scheme that Gruden knew. Tim says no one has ever done that in the history of football at any level. Most players went looking for Al Davis to tell him of the changes and complain about it, but Al had gone "somewhere" (according to Tim) and the players couldn't reach him until it was too late. It makes me angry, because I felt that Callahan should have changed up how they did things. To know that he did initially, and then change it all back on the final practice shows just how absurd of a coach he was.
Interesting. I seem to recall John Lynch having revealed that Callahan didn't even change the audible calls from the previous year, meaning every time Gannon audibled, Tampa Bay literally knew what was coming. I never thought there was anything sinister behind it; I just thought Callahan was that stupid.
Brown has claimed that many times. Marcus Allen and others have written in their books that Al Davis regularly changed game plans right before games, which could have directly or indirectly led to the Super Bowl stupidity, as Brown suggests.
Well, Roger Goodall was finally right. You can get hurt watching football from your sofa. Because it was painful watching the worst super bowl in NFL history.
A stink-fest, slop-fest, mistake-fest game, in which it appeared neither team belonged on the NFL's big stage. Cam Newton=not ready for prime time. Peyton Manning= way past his prime. Even when they win, the clown clad Donkeys find a way to screw up the big game. What a stinker.
As for Tim Browns comments. Lets keep in mind that center, Barrett Robbins went bonkers before the game. Adam Tru, his replacement, Weighed 290 lbs. Robbins weighed 330 lbs. So this could be a reason to go away from the ground, & pound, that was practiced all week.
Glad to hear Snake finally gets into the hall. Better late then never I guess.
Raider00, Barrett didn't go bonkers until Saturday night. Adam Tru didn't know until gameday that he was even starting. That was a blow to the Raiders for sure, but not as much as Callahan changing the power run game, to an offense that played into Tampa's hand. He was out of coaching in the NFL for 4 years until he got into the Browns as a coach, and is now with the Cowboys.
Marcus Allen and others say that Al Davis changed plays during games as he listened to the plays being called, if he didn't like it, he called in himself and changed it. He was always involved in game-planning, and changed it when he didn't like it, but that happened during practices (which he was a part of); never after a practice or at the end of a week. Al Davis was proactive, not reactionary. It is a big reason why coaches either hated Al, or loved him.
So to say he would always change the game plan, yes, but never at the level that Callahan did at the Super Bowl. Never changed the whole game plan on the last practice.
Who looked uglier last night, John Elway or the Doncos' owner? Holy good Lord, she was horrendous looking! I have a lot of respect for Peyton, I hope it is the end of the road for him. Doncos will be no better than the Texans a few years ago now. Their Defense will wear out (much like the Raiders did a few years ago) because of being on the field too much due to lack of offensive production. Aqib Talib should have been ejected for the face mask tackle in the 1st Quarter. In fact, if it wasn't the Super Bowl, he would have been ejected. He is a dirty player. I don't know who's more dirty, Aqib Talib or Richard Sherman. Either way, the Doncos still suck, and I can't wait until the Raiders punch them in the face next season. JUST WIN, BABY!!
Nate...I guess what I'm saying is, after Robbins was out, and replaced by the lighter in weight Adam Tru. Maybe Callahan decided that using the power running attack was no longer the best option.
If you go back and look at that game, you'll see that Tru did get shoved, and pushed around pretty easy. And a lot of the pressure by Tampa, on Gannon, came from right up the middle. Not to mention that the center makes all the calls at LOS regarding blitzes, and Tru did not have a full week of practice. Tru was very overmatched.
I don't think anyone suggested AL "always" changed game plans. We don't know what happened behind the scenes, and it's possible neither does Brown. Gannon was league MVP, as was Newton. Perhaps playing to that strength was too obvious. On the other hand, how do we know a power running game would have worked?
As for yesterday's game, I think those assessments don't give enough credit to the defenses. No way, IMO, the Raiders team that beat the Broncos a few weeks ago could have done much against the defense they fielded yesterday.
On another note, does anyone else find it interesting that John Elway won a SB in the same year after firing his entire coaching staff? And having P Manning as his QB was almost a non-factor. Am I missing something?!
Raider00, I get what you are saying, my point is the game plan was changed by Callahan prior to Robbins' incident. At the last practice (a Friday), Callahan changed what they had practiced all week. The next day (Saturday) Barrett went AWOL.
Run blocking is easier than pass blocking too; which would have helped Treu. NY, I think Tampa would have lost to a power run attack. The Bucs played Pittsburgh in a game that year, and the Steelers shut them out 33-0 with a power run offense, that also spread the WRs in the field. From what I gather (from what Brown has said) that was the general idea the Raiders were going to take.
00- McKenzie needs to do something spectacular if he wants Elway status.
Elway has been steadily making good choices in the draft and free agency, then totally blew up the coaching staff and replaced them with first-year SB winners.
Fired from last year's staff was Jack Del Rio. I like JDR and KNJ but there's no question Wade Phillips hit it out of the park for the Broncos this year.
So I'm starting to see some Mock Drafts appear. I like walterfootball, but have also read Sports Illustrated has a 2 round mock (which I think is a joke), as they have Joshua Perry (OLB, Ohio St) going to the Raiders in the 2nd, and indicate the Raiders would move him inside. What? A lot of these mocks have the Raiders picking different CBs, from Vernon Hargreaves, Mackensie Alexander (yes in the first round), and others. Though I wouldn't mind Hargreaves, I don't think he is there at #14. The rest want to make me PUKE as first round picks!
So this got my brain working. Who do I want to see the Raiders target? Right now I feel the battle is won in the trenches, as indicated by this last Super Bowl. So I am thinking of the right side of the O-line. But I am also thinking about the MILB spot, which is just as important on the defensive side of the ball, and a needed position for the Raiders. Even though I like Neiron Ball, I think he'd be better on the outside, and would compliment Malcolm Smith. So if the Raiders do not address this position in Free Agency, they need to address it in the draft. Also, the Raiders are concerned about Mario Edwards' neck injury. The reality is he may never play again. That is speculation at this point, because the Raiders are really really tight-lipped. So they may be looking for a DE too.
My feeling is that if Reggie Ragland (ILB, Bama) is there at #14, the Raiders choice is easy, but most mocks have him going in the top 10. Jaylon Smith (ILB, Notre Dame) is another guy most mocks have going high, but he tore his ACL and may drop to the 2nd round depending on his recovery. If this happens, it would be a HUGE benefit for the Raiders to target the right side of the O-Line, and go after Smith in the 2nd. The bottom line, Reggie Ragland is who the Raiders should target. If they can't get him, then they need to look to fill the right side of the O-Line.
If Reggie Ragland is not there at #14, any of these players are who the Raiders should consider (IMHO): Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame, 6-5, 315 lbs. He took over at LT last season to replace Zac Martin. He started at ND as RT. Most scouts have him as lacking power; but he had plenty at the RT spot a few years ago. I think the lack of power came due to shifting to the other side of the line. Get him back at RT, and he will plow again.
Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan St, 6-6, 325 lbs. He is a LT coming into the draft, but I think could be a better RT. Give him time to adjust to the other side of the line.
Germain Ifedi, OT, TX A&M, 6-5, 320. Most scouts don't like him at LT and indicate that teams would move him inside at Guard. I think he moves to RT. Also, most scouts have him in the 2nd-4th rounds, even though walterfootball says, "Ifedi has more strength and nastiness to him than some other recent Aggie offensive line prospects like Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews and Cedric Ogbuehi. However, Ifedi isn't as quick or athletic to be a left tackle like that trio." That is why I would try him at RT.
In the 2nd Round the door is wide open: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio St Vadal Alexander, OG, LSU Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, OK St Carl Nassib, DE, Penn St Jonathan Allen, DE, Bama Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson James Bradberry, CB, Samford Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Once upon a time, when Raiders signed a three-year stadium lease, we all thought that would be the bridge they needed to secure a site and build a new stadium. It's been status quo since, and the Raiders just signed another one-year deal with the county. Honestly, I don't see this arrangement changing anytime soon.
If Mark Davis wants my advice, I say just keep making trips to Vegas. That's the only way to keep your sanity on this issue. Good luck!
Nate - you always have a lot of insight about the draft and college players. I've seen Conklin named with the Raiders. This year is actually tougher because the Raiders are not selecting in the top five for a change. I'll take a look at some of your suggestions.
NY, I think it is also just as equal to consider how the Raiders address these needs in Free Agency as well. Here are some of my thoughts about free agency. Eric Berry (S, Chiefs) is a free agent, but will the Chiefs try to low-ball his salary after battling cancer? If so, does he look elsewhere or take the pay cut? This is a situation to watch.
In Dunver, Osweiller, Von Miller, Brandon Marshall (ILB), and Danny Trevathan (ILB) are all free agents. With Ware, D Thomas, Aqib Talib, and even if Peyton Manning retires or is cut; the Doncos don't have a lot of cap room, and may target Osweiller, Miller, and Marshall leaving Trevathan with the short straw and looking for a new team. He's a beast! I'd love to have him in Oakland and allow Ball to move outside with Malcolm Smith, and Mack at DE permanently. This is a HUGE for Reg to keep his eye on, and may be the best option at MLB for the Raiders.
Other realistic possiblities at MILB are players that the Raiders can get at a cheaper price in FA and still target for depth in the draft. These players would be: Jarod Mayo (NE, age 30), Keenan Robinson (Wash, age 27), and Sean Weatherspoon (Ariz, age 28).
At CB, Reggie clearly has indicated his intention to re-sign Amerson. But they need someone to compliment his play, and move TJ Carrie back to his natural position at Safety. Brandon Boykin (Pitts, age 26) seems like a great fit here. Pittsburgh did not utilize him much last season until December. I don't know if it was because he was in the doghouse or what, but he was a healthy scratch for most of the season, and when he came in, he was lights out. I wonder if Tomlin just let him play to show other teams what he is capable of, and do not have plans of signing him. The Raiders could get him at a reasonable price and move Hayden to nickel or dime packages, while continuing to bolster this position in Free Agency and the draft.
Other notable CBs: Bice McCain (Mia, 29), Jerraud Powers (Ariz, 29), Antwon Blake (Pitts, 26), and Shareece Wright (Bal, 29).
At safety, the most interesting team to watch is the Bengals, who have their top 2 CBs as free agents, and their top safety. Do they sign Pacman and Leon Hall and let Safety George Iloka go? Speculation is they are going to sign Leon Hall and Iloka and let Pacman go. Another thought is that the Bengals Safeties were good because of Pacman and Hall's play at CB, freed them up to do whatever. It will be interesting to watch, because if they let Iloka go (who is 26), the Raiders can get him at low $$.
Other safeties to watch: Eric Berry (KC, 27). I love Berry, one of the toughest competitors. Michael Griffin (Ten, 31), Omar Bolden (Den, 27), Robert Blanton (Min, 26), and Walter Thurmond (Phi, 29).
Tackles: Ryan Schraeder (RT, Atl, 28). Does Reggie spend big $$ on the O-line like he did with Hudson? Will he re-sign Donald Penn as well? Andre Smith (RT, Cincy, 29) would be an interesting choice too. Not much in the Tackle area as far as FA goes, but besides Penn, the Raiders may lose K Barnes, J'Marcus Webb (who was stellar at RG), and Tony Bergstrom to free agency.
Guards: Kelechi Osemele (LG/LT, Bal, 27). This could be another stellar sign if Penn walks, and may help ease those who are still complaining about losing Veldheer. Alex Boone (SF, 29). Tough and nasty Guard in the League, worth the $$.
Other Guards to get on the cheap that would provide depth to target starters in the draft: Vlad Ducasse (Chi, 28),Amini Silatolu (Car, 27), and Brandon Brooks (Hou, 27).
Finally, at DE, there is not much in FA to really go after. Raiders are extremely tight lipped about Mario Edwards Jr. His neck injury stems from a condition he has had since birth (narrowing of the spine). He may never play again, and that seems to be the currently possibility.
Derek Wolfe was the one to watch, but he re-signed with the Doncos. Walters Football has Olivier Vernon (Mia, 26) as a high ranked DE, but his stats are less than stellar. It will be interesting to see what the Chiefs do with Tamba Hali, and George Selvie (NYG, 29) didn't have a terrific season, but the Giants overall didn't have a terrific season. It will also be interesting to see what happens to Jason Pierre-Paul.
Other DE's to watch: Quinton Coples (Mia, 26), Derrick Shelby (Mia, 27), and Adrian Clayborn (Atl, 28).
Nate - Raiders are flush with cash, i.e., cap space, again this year. Sky is the limit, so let's see what rabbit McKenzie can pull out of his hat.
I would note that something needs to be done at LT. Penn has been serviceable but McKenzie has not reached out to Penn to discuss the possibility of coming back. Penn just the other day was questioning to the media the Raiders motives for not reaching out to him to even open the line of communication.
Is this another Veldheer set-up by McKenzie? Hopefully, McKenzie can upgrade the position but it seems that he might be playing with matches again so soon after getting burned. Though, I hope for an upgrade!
Jerry Mac said that PFF may actually rank Penn ahead of Veldheer in 2015 but that's an absolute joke. Palmer holds the ball, whereas, Carr masterfully avoids pressure. If Penn and Veldheer switch teams, Penn would have another season like the one that got him kicked out of Tampa.
IMO, letting Veldheer walk for average money was the second biggest mistake McKenzie has made in his short GM career.
Texans have released Arian Foster! Raiders are looking for a RB to compliment Murray, here he is. Yes, he has battled injuries, but he did not have a solid backup in Houston. Make the call Reggie!
Nate - we consistently disagree on this front. IMO, bringing in a vet RB is overrated. Worse, Foster was injured last year and was released due to "failed physical."
That's good enough for me. Too many young and hungry RBs out there to waste time, money and a roster spot. Trent Richardson, Helu, etc. Raiders can do better, and should expect more.
The big news now is Raiders rolling the dice at LT. Starting to look like they will let Penn hit the FA market. Not an easy position to fill. Don't be surprised if Kalif Barnes is the starting LT next year.
Unofficially official, the Raiders grab the best Lineman in free agency! Contracts with Kelechi Osemele can't be signed until tomorrow, but this will make 2 years in a row the Raiders snag the best offensive lineman in free agency. So Will Osemele be playing LT or RG? Either way this signing is an instant upgrade.
Raiders ahve signed Kelechi Osemele from the Ravens who can play both OG or OT. he's a beast, and the #1 free agent at the Offensive Line position. One of two things, he will either replace Donald Penn at LT(but I hope we keep Penn), or he or Gabe Jackson could replace J'Marcus Webb at RG. Menelik Watson could be moved to RG, but he is really injury prone and even if he comes back, should be a depth chart player.
My thought is that he replaces Penn,unfortunately, who is getting older. I think Penn still has a few years left, and he is a tenacious Tackle, and a quality leader. I was okay with his signing, and thought he was equivalent to Veldheer. Also, Penn provides stability for Watson, Osemele to get back into the groove of playing.
As far as RB, NY, Ian Rappaport is reporting that the Raiders have reached out to Chris Ivory. I think that is fair, but I am not sure he will be any different than Helu. At least with Foster, when he is healthy, he is a beast, and plays above average. I heard Seattle is interested in Foster since Marshawn retired. If I had the choice between Ivory or Foster, it would be Foster in a heart beat.
I'm having to follow the action from across the pond, this is good stuff. looks as though the Raiders may be poised to snag more than one CB on the market. What a difference a year makes, we made waves last year in our signings this year it seems that we are making Waves! I really am pleased with the direction our ship is heading. Topher
Nate - Ivory and Helu are as night and day as you can be. Ivory is a tenacious runner. Helu was known as a 3rd down back who can catch, i.e., until he completely disappeared from sight after signing with the Raiders.
Ivory is reported to be signing with the Jags, who have been very aggressive so far.
Most of the Raiders failures in the running game have been at the line. Pursuing Osemele was smart. Penn has been serviceable but he's a stopgap player who has overachieved with the Raiders thanks to Carr's tremendous ability to avoid pressure and get rid of the ball. Even with that, last year was a sharp spike in sacks, and Penn had more than his share of pressures.
LT needs an upgrade, whether it's Osemele or someone else.
Let's hope the Raiders stay aggressive and find one or two solid corners. CB was by far the Raiders worst failure last year. Lots of options in FA for immediate upgrade(s) and in the draft for long-term.
Raiders lose the race for Janoris Jenkins, Doug Martin, and are still pursuing Chiefs CB Sean Smith. If we can lock up Smith, and get a safety like Walter Thurmond, or Reggie Nelson at a reasonable rate. I don't think the Raiders should pursue Weddle, and I know I may be in the minority with that view. I still hope they re-sign Donald Penn and Tony Bergstrom too and see what they can get out of Osemele at RG, and have solid depth on the O-line. I think the signing of Osemele and Bruce Irving may change how the Raiders draft. Especially if they do not sign a strong CB like Smith. With Osemele, the Raiders could still draft a solid Tackle too. I'm loving the moves Reggie has made out of the gate. I'm loving how the Raiders played last season that made players want to come this year.
Doncos losing players! Brock Osweiler signs with the Texans. They went from Manning and future QB, to no one! There is rumors that Kubiak will go after RG3 or Kaepernick. Talk about 5 steps in the wrong direction. This makes my day!
Alex Boone is going to the Vikings, Forte to the Jets, and Lamar Miller (overrated) to the Texans. Chargers keep going after WRs signing Travis Benjamin. Is Matt Millen their GM? Holy crap! Doncos, Chiefs, and Chargers are imploding. Good day for the Raiders!
Danny Trevathan signed with the Bears, and by designated the lowest possible RFA tender to CJ Anderson, the Doncos may lose him too! I will be happy if Von Miller and Aqib Talib become the next Burfict/PacMan Jones in regards to onfield immature tandems/meltdowns.
Only Gary Kubiak and John Elway would think that RG3 and or Kaepernick would be an upgrade to losing Osweiler, so I'm not sure that these are real options for the Doncos, or smokescreens to who they really want. If these names are smokescreens, then the QB they will go after is Fitzpatrick, which would then be a scary good move to let Osweiler go. At the same time, Fitz does not fit with Kubiak's system, he is more of a "run/gun" type QB. Maybe they make a trade for Sam Bradford. Hahahaha, this is awesome!
Indeed. Things shaking up in the AFCW and mostly benefitting the Raiders... if for no other reason than the Raiders don't have any valuable FAs to lose. M King was perhaps the Raiders top FA, and he was re-signed earlier. Penn wants to stay in Oakland but it's not clear if the Raiders wants him back.
Broncos have no QB, and they have lost some key FAs. Chiefs too, mostly on D.
Raiders sign Sean Smith! That is 3 of the top 20 Free Agents that the Raiders have signed!
Elway took a parting shot at Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan by saying that he only wanted to sign players that wanted to be here. What a loser! No class whatsoever!
"Elway took a parting shot at Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan by saying that he only wanted to sign players that wanted to be here. What a loser! No class whatsoever!"
Nate - That was the same stance the Raiders took with many players who left Oakland. It seemed as though Elway made a fair offer for Osweiler to stay in Denver. The guy has seven career starts, including a loss to the Raiders. Did you see the comparisons with Matt Flynn?
Based on everything that's gone down (pun intended) so far in the AFCW, the Raiders are looking up.
Raiders are signing all the big boys.....just like that guy Jones told ya how it would go down.....who's calling for Reggie's job? HUH? What's that? Not a fucking soul? A complete 180 done by little Marc and Big Reg.....and you fucker are still wondering? Still bringing up Flynn? Veldheer? fuckin fruit loop.
That's deep, Jones. There's never been a doubt in my mind that you're trolling this site waiting for any opportunity to spout. Funny part is, my reference to Flynn was not in any way directed at the Raiders. Seattle was the team that initially signed Flynn, you idiot!
I though Sean SMith and KO were great signings. Bruce Irvin is athletic and above avg but no star. taht beings aid he is a huge step up from Ray Ray Armstrong
KO was signed to play tackle you don't pay a guard that kind of money.
I see the holes as one more O lineman, I don't think Penn is back. Combine that move with two more dbs (hopefully wedell and a good draft pick), a starting de and playoffs are a real possibility
IMO, Raiders have three solid OL players but still need two.
Hudson Jackson Osemele
The rest of the field is marginal, at best. Raiders seem to have little or no interest in retaining Penn or Webb. Howard was bad at RT and worse at RG; and Watson can't be counted on.
Webb signed with Seattle, and Penn is looking around. That these guys started 16 games in 2015 and the Raiders are letting them walk speaks to how bad the OLine was last year.
HAHA, you idiot, Penn just signed...are you going to cry about Veldqueer now? This years O-line is going to be one of the tops in the league....and still you cry. Reg was letting Penn see for himself that he wasn't going to hit on the BIG contract. So Penn resigned to Reg and the deal is done. Reg is proving himself to be a top GM in the League. I guess you were wrong about that too....LMFAO....you are the dumbest 'Raider fan' ever.
I am a Raider...and you aren't, you fraud piece of shit.
I'm happy he has re-signed. He is not only a premier tackle, but a leader in the locker room. He, Gabe Jackson, Hudson, and Osemele are the nasty we need on the O-Line! I wished the season started tomorrow because I'm freaking beside myself. JUST WIN, BABY!
Jones, are you still mad that you've made so sooooo many miscalculation about the Raiders' road to recovery? Let's all get on the Jones' train and hail to Dennis Allen, Greg Knapp and Jason Tarver. Praise Matt Flynn, Matt Schaub and Matt Lienart.
Thank goodness we "intentionally tanked" all those games to end the 2014 season... even if it did cost the jobs of every coach on the team. Thankfully!
Yeah! You're batting 1.000.
At least there's still one thing we can all be sure.
On one hand, it was smart to re-sign Penn because it's not a like a serviceable LT would just fall into the Raiders lap, like Penn did after the McKenzie whiffed at replacing Veldheer with Saffold. However, the Raiders paid Omesele LT money and he's played LT before... so there was a backup.
From quotes posted in the media, Penn was pissed at the Raiders for not negotiating a new deal with him prior to the start of free agency (sound familiar?), and because they first signed Omesele.
It took Penn arranging a meeting with the Giants for the Raiders to get a deal done.
In the end, they are probably lucky Penn wanted so much to stay with his teammates.
Either way, Penn is no more than a stopgap. Raiders need a LT. Hopefully, they will draft somebody who brings long-term stability to the position.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz = same old shtick....can you get some new angles? They are so outdated and so is your thought process, it's embarrassing to REAL Raider fans.
Omsele has been paid a lot to play guard but I suppose the long term plan is to move him to LT. In the meantime the Raiders probably have the best interior threesome of any o-line in the NFL.
Resigning Penn leaves holes at DE, and two to three starters still needed in the secondary. Perhaps another lb. If they can draft a starter in the 1st or 2nd round, perhaps this is the year they challenge for the playoffs.
How do you feel about Karlos Dansby. Not sure if they have a solid starter at mlb. Smith is more of a tweener, Ball is coming off injury and better on the outside and Heeney is so-so.
Sandy - No doubt, on paper the Raiders look good at OLine. They were successful upgrading center last year, and this year at G. I'm confident Mike Tice and JDR will field their best five, which could leave Penn as an expensive backup. However, my understanding is Osemele is a better G than T.
On D, don't discount Ben Heeney. He looks like a baller. Just needs more experience. I see Heeney as the sleeper in last year's draft. Raiders are pretty set at LB (they have options at MLB). However, they still need DE, S and RB to fill some pretty big holes.
Mario Edwards' injury remains a mystery. If he can't return, that sets us back a bit. Apparently, his alignment is more long-term, and was known prior to the draft... although, perhaps not by the Raiders.
Raiders should match whatever offer Dallas made to Mayowa. He's a pretty solid edge player off the bench.
This is well written. The author makes some really good points; although, some could be debunked by a single transaction.
http://tinyurl.com/haxqgkk
Some of this points to what I've been saying... Vet RBs are overrated. They extend that notion to MLBs, suggesting outside LBs are more athletic and transition well inside. Damien points out that Wheeler and M Smith were both moved inside and performed well.
I am banking on Heeney and Ball covering the middle in 2016, with Smith being the safety net again.
NY, JDR spoke with Penn immediately after they signed Osemele (according to Penn on a Sirius Radio interview, the one where Penn said he was pissed). JDR assured him they got Osemele to play interior Guard until Penn retires in 2 years. Penn has made it clear that this is his last contract. So the plan is not Penn being a backup, but will play LT and ride off into the sunset.
I also believe that Bruce Irving was signed to be the other DE to offset Mack. Smith is a good sign, but he said in Seattle's defense he was used sparingly, and wants the opportunity to show his skills. Norton Jr knows his skills, and will utilize them. I think this is an above average signing, and he's more than a tweener. Under Pete Carroll, he was used minimally. Norton and JDR has confirmed that they brought him in to showcase what he is capable of. I think our issue at MLB has been solved with Smith, and he will surprise a lot of people. The bottom line though, we need depth at this. Heeney and Ball will be the OLBs. I'm glad we rid ourselves of Lofton.
I think we need to focus on Safety and CBs. I still think we use the first and second picks of the draft to bolster the O-Line and D-Line. I think we take Ronnie Staley (OT, Notre Dame) to develop to replace Penn with the first pick. Yet this is a tricky pick for the Raiders. I think there may be an overlooked exception that most NFL pundits are not talking about; Derrick Henry (RB, Bama).
A lot of these "pundits" do not have Derrick Henry going in the first round, and have Ezekiel Elliot going first to the Cowboys at #4, or somewhere between 4 and 12. I think Henry is the better RB of the two, but how much did he waste in Bama? I think Henry could be a steal in the first at #14 with the Raiders, or if he falls to us in the second round. I think this is where the Raiders will need to have a feel for what other teams are going to do. Outside of Elliot and Henry, the RB draft is pretty thin. A surprise at this position in the draft may be Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois) in the middle rounds (3-5), or Tra Carson (TX A&M) in the mid-late rounds.
Nate - Your description of Penn sounds like a scholarship ride to retirement. I hope it's not. Raiders should field their best players, regardless of Penn's feelings. It's anyone's guess why the Raiders waited until after free agency started to sign Penn.
I believe Smith can wear the audio set without playing in the middle, but it will be interesting to see how that vets out with Heeney and Ball in the mix. I doubt JDR or Norton would reveal their intentions with personnel before OTAs and the draft (or ever for that matter).
For the draft, I think the Raiders have to attack OL, DE and/or S in the early rounds. Mid-late rounds RB and depth.
NY, I think Penn is a nasty player, and one of the most underrated Tackles in the League! He is going to earn his money, like a real leader does. The Raiders locker room has much respect for Penn on both sides of the ball, and that is rare for one guy to be a leader on both sides of the ball the way Penn is, and the way CWood was. His contract is incentive heavy ($3.5 million guaranteed for each year, for $7 million total; if he meets all incentives, his contract is $14 million for 2 years). That is not scholarship, that is respecting a hard workers wishes. Penn has earned that respect.
Penn said in the interview that he was pissed because Reggie and JDR had been talking with him that they were going to bring him back, and were working out a contract with him, then all of a sudden they were silent. The next thing he knew, they signed Osemele. He was worried that they didn't want him anymore, and JDR reached out to him and gave him the scoop that he was still being signed and Osemele will be playing inside.
I agree too that they should go after O-Line with the first pick (Ronnie Staley). I'm just saying that if Derrick Henry is truly there, I would cry if they picked him either. But I think Trent Richardson, Mark Ingram, and Eddie Lacy have ruined the NFL's view of Bama Running Backs.
My draft hope for the Raiders: Ronnie Staley or Jack Conklin Beniquez Brown (ILB, Miss State) Karl Joseph (S, WV) or Jeremy Cash (S, Duke) James Bradberry (CB/S, Samford) or Deiondre Hall (CB, Northern Iowa) Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois) Anthony Zettel (DE, Penn State) Isaac Seumalo (C, Oregon State)
The Raiders Oline is made better by the savvy of Derek Carr. Penn (and all the others) have benefited tremendously from Carr's ability to avoid pressure and get rid of the ball. That's part of what makes Carr so good.
In the end, the line has to do better than it has, particularly run blocking. Despite respectable numbers posted by Murray, Raiders have among the worst rushing attacks in the league, and Penn was part of that.
Penn struggles in run blocking and he takes his share of beatings by edge pass rushers. These are traits that carried with him from Tampa where, in his last year there, he gave up 16 sacks. Again, Derek Carr has been his best friend in Oakland and, essentially, resurrected Penn's career.
Sorry, but that's my take.
Raiders have three of five spots locked up with Hudson, Jackson and Osemele. Drafting a solid T in RD 1 would be a smart move!
The new short-term lease is false hope. Things have reached a boiling point with the Raiders stadium issue.
http://tinyurl.com/hpyun94
It seems unfathomable that the Raiders stadium rent would go up 4x over last year. Now, city council members have resorted to mocking Davis in the media.
It will take a gift of no-action by the Chargers, allowing the Raiders to move in with the Rams, to resolve the Raiders "home" field woes.
I don't blame Mark. He's done more than AL x10 to get a stadium deal initiated. His biggest downfall is that he's been too honest in making it clear he wants to stay in Oakland; which, unfortunately, may have indirectly led to some arrogance by the city.
The criteria around building in Oakland goes way beyond cost. Davis indicated the A's would need to be a willing participant to use the current site, and no other sites have been offered... to my knowledge.
Ben Heeney is lucky to walk away from this. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDeFFx6Opn8/
The last Coliseum City proposal had the A's in a different locale downtown. It was rejected because the A's want to stay put where they are. The A's are trying to muscle the Raiders out, and they have the money to redo a stadium without taxpayer $$, and MLB behind them.
The Raiders need help building their stadium, with no help from the NFL, and proposal after proposal being rejected over tax breaks, use of land, parking for tailgating, and selling % of ownership in the Raiders. I think the city/county want the Raiders to sign a long-term deal like the A's did, and then commit to a stadium plan.
The biggest problem, the plan they want does not fit with tailgating plans. It is designed for fans to take public transit to the games (much like New York) as a way to gain revenue for the city. Mark Davis makes bank on tailgating and concessions, and the city wants to take away 1/2 of his income. It is a no win situation right now. The city needs to make money, and so do the Raiders.
I think a viable solution would be to have a "Tailgating Park", in a grassy area, complete with numerable park tables and benches that are covered, BBQ pits, sand pits to play volleyball, and an area for other games. These spots would be sold to season ticket holders as part of the package. That way, fans do not have to bring anything except food, beverages, and small things that can be stored in the tailgating area. I don't know if Mark Davis would go for something like that.
I don't think a deal gets done with Oakland, and I don't think the Raiders move to Los Angeles. There is no short term solution for the Raiders at this point; and the long-term solution is dwindling. Raiders are losing money on this deal, and Oakland is taking advantage of the situation (like raising their lease 4 times from last year). I think any venue is a valid venue for the Raiders at this point in the game. I wonder if they've looked a little east to Sacramento?
Here's a link to the Raiders trying out a few players before the draft. I could see them drafting him to take a d-line spot to possibly take Edwards Jr spot if he is unable to play again. Still, mums the word on him.
My final draft thoughts, now the FA has kicked off and big spending is done. 1 - Reggie Ragland (ILB, Bama) The closer we get, the more I think he'll be there at 14. 2 - Germain Ifedi, (OT, TX A&M) 3 - Jeremy Cash (S, Duke) or Jonathan Bullard (DT, Florida) 4 - James Bradberry (CB/S, Samford) or Deiondre Hall (CB, Northern Iowa)both would be steals at this point in the draft. 5 - Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois) 6 - Anthony Zettel (DE, Penn State) 7 - Isaac Seumalo (C, Oregon State)
Free Agent Reggie Nelson (S, Bengals) coming to visit Raiders. The Smith signing is good, I'm excited about that, even though he won't be on the team the majority of the year. He was lights out the games he played for us.
Not sure about Vegas, but I guess it is better than San Diego (which is German for whale's vagina, according to Ron Burgundy).
Smith is decent to solid, but lights out? What were you watching he never came close to flashing the edge rush he provided in San Fran back in 12, 13. Perhaps without Justin Smith on the inside is the reason.
NY, I do blame Mark for the stadium issue. He is the one responsible, it's his team and you can not lay blame elsewhere. I think he has sat back and waited vs making aggressive moves. LA is a good example of that. Perhaps he can be more proactive on Vegas
Sandy - Mark has owners' prejudice, lack of funds and a city & county that don't want the Raiders all going against him.
I agree he might be over his head but how would you recommend he overcome these obstacles?
He's probably doing the right thing speaking with Vegas folks and trying to force the NFL owner's hand. If they block a move (as it appears they did to LA), then Mark can sue them for antitrust, just as AL did. It's not preferred, and far from ideal, but that's the corner which the participants have pushed Mark.
That said, I'd like to learn more about why the Raiders were forced into paying 300x rent they paid last year.
Vegas talk heating up. Oakland & Alameda are pushing the Raiders out. There's zero chance of public funding in Oakland. Vegas is prepared to pay 2/3 cost of a $1.3B stadium with tourist tax.
I'm wondering if the Vegas scenario is approved, if this will fire up the Oakland talks? It sure did work in San Diego when the league approved the Chargers to move. They are voting on a stadium pretty soon.
I'm also wondering if Mark Davis is talking with these developers to help finance the one in Oakland, or if this is a straight up move to Vegas? I'm not sure the League approves this move if it is legitimately being considered by MD. They spent big $$ to keep players away from FanDuel, Draft Kings, and other Fantasy Football league conventions in Vegas this last year because they have to do with a sense of gambling. I think San Antonio, Portland, San Diego, and Sacramento are better options than Vegas.
As far as the draft, I will be happy if the Raiders get one of the following in the first round: Reggie Ragland Ronnie Staley (I think the Ravens pick him) Jack Conklin (I think the Giants pick him) Germain Ifedi
San Diego is voting on public funding, something Oakland has vowed it will never do for the Raiders.
So Davis can stay in Oakland and continue to pay 3x last year's rent, with no hope of building a new stadium, or he can pursue other cities.
In Oakland, he'd hoped to obtain funding to build a modest $900M stadium. In Vegas, he's being offered a $1.3B stadium... 2/3 of which is to be funded by tourism that will only get stronger with the Raiders presence.
If you watch the presser announcing the Oakland stadium lease, you can cut the tension in the room with a knife. At one point, MD made a point that the rent went way up. These parties don't like each other.
NFL already denied the Raiders move to LA. Denying another city (Vegas or other) may quickly open them up to another lawsuit for breaking the same fed antitrust laws that AL once sued them for. And the NFL's anti-gambling argument is losing traction because casinos are everywhere. NY was just approved to add four more casinos.
I think Davis is on a mission. (Or maybe he has a gambling problem.)
No draft predictions, but I'll be glued to the process.
181 Comments:
It's time to reach the hump!
GO RAIDERS!
Woodson pick six!!
Happy New Year everyone! JUST WIN, BABY!! I'm with NY, Woodson with a pick six to win the game for the Raiders! That would be an epic end to an epic career.
Looks like the Steelers are in, Jets out.
Carr does throw some bone headed interceptions
Musgrave needs to go. At halftime.
Can someone tell the refs they actually have to ref both teams and they can throw penalties on the chiefs
Remember Gruden's second year? Raiders went 8-8 by winning the last game of the season in KC knocking them out of playoffs. Wheatley rumbled for some incredible TDs.
I thought today had a chance to be a catalyst game like that one. Unfortunately not. The way Carr and the offense have played the second half of the season makes me nervous.
Happy new year to all
Sandy
Raiders offense seemed to get worse as the year progressed, culminating into this game featuring some of the most predictable play calling we saw all year. This offseason will be a challenge, because the Raiders have a lot of work to do.
The lingering question remains; Can the Raiders produce a winning team next year?
Once again, Raiders offense does just about zippo in 2nd half of game.
But hey, keep smiling. We're suppose to be hopeful of future.
Either give McGloin a chance or bring in a good free agent qb next year.Carr is a below average qb at best. Carr kept us from winning a lot of games this season. We also need a more creative oc, or our offense will be sputtering (in Del Rio's words) again next year.Musgrave has to go.
carr is nowhere near the issue with the offense
pedestrian play calling and game planning
oline depth is lacking
no deep threat at wr
no 3rd down rb
no counter to the all out blitz
now we need help in the secondary almost as much but reggie needs a big offseason for us to take the next step
As bad as the Raiders played, it came down to the last drive, with less than two minutes and no time outs. So why was the offense huddling to call plays? Not that clock management mattered, since they couldn't convert, but the slow pace of the offense precluded its success.
All the underneath passes and under center snaps that telegraphed running plays were painful to watch. And it was scarier to watch how easily the Chiefs got around both our tackles.
Even if the Raiders had won, they still need to figure out why this offense has been so bad the second half of the season.
I'm disappointed that the Raiders lost yesterday. I'm disappointed that they are not playing next week. I'm disappointed that our offense took some steps back. But I feel like Del Rio and what he said in the locker room yesterday. We didn't earn it this year, but we are set to improve and build upon what we did this season. This was a first step. With that said, here is what the front office should be doing to help this team improve and take the next step:
Running back. Murray needs a solid vet who can help him see plays develop. Murray has a tendency to cut too early and miss a huge gap because he doesn't see the play developing. A good vet would help him recognize when to cut and when to let the play develop because the O-line is getting the upper hand. Forte would be an epic sign, but the Raiders don't need to throw that kind of money. Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, James Starks, or Chris Ivory would help out in this area as well.
Middle Linebacker. There is not much in the Free Agent market here, maybe a few to add some depth. Danny Trevathan, Sam Acho, Phillip Wheeler, etc. I think this position will be drafted. I'm hoping for Jaylon Smith (MILB, Notre Dame), but I'm not sure he'll be there at #14. If he's not there, who do the Raiders take? Elliott Ezekiel, and draft Jarrad Davis (MILB, Florida) in the 2nd?
Defensive Backs. Or do we address the CB position if Jaylon Smith is not there at #14? Vernon Hargreaves or Jaylen Ramsey? There is not much in the Free Agent market at this position either, except depth. Jerraud Powers, Janoris Jenkins, Brandon Boykin. We keep Amerson who has been lights out for us, possibly move Carrie to Safety to fill C-Wood's spot. There are some good free agent safeties (Eric Berry, Walter Thurmond, Eric Weddle, DJ Swearinger). But DB has got to be the second priority under Middle Linebacker.
Right Guard/Tackle. Vladimir Ducasse would be an upgrade. Though J'Marcus Webb did not do a horrific job, and is the only J'Marcus on the Raiders that ever accomplished anything positive. The right side of the O-Line proved to be the weak link. I think this is something that can be addressed in both Free Agency and the Draft. Joshua Garnett (Stanford) would be a nice 2-3 rounder, Landon Turner (NC) would be a nice late round. Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) or Ronny Stanley (ND) would be a good RT pick up in the first round if Jaylon Smith isn't there.
Receiver. Crabtree and Cooper were huge for us. The WR who was undershadowed though was Seth Roberts, who is a Free Agent. Holmes and Streater are more than likely gone, and Alshon Jefferies of the Bears is the top WR free agent who is looking to make it rain. We can bring in a few guys under the radar here though. Re-sign Seth Roberts, Kenbrell Thompkins, Mohamed Sanu, or Hakeem Nicks.
Those are just my thoughts headed into the offseason. JUST WIN, BABY!
RB: Draft a complement or upgrade. Sure, Murray needs more development; that's why you pay coaches. IMO, the Raiders should stay young at RB and most other positions. Raiders have spent so much time and effort to build through the draft; why change that now? Besides, the Raiders have too often failed with vet RBs.
MLB: I agree any upgrade is worthwhile but ball, then Heeney were significant contributors to the Raiders defense coming on stronger at the end of the year. It would be a huge disappointment if the Raiders sign another Curtis Lofton, e.g., Phillip Wheeler.
DB: IMO, this is the Raiders top priority, not MLB (Smith wears the headset and calls the defensive plays). Raiders were lost in pass coverage most of the season. Raiders need safety and CB help, ASAP. Somebody has to replace Charles Woodson! Here's were vet presence might be needed.
RG/RT: These are absolutely huge needs but, perhaps to a lesser degree, so is LT. Penn did not perform nearly as well this year as last year. This may sound like a broken record, but allowing Veldheer to leave is about to catch up with the Raiders. OL is worthy of the Raiders first-round pick in 2016.
WR: Crab was just re-signed. That's the Raiders big move at WR. They just need to stay the course and bring in as many bodies as they can until some depth sticks to the roster. Re-signing Roberts would be nice, and probably cost-effective.
Plenty of work to do!
hey. K.C. is the hottest team in the league. The Raiders came close, another rough start puts them behind the 8 ball, they will learn that you can't win giving the other team 14 before the game has really started. They are learning how to win, they are learning what it takes in the NFL.....that's right, next year again, but damn, if you can't be excited for the future, then you have no idea what you are looking at...it just keeps building and it will continue. Don't fret little sunshine's, it's all good.
I am a Raider
Well, Reggie has a full compliment of draft picks and will have another close to 70 MILL to spend to upgrade the roster some more. Obviously Reggie knows how to get talent, so it's all good. The team will have a stronger roster and the young QB with another season under his belt because he still needs some maturing.
And finally some stability at the coaching position. It all points to more improvement. Nothing to bitch about, really, it's going where it should be.
Me
Losing to KC was disappointing but the result benefited the Raiders by several slots in draft order, so it's not the end of the world by any means. It was by far more disconcerting to watch Derek Carr and the Raiders offense implode toward the end of the season (not just against KC). Just hope that's not more deep rooted than a few roster upgrades. I have faith JDR will vet this problem out.
All in all, there's definitely a core to work with, and the Raiders should once again be flush with cap space. Onward and upward.
wasted ZERO time on RaiderBanter this year. 4 yrs ago I said winning won't happen until at least 2016. I was right. Looking fwd to next year!
"As bad as the Raiders played, it came down to the last drive"
********************************************************************************************************************************
NYR....Well, I guess so. But yesterdays loss was like so many losses this year.
There was no clown car after week one. But even though many games were "close". Never got the feeling, outside of the Pitt and Bears games, Raiders could win them.
2 defeats to Chefs. Lions, Vikes, Pack, loss to Donks, blown out by Cincy.
All soft defeats. Never felt like Raiders were really in these games to win.
So heading into yr 5 of Reggies eternal rebuild. Still need 0-line, Rb, MLB, shut down corner....Wow, still need so much. Hard to imagine slow Reggie getting much done in off season.
00 - I definitely hear ya on the snails pace, but there's some consolation in knowing the Raiders can play poorly (on one side of the ball) and still scrap out games like SD and Denver, as well as yesterday putting themselves in a position for a final chance to win. The game has a lot of moving parts, and they all have to mesh, but there are some core players and coaches in place.
That said, the wish list is long. I want to add LT to your list, but I am hopeful - to the point of being overly optimistic - that Ben Heeney will be a future baller at MLB for the Raiders. The kid is quick, aggressive and talented. Lots to work with.
Team improved by nearly 10 points per game over last year. That's a lot of improvement. We lost a lot of close games, but hell, that means we actually had a bunch of close games.
I think there are a lot of hard decisions for the off season. Do we wait for Watson or move on? Can Ball and Heeney cover inside LB, or do get another guy? Can Feliciano play guard?
There are other needs too, but DB isn't a hard call - get some.
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Points scored is a bit deceiving. Raiders scored 20 or less points in half their games, and 15 or less in five games. There were times when the offense was downright anemic.
You have to feel good at TE and pretty good at WR, and we have perhaps 1/2 of a decent RB group, but OL is a clear weakness... particularly the right side. Also, Penn's contract is up and he's not getting any younger. He's big but not as quick as perhaps he used to be. This year is proof. He could provide another stopgap season but LT has to be on the minds of the front office.
I agree with NY that DB is the biggest need. I see Amerson the only player worth starting. 3 new starters in the secondary has becoming habit with Reggie, not good at one of football's most important positions. Also two new tackles on the o-line and at least one new lb. Finally if Mario Edwards does not come back (anyone know how bad his injury is) then at least another d-lineman.
Basically the Raiders will have at least (6-8) 1/3 new starters next year. That is a little scary in my opinion
Regards
Sandy
I don't think it is scary, but dependent on how quick the new players can learn. My problem with Heeney is he over-pursues the play. His got an excellent motor about him, and he pushes and pushes and pushes, and that is what anyone wants to see, but he has got to manage his excitement and stay within the play. I think that is why he loses the starting spot to Ball.
If Heeney can keep the excitement and not over-pursue, he is hands down the better player, and effectively becomes a Clay Matthews/Brian Cushing type player, but at the MLB spot (dare I say Mike Singletary?). I think we have the defensive talent to move to a 3-4 defense too, which is a stronger defensive scheme. If we did that, then both Heeney and Ball could play.
As far as CB, I can see TJ Carrie moving to safety. He played there a few times this season and was excellent, he seemed to fit there better. He had trouble covering guys at CB, but not as bad as Hayden, who when he got beat would reach out and grab. But let's not forget, we still have a couple other solid young CBs on roster too. Keith McGill and Neiko Thorpe I think have proven that they are better than Hayden, and I think they deserve a shot to prove their worth as much as Hayden. The only reason that Thorpe and McGill haven't surplanted Hayden is because of Reggie, Hayden is Reggie's guy. That is why I don't really have CB as high as a priority than MLB, especially if we stay in a 4-3.
McKenzie clearly went for a youth movement in the secondary in 2016, despite a plea from Mark Davis to secure two corners. So far, that approach has failed. It would have been much worse had it not been for a very fortuitous early season waiver acquisition of Amerson; who, as a castoff, was hands down better than roster CB.
Maybe the young guys can be developed, but that remains to be seen. Suffice to say, the secondary is already taking a huge hit by losing Woodson. And that's probably understated.
Personally, I don't believe the Raiders will perceive MLB as a priority. They didn't see CB as a priority last year, and we see where that took them.
Nate it is scary because continuity and familiarity between players is important. This is particularly true of O-line and Defensive Backfield. Even if Reggie can find 6-8 high quality new starters (a tall task indeed) it will take them a season or two to gel.
More importantly McGill and Thorpe please dude if they are the Raider corners next year we are in serious trouble. They are bottom of the roster type journeyman players who will be lucky to be in the NFL 24 months from now. I also don't believe JDR is such a weakling that he would play Hayden over those two just to help REggie salvage his draft if they were in fact better.
Raiders have the worst 4th qrtr point differential in the league. This speaks to a weak O-line hence no closing running game and an awful secondary combined with a mediocre pass rush.
I am very excited for the future and expect a playoff game next year but there is no denying there is still a lot of holes in the roster at starting positions and zero depth.
Regards
Sandy
Sandy,
I enjoyed your comment, and get it too. I get that it is scary from the point of gelling with other players. I can see that being more of an issue on the offensive side of the ball than the defensive side though. The bottom line for me is that most of these players know each other. That is part of scouting; players on the current roster have as much pull of bringing someone in as a free agent because they are familiar with one another. It is not always the case, but it does happen quite a bit. This was clearly seen with Veldheer signing in Arizona. Sometimes it is a relationship with the coaches, and sometimes it is from a relationship with the GM/Owner. Sometimes it is the perception of the team, and the quality of the team (the one thing that is changing with the Raiders).
There are various factors involved in bringing in a Free Agent, but I would say, normally about 70-80% of these free agents coming in are based on some type of relationship that is already in the front office or someone on the roster. I believe Derek Carr was drafted by the Raiders due to the relationship the Raiders have with DeFilipo.
The reason it may take some free agents a year to get going is not relationship, but more learning the nuances of the defensive/offensive schemes. That is why I'm not too concerned about the Raiders. They have new coaches, new schemes to work on and learn. I think it will be better next season. I agree with you that playoffs next season is the expectation. There will always be holes to fill, but it is easier when the foundation to build on is in place; and that is what we have with the Raiders now.
On a different note, I really love this site. I appreciate you guys here and the different perspectives. Thank you Take. JUST WIN, BABY!
I haven't seen the Raiders 2016 FA list but the downside should be minimal... Amerson should be re-signed ASAP. That has to be a priority on a team with, arguably, no other decent CBs.
Probably safe to also assume the Raiders may have gained enough respectability with JDR and KN Jr to attract top FAs.
However, one clear downside in the FA market is the uncertainty of where the team will be playing next year and in following years. The stadium issue has hit a wall. Two moves are possible; one transitional and one permanent. Young players just coming into the league won't care but it will be a big issue for some vets.
NY
Personal preferences aside don't you think that LA would be a better local to attract free agents? Most young ballers love the Hollywood-So Cal life
Regards
Sandy
Sandy, I'm pretty sure that's true. My point is that the uncertainty of a move (or two) may deter some FAs, particularly those with families. I don't blame Mark Davis. I think he's done everything he can and would already have a new stadium in Oakland if he could afford it. IMO by not contributing funds to a stadium project (sure they're offering a site) Oakland/Alameda are suggesting they stand to gain zero economic benefit from keeping the Raiders in Oakland. That's far from true, and they may actually put some businesses out of business, as well as all the jobs and taxable sales they will lose.
Think about all the cities that would bend over backwards to keep or attract an NFL franchise. Oakland is not one of them. Just the opposite. To that point, do you think if AL was still alive, Raiders would be going full steam ahead out of town?
A real eye opener. Raiders scored a grand total of 70 points in 4th quarter of games.
And keep in mind, 13 of those point were total garbage time vs Cincy.
Everyone knows most NFL games are won, or lost, in the 4th quarter. Raiders have to show they can make the adjustments at halftime, and win the 2nd half if they are going to be real contenders.
Sandy....True the LA market would attract more players to come to Raiders. But LA also brings many distractions, and temptations with it as well. Guess there's not much choice though.
Right now the Raiders are worth 1.4 billion. A move to LA will put them about 2.4 billion because they have to share stadium and revenues with the Dunderdolts. Not too mention the $550 million to move. The Raiders would actually be worth about 1.7-1.9 million the first few years (not too mention the loan they'd have to pay back to the NFL for the stadium they build).
In Oakland, if the city/county can work a new deal with the Raiders and NFL to get a stadium done, they could save all 3 franchises, the Raiders will have a higher profit/revenue for themselves, and be worth more. With a new stadium in Oakland, no relocation fee, but a loan from the NFL. A new stadium would put the Raiders in a better financial situation than sharing a stadium and revenue in LA (not too mention the possibility of having to change to the NFC).
I hope the Raiders stay in Oakland. I'm not sure they have the votes to move. We will see.
It's a bit surprising the Raiders are even worth that much, but that's the latest figure from Forbes ($1.43 billion as of Sep-2015; up about a half billion since 2014). It's probably a moving target because of all the potential fees and other costs of a new stadium. Even so, the $2.0 billion sale of the Clippers suggests premium valuations can be had. I might be biased, but I'd rather own the Raiders.
Interestingly, less than 4% of the current valuation is attributed to the Raiders brand, which is something AL worked so hard to popularize.
AL paid $180k back in '66! Think about that for a moment.
If Al were alive he would make a beeline for LA. Nate I think the Raiders would be worth far more in LA than Oakland even with another team. LA is one of the biggest markets in the US.
Regards Sandy
$70M+ cap space, a good core of young players, another draft to add talent/depth, overall franchise stability, a HC & QB to count on in the key Alpha Male leadership roles -- 2016 is our year to reach the dance after 13 years.
I'm excited and optimistic about the upcoming season which is a nice change.
Does anyone know the injury status of Mario Edwards? NY I know you were sceptical on him early but he was really coming on.
Will he be back next year?
Have a good weekend
Sandy
Sandy - Raiders needed a pass rusher and Edwards had no record of success in that dept. in college (+/- 8 sacks total). Plus, some pundits had questioned his work ethic.
Then he was exemplarily in his first season with the Raiders.
Hope he comes back healthy.
Reading the articles on relocation I have a bad feeling the Raiders will be the odd man out San Diego and st. Louis in LA while Raiders stuck in Oakland playing in the worst Stadium in professional sports in North America. Scary shit
Regards Sandy
Sandy - that's how I see it. NFL owners don't want to give the Raiders anything, most of all a free pass to a much larger market. Plus, I don't think Mark Davis can afford to move out-of-market and pay any relocation fee; which means the owners would probably have to waive the fee to give the Raiders a fighting chance.
A's recently signed a 10-year lease, so somebody thinks O.co still has shelf life. Unfortunately, that deal makes it even more difficult for the Raiders, on several levels.
My prediction is that the Raiders' stadium issue remains stuck in neutral for a few more years. In that time, the team becomes more competitive, and perhaps draws more interest from the city/county and/or others. Even then, a move will likely involve Davis selling a stake in the team to generate the funds he will need.
Currently, Raiders play in one of the smallest stadiums in the league; and they have to block off the mezzanine so they appear sold out at games.
Arguably, this whole mess could be the result of 14 years of substandard performance.
So it's mind blowing that the Forbes valued the Raiders 50% higher in one year, from 2014 to 2015.
4 years into the McKenzie project and the Raiders have not achieved a .500 season. There a ton of examples of teams flipping in 1-2 years, it should not be acceptable. People seem to be ok with less than mediocrity because they have "made some improvements". Top picks all but 1 of those years and a truck load of cap money. He needs to be gone.
Bryan
Watched the Steelers-Bengals game last night, and that is the kind of intensity the Raiders are going to have to play with on both sides of the ball. It was an ugly game, lot of cheap shots by both teams (Steelers got away with a bunch of crap), but in the end, the pundits will only talk about the Bengals meltdown; and rightfully so. It was ugly. You should check out the video of Burfict kneeing Big Ben in the shoulder twice after he sacked him and knocked him out of the game. The Raiders need to take lessons from this. Play aggressive and gritty, but keep a check on your emotions.
As far as that game last night, I blame the referees for not getting control of the game. Munchak should have been ejected after grabbing that dudes hair. Burfict should have been ejected after that hit to Brown. Joey Porter should have been ejected for being on the field (he claims to have been checking on Brown, but Brown was nowhere near where he was). Pacman should have been ejected for his actions. Refs were a joke in that game, lost control, but never did anything to get it back. The League should be handing down some fines and suspensions for both teams, and the refs.
2 0 1 6, like I said in 2012-13. 2 0 1 6 baby
Indeed. And that prediction without any context or substance was just as lame back in 2012-13.
Try Powerball.
Sharing a stadium with division rivals? Complete BS. Raiders, adios amigoes. You are now either Burger King or McDonalds, thanks to the No Funds League, and either team's ability to retain business. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/relocation-699539-committee-billion.html
Looks like the Raiders are going to be the odd man out of LA as it appears the NFL will approve a Rams/Chargers stadium in Carson. Question, now the the NFL Committee recommended the Carson Project, does Stan Kroenke still build his Inglewood stadium and buck the owners?
Raiders got screwed and as I have been saying for years Mark is a total fool. Looking forward to Amari catching a slant as he rounds third base.
Regards Sandy
It shouldn't come as a surprise anyone that the Raiders would get shafted by a vote of the NFL owners. However, the Rams and Chargers have deep pockets and can make an expensive move and new stadium project work; whereas, the Raiders not so much.
Staying in Oakland will be the most cost-effective result for the Raiders, who simply can't afford to move.
Also, assuming both the Rams and Chargers move, the Raiders may stand to get a share of funds from the relocation fees paid by these teams. At the very least, it should fill the coffers of the NFL and perhaps open the door for more NFL participation with a new stadium in Oakland.
IMO, Mark Davis will need to sell a stake in the team to help fund a new stadium. While the city/county won't spend a dime of taxpayer money, they have agreed to provide a site (which they should lease to the Raiders for $1.00).
The status quo removes uncertainty - and at least some of the offseason distraction - of a move.
Told ya, it was all a charade. The plan was known a long time ago and just some fine tuning had to be done. They will remain what they are = the OAKLAND RAIDERS. The League will kick in some money, Mark said he has a lg junk to put into the Oakland project. What Oakland Raider fan wants them in LA again, baffling. The team lost it's identity in LA and it was the worst move Al ever made.
I am an OAKLAND RAIDER
NY,
Oakland/Alameda County has not agreed to provide a site. They feel Mark Davis is asking for too much land to build a new stadium. That is just one sticking point; which is why Mark has not said that he is happy to be staying in Oakland. In fact, on CSNBayArea, a reporter asked him if he was glad to stay, and his response was, "Stay where? We don't have a lease with Oakland, it expired. We don't have a place to play right now."
In fact, he is back looking at Portland, and there are reports here in Austin, that he has purchased land between Austin and San Antonio. It would make me happy if that happened, and a lot of other Raiders fans that have transplanted here. I dont think it will happen, but I'm hoping something will be done in Oakland. The problem is that this vote gives the city/county more leverage than Mark Davis. I think it was a move by the League to try and force Mark Davis to sell, and get the Raiders out of the Davis family.
Nate - I read somewhere that a site would be provided, but no taxpayer funding would be made available. I will try and find that article when I get a chance. Nevertheless, it is still a fluid situation, which includes the Raiders as a fallback option.
Mark's comments about having nowhere to play are a bit overblown. What are the chances O.co boots them out, or that they can't identify a reasonable substitute for the 2016 season?
I agree the city/county now have more leverage, but I'm not sure about the NFL vote being steered against Davis. IMO, it's more to do with finances. The NFL owners are conceding entry into the second largest market in the country. They want to get paid, which is something the Raiders can't afford.
Don't underestimate the power of $$
PS even if we agree the city has more leverage, it's pretty meaningless considering they are not offering anything... including a site if what you say is true.
The Raiders have the worst stadium situation in north american pro sports. That has not changed since yesterday. $100 mm in NFL money does not even help in terms of building an NFL stadium.
The league is trying to push the Raiders into being a tenant of the 49ers which is equally distasteful to moving out of the state of california
Marc has done nothing proactive on the situation in the 5 years since Al died. He is an inept "Tommy Boy".
The only palatable solution in my opinion is to sell majority of the team to someone who is willing to finance a new stadium in the east bay.
Regards
Sandy
Stadium issue long predates Mark's ownership; as AL also did nothing for a long time.
I guess it's possible the Raiders could become a tenant of the 49ers. As distasteful as that may sound, it might be a good short-term solution to put the ball back in the Raiders favor in Oakland.
Raiders might be better off signing a short-term lease someone beside O.co. Give the city/county something to chew on. They experienced a significant enough economic loss the first time the Raiders left that they invited them back. And perhaps they've experienced problems with the bond debt but you can't tell me the city/county doesn't benefit economically from having the Raiders in town. That's BS if they suggest that.
One final thought; Raiders Forbes valuation has more than doubled since Mark took ownership. With the money Davis has, plus financing available through the NFL, I think he has some options with respect to sale of non-controlling ownership interest and getting a stadium project off the ground. We all assume the Raiders will continue to get better on the field, so things may look different in another year.
Mark has to get APPROVAL by the other owners, you can't just up and move to Dumbfuck USA. The City is working with Mark and the NFL to get it done....Mark is overacting a tad. This has been the plan all along, it was all posturing and keeping the NFL in the news....they are playin ya.
AND ANYONE who advocates for the selling of the team to some dumbfuck owner who wouldn't care who Al Davis was or John Madden or any other great Raider = you are not a Raider...= get lost.
Me
And why do you think the value of the Raiders has doubled???????? IT's BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR FUCKING HOUSE IN ORDER, told you it would take time and the world see's it....do you?
One more thing, why do you think they invested all that money on a training facility? BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY Weren't MOVING, you are being played.
I am a Raider
The only chance of the Raiders building a new stadium is if a investor comes in to put up the majority of the $ required. Davis + city of Oakland + relocation fees + NFL doesn't = a new stadium. A super wealthy investor like Ellison of Oracle or other super wealthy investors is the only way to get a new stadium. Otherwise, it is more seasons at the worst professional venue in all of professional sports.
Personally, I can live with that IF the Raiders continue to improve as as a football team. I don't need shiny and new if I've got a playoff caliber, exciting team capable of eventually winning or competing for a SB.
I believe with continuance of the Raiders exploding in 'value', the City will want to be a part of that. if next year the team makes the playoffs, you will see a fever and the City will want to keep it. If and when the Raiders are truly relevant as a playoff contender every year, Oakland City would be insane to pass on it. Raider Nation is worldwide, the team becomes a powerhouse with star players....there is all the leverage Mark will need to get what he wants from the City. it's in process right now. City, Raiders, NFL will make deal , guaranteed. It's gonna be OK, Raiders are on the way, don't need to live in the negative past no more. It will take more time, but it will get done, it's OK, lol
"And why do you think the value of the Raiders has doubled???????? IT's BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR FUCKING HOUSE IN ORDER,
Really? Would you like a definition of value before you make that leap?
"Team values are enterprise values (equity plus net debt) and reflect pending moves into new stadiums. Revenue and operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) are for the 2014 season, net of revenue sharing and stadium debt service."
Raiders still have the second lowest value in the league. They are a 1.43 billion franchise against operating income of $39mm. That's valuation = 37x NOI. Yikes!
Bills are valued lower but generate more income. I guess that's because it had been largely assumed the Raiders would get a new stadium (with that uncertainty growing now).
The #1 team is Dallas, valued at $4.0 billion, against $270 million NOI, at a value factor of 14.8x NOI.
Even at $4.0 billion, Cowboys (at less than 15x income) appear to be a huge bargain compared to the Raiders (at over 37x). By this measure, the Raiders are grossly overvalued.
So, it's more like valuation is based on Raiders NOT getting their house in order. Even building a new stadium and taking on massive debt won't close that gap.
BTW, Clippers recently sold for $2.0 billion, inflating the value of virtually every pro sports franchise. Also, the Bills sale was over $1.0 bil.
Hue Jackson new HC of the Browns. Any thoughts?
IMO, Browns brass will not allow power trip but I will guess that Jackson learned from his mistakes in Oakland and will be a solid HC. He's a top OC in the league now.
Although, he would have been far better off going to the Giants, who have a QB. Jackson now has to deal with Manziel.
NY,
From CSNBayArea, "Without reaching formal negotiations, there is already a large sticking point. The Raiders want more free land on the O.co Coliseum site than the city is willing to give. Without that, the Raiders contend, everything else is made difficult.
'It’s going to take land,' Davis said. 'We haven’t been talking about money, we’ve been talking about land.'"
Now, Libby Schaaf has come out yesterday and said that the City/County is willing to dispose of development near the BART location, and give some of that to the Raiders to build a stadium for a reasonable price. I assume this will bump the cost of a new stadium up. So Calico is right, it is going to take an investor. The problem has been with the last 3 proposals, that the investor wants more shares in the Raiders management than Mark Davis is willing to give; which is why the Raiders have rejected them.
The bottom line, the Raiders are back to square one. Taken with what Mark said afterward, that this is not a win for the Raiders, means he knows that he is going to have to be willing to give up more control and compromise to something he doesn't want. That doesn't mean he will not kick and scream and throw a fit. I think this was a direct swipe at the Raiders. The NFL will not make as big of a profit with the Rams/Chargers, as they would if the Raiders were in LA (the largest fan base in LA is the Raiders). The Chargers and Rams are second class to the Raiders fan base.
The NFL owners recognized that Oakland/Alameda are being fair, but the Raiders cannot afford it. They are not making it easy for them, and are cutting the rug out from under him. There were rumors that the Raiders could possibly get the relocation fees from both teams to help build a new stadium, but that was voted down quickly. He will get $100 million on top of $200 million already committed, but that still leaves a $300 million gap to what Davis wants. Now that Schaaf has offered new land, that cost grows. The NFL and Oakland/Alameda has forced Davis to bring on an investor, one that will want more shares in ownership than Mark wants to give; but he doesn't have a choice. They are doing to Mark what Al did to the original ownership when he bought the Raiders ... muscling him out.
"Hue Jackson new HC of the Browns. Any thoughts?"
NY, I read that Hue took the job based on the action of getting rid of Manziel, he doesn't want to deal with him.
The Browns will cut Manziel, and Hue will go after a QB. Who he goes after? Who knows. I think McFadden will end up in Cleveland. He is done in Dallas, and they will probably cut him and go after a RB in the draft.
I hope he does well in Cleveland. He's a great coach/motivator and game plans to the strengths of his players. That is what makes him successful. If he can get a great DC/Asst HC like Lovie Smith, look out! The Browns could be playoff contenders next season with someone like that. Like Amy Trask said, "I would like to see how he does with a staff he hand picks."
Profootballtalk is reporting that the Texans could be cutting Arian Foster. Man, if that happens, the Raiders should jump on that.
Raider Nate,
I think the Browns got themselves one hell of a coach. Given the non-football people they hired to run the team it was a wise move to get Hue. He knows offence which is what the nil is about he is a brilliant play caller. Two, he has energy and passion.
Jones,
No one who writes in to Rt's blog wants to see Mark sell control and further dilute Al's legacy and the team's soul it is a sad reality of what may be the only option. BTW, you say a lot of crazy things but your statement that Mark is playing the nil and somehow is in the process of outsmarting the league and Oak is a real showstopper
CJ,
You are on point big time.. My only quible is being being in the coliseum which means being one of the less profitable teams it puts the Raiders at a disadvantage to become great.
NY,
Totally agree on the inflation re clips. The valuations for all teams are falsely inflated by my estimation 20-30% except for the premier teams, Dallas, NE, LA, NY Giants are inflated based of the out of market clippers price. BTW I think one day the Rams will be worth as much as the cowboys.
Marc's problem is not valuation its raising equity for a stadium. A stadium costs at least 1 bill if not 1.3 in Oak. The nil will kick in 500 (400 loans 100 equity) that means 500 to 800 mm in additional equity or loans. Marc has neither the cash or the cash flow to borrow.
Regards
Sandy
If this sounds crazy, let me know, but could Raiders end up in San Diego ?
It looks like Chargers will go to LA, leaving SD without a team.
If the past tells us anything, it's that sometimes a city has to lose it's team before they wake up and reality hits.
Cases in point. Baltimore loses Colts, gets Ravens. St. Louis loses Cards, gets Rams(now loses Rams). Cleveland loses Browns, gets Browns back. LA loses Rams & Raiders, took a long time, but gets back Rams & Chargers(?).
Point is, maybe SD wakes up after losing Chargers, and comes around to woo the Raiders. Does this sound crazy ? Is it possible ?
Raiders already have a natural fan base in SD, and a large one at that.
The San Diego Raiders....I kind of like the sound.
The San Diego Raiders?! Ouch! Raiders fans fill half the stadium when they play there, so perhaps that helps make it a real possibility...
...because Oakland is not going to lift a finger to keep the Raiders. Zero investment means zero interest. Perhaps the A's sealed that fate by signing a long-term agreement. Losing the Raiders will impact lots of businesses and that overall economy.
If the Raiders moved to San Diego, they will eat the profit up that the Chargers/Rams expect to find in LA. Another possibility comes from Red McCombs who has built a plan that the Raiders want. The only problem is these plans are in San Antonio. Red went on San Antonio sports radio this morning and said he has 12 investors to make it happen, Mark Davis has land between Austin and San Antonio (45 minute drive apart) that is big enough for a stadium, and the Raiders have a huge following here because a lot of tech jobs have moved here to Austin, from California.
I think Mark is trying to convince Red to bring his investors to Oakland though. Red said the biggest problem is the need to make Mark want to be here, because he has deep sentiments in Oakland. This sounds crazier than San Diego, but San Antonio is a real option. Red told the sports radio guys that he would take care of any issues between Jerry and the Texans owner; and he has the power to do it too. If anyone has a bigger voice here in Texas, it is Red McCombs (former owner of the Vikings).
The problem is, Oakland is trying to attract more career jobs to help revamp the city. This is accomplished with the "Coliseum City." The A's and Warriors are on board with this plan. The Warriors are not sold that it can be done, so they are looking to move and have a plan in place. The Raiders don't like it because it takes away most of the parking for tailgating; and takes away from valuable concession profits. The 3 plans that Oakland has presented, that Mark has rejected, have been plans about Coliseum City. The A's have the where-with-all to make a profit around concessions; Mark Davis doesn't. Concessions is where the most money is made if football because they don't play as many games. Parking is another huge profit maker. This is a HUGE problem and I'm not sure that the Raiders or Oakland can come to an agreement on. Mark knows that if Oakland goes this route, and he stays, he will eventually have to sell the team.
That is why San Antonio is a viable option. He can have what he wants because he will own the land, stadium, and concessions.
Idiot, that's all I can say. Praising Hue, wanting a move, you are not a Raider, it's very obvious. Why do you have to be such a 'DICK'?
Me
http://www.csnbayarea.com/raiders/raiders-denied-la-relocation-1-1-oakland-mayor-libby-schaaf
Anon - thanks for that link. The $100 mil offered by the NFL to keep the Raiders in Oakland may just be another hurdle for them to get a new stadium completed. It may prompt the parties to try longer to negotiate a new stadium but, in the end, the city/county are worthless in this process.
It's possible the NFL just made it even harder for the Raiders.
I thought Jerry Jones and AL were friends, at least mutually respected each other. This arrangement was Jones making. He should personally put up the remaining funds the Raiders need.
NY
Yeah the Raiders got the short end of the stick from the NFL but let's face facts a lot of the blame can be put on Mark and some on Al. The Raiders have not done anything pro-active to try and get a new stadium in years. Probably since Al was trying to secure the Hollywood Park site, 20 plus years ago.
It seems the NFL would also be happy to see Mark marginalized, as the only way for him to retain majority ownership is to be a tenant in the 49ers house as I think LA will not be available.
The NFL owners can be divided into three groups.
1) Uber billionaires like Kraft, Kroenke, Jones, Lurie, Snyder etc.
2) Old guard like Mara, Rooney families
3) Third rung losers who inherited their team and are largely useless such as Mark and Mike Brown and tend to be the have nots
Regards
Sandy
It's very clear that Al Davis did nothing to prepare the Raiders for the future. Mark was unprepared and over his head. Even that is not entirely his fault.
Food for thought. One of the top 3 MVP candidates for this season and one of the QBs in the conference championship game this weekend was the quarterback when Reggie took over. The Raiders had one of the best in the league at the single most important positions in the game. He walked and in 4 years the Raiders have not achieved a .500 record.
Bryan
Bryan - To your point, did you catch this from PFT?
"Ben, Peyton, Brady are 13 of the last 15 AFC Super Bowl quarterbacks"
Brady is now on his 10th AFC Championship game. So, yeah, having a good QB is vital.
To another point, some folks still squawk at Hue Jackson but he's a good coach, if only that he's a top OC in the league who's unproven as a HC (never had a chance in Oakland under AL).
Reggie made a conscience choice to fire Jackson, and maybe Jackson deserved it for his late season tirade but he clearly demonstrated a lot of passion to make the Raiders a winner.
The rest is history; McKenzie hired Allen and the Raiders coaching staff went into mental hibernation for three seasons prior to JDRs arrival.
In hindsight, I would have liked to see what Jackson could have done working with McKenzie for the three years we wasted with Dennis Allen. I don't question that it may have still led us to Del Rio (who, ironically, needs at least one more season to prove he is better for the Raiders than Jackson was then... just saying!).
NY,
Jackson is a savant as a playcaller. I loved how he brought energy and did the things like a ring walk with Andre Ward. There is good reason why he is rayed 1 by espn of the new coaches.
JDR brings a professionalism to the job and seems like a decent leader. However given his lack of offensive knowledge I wonder who will be the one to lift Carr to the next level. It sure is not going to be Musgrave.
Regards Sandy
I'm don't know what to think of Peter King. Some of his stuff is good, and some of it is outright horrible. There is no middle ground with him and the material he puts out.
He did a piece about "what really went down" on the LA stadium vote. His conceptual argument was stupid, "Owners voted the deeper pockets" something everyone knew was going to happen.
At the same time, what is underlying in his article but not directly said is that the owners not only voted for the deep pockets, but it was a vote to begin pushing out the owners of the other 2 franchises (Raiders/Chargers) by forcing them to deal with their current markets. Dean Spanos is tired of San Diego politics, but he does not have any other market with a loyal fan base. Spanos is also an owner that doesn't have very many allies in the League. I think by forcing him to continue to talk with San Diego, knowing that he doesn't want to be a tenant with Kroenke; the League could force him to sell the team and move the Chargers to St. Louis, and help them re-invent a fan base.
The NFL knows that Mark Davis is not going to agree to anything Oakland/Alameda pushes out because it takes away his profits in parking and concessions. At the same time, if the deal is reasonable and Davis continues to reject, the League is going to work with Oakland by forcing Davis to sell. Oakland is a good market (better than Buffalo, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland), and with a Coliseum City, it has the chance to be a better market. The NFL knows this. It wouldn't surprise me if the Chargers and the Raiders had new owners by 2020.
The "deeper pockets" thing makes some sense because the Raiders simply can't afford a move that involves a hefty relocation fee, something the owners want to collect and seem to have absolute power over enforcing the amount. IMO, the owners think they're doing the Raiders a favor by denying the move and bringing part of the relocation fee(s) paid by others to the Raiders as compensation for denying their move.
Only time will tell.
Derek Carr, Pro Bowl QB for the Raiders!
Well deserved, as are selections for Mack and Woodson. It's a real shame that Woodson is retiring. Love to see him play with the Raiders during a season that really meant something... hopefully, that will be 2016.
Nate 75,
I can not stand Peter King but I read the article you are referring to and in this case I think he was right on. Kroenke money was the difference. The owners could not stop him from moving, he had already broke ground and can pay for the stadium without outside funding.
Inglewood though not as good a location was a far better economic proposal for the league than Carson. Nate think about what went down and look at my post a few above. the billionaires won and the old guard lost.
Contrast Mark to the other owners he is way out of his league in terms of resources, intelligence and just general professionalism. He just does not have the gravitis.
I am not one to believe in conspiracy theories but the NFL has backed MArk into a corner of their choosing which is 49ers tenant or new ownership.
Nothing against TExas but if they become the San Antonio or St. Louis Raiders it will really be hard for me to cheer for them.
Regards
Sandy
I agree, moving St Louis or San Antonio would be tough to digest. At least the Raiders have some history in LA, and even San Diego comes with a built-in fan base; although, that doesn't mean a lot to east coast fans.
However, I believe Davis has, or will have more options than tenant or sale. Davis probably has the ability to build without selling a controlling interest, and it might actually be affordable long-term if the Raiders can make the hyper leap back to being a winning org.
IMO, the problem is not as much Davis or the NFL owners as it is the city & county which expects to get back every penny of what they know was a bad investment with Al Davis.
NY
I am interested to know how you could see Davis building a stadium with out new ownership. The math does not work. At least 1 billion cost, maybe minus 500 max from the nfl which is 400 in loans leaves a 500 hole to fill that by your own admission the city can't fill and Mark can't take on 900 in debt.
Interested to hear your thoughts.
Regards Sandy
Sandy,
I think Mark may have to sell an interest but he probably could pull it off without selling his controlling interest. I don't exactly know how current ownership breaks down, but 20% sale should generate $300mm. With the $100mm the NFL is offering, doesn't that about close the gap Mark needed to build in the $850mm range. I don't think the Raiders ever spoke of spending a billion on a stadium in Oakland.
There may be debt options as well... possibly banking on the notion the Raiders may soon once again be a viable investment. However, there's the small problem of collateral. Not sure what an empty stadium is worth these days but I have a good guess.
Cooper headed to pro bowl. Raiders now with five, the most since the 2002 SB season.
Is there anyone challenging Cooper for offensive ROY honors?
Yeah, 5 Raiders make the Pro Bowl....Reggie sucks.
Let's not forget to complain that Palmer was traded or that Veldheer was let go or the Mario Edwards Jr was a horrible pick....even though Palmer had said he wanted out.....once again, this site is voted to dumbest Raider site of all time, except for me.
I am a Raider
Who's voting Jones? Ooo you mean this site is devoted to...guess just the trolls are stupid.
I am not a Raider , I am just a fan. Go make ur own sight and see if you are trolled
ok, DICK, whatever you say.
I am a Raider and I knew you weren't.
By the way, you are the troll, not me. I don't use multiple names and play troll games like you. Looks like the TRUTH has finally made you come out of the closet. LMFAO = go fuck yourself.
I win
Jones did your mommy let you out of the basement this weekend?
Looks like the clown uniform team is in the super bowl again. Hard to believe.
Aren't there any men playing in the NFL anymore ? All you have to do to beat Donks is hit P. Manning, AKA, Mr. wobble passes, one good shot, and that's it.
Oh well, guess we'll find out Feb 7th if NFC team can Man up, so to speak.
Or maybe that HGH is pretty powerful stuff.
This will be the Doncos 9th Super Bowl appearance! All the mediots were quick to point that out last night, and how they tie the Steelers and Cowboys in this category. But failed to mention that they've only won twice. I hope the Panthers keep it that way.
Meanwhile, Latavius Murray was selected to the Pro Bowl. Raiders now have:
Marcel Reece, Charles Woodson, Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, Latavius Murray, and Khalil Mack!
Nate....The thing about the Donks is, they always ride their tremendous home field advantage to many playoff, and now super bowl appearances.
But once away from their comfort zone of home field, they are quickly exposed as the ordinary team they are.
Of course, football fans now have to suffer through another Donko beatdown, while the NFL "experts" scratch their heads and wonder what happened. Donks AWAY FROM HOME, that's what happens.
My prediction: Despite Manning's last attempt to remake success, Cam Newton is state-of-the-art. Panthers will mop the field with the Broncos. This year's SB will be as lopsided as the NFC Champ game.
It will take bigger upset then 69 Jets for Donkeys to win this game.
Sure Donkey defense is a little better than 2 years ago. But guess what, their offense is a lot worse.
And those clown uniforms they wear. Donkeys are the only team, if you go back to the AFL days, that changed their uniform, and each time, made it even uglier.
I think Stevie Wonder designs their uniforms.
The good old Donkeys. There good for some laughs.
Mike Silver, not known for his kindness to the Raiders; has a great piece on Al Davis.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000628997/article/al-davis-the-openminded-maverick
Las Vegas Raiders! Won't happen, but not just because the NFL doesn't want a team in sin city. It's because they aren't going to let the Raiders move anywhere.
Even more so because the Raiders simply can't afford to move without someone else paying the freight. Whatever relocation fees the Chargers and Ram are levied will set precedent for what the Raiders would pay, should they move. It sounds like hundred of millions are at stake, particularly if the NFL is willing to part with up to $100mm of that money for the Raiders to stay in Oakland.
NYR.....One option, if Mark Davis were to move the Raiders, is to simply not pay the relocation fee. And if the league blocks the move, sue the league claiming relocation fee is an illegal shakedown with no real merit.
Wouldn't that be something!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the link NAte.
I would totally be down with the Las Vegas Raiders. At least that sounds cool vs St Louis or San Antonio
Sandy
Sandy - easy and inexpensive flights to Las Vegas. I've been to Oakland once to see a home game. I'd be in Vegas once a year. Moving to Vegas would be a tremendous economic boom for the Raiders.
PFT reported the Chargers may stay put in SD, at least another year. If they don't move that would open the door for the Raiders. But it still won't matter. The relocation fee is $550 million!
On the flip side, by the Chargers not moving, the Raiders stand to receive a smaller share of the relocation fees which, at least for now, only includes the Rams. So instead of $100mm, it might be $50mm.
But, it appears, the NFL is still prepared to help finance a new stadium in Oakland, with up to $300mm available (that's how much they offered the Chargers).
R-00 A midnight move, while very Al Davis-esk, is extremely unlikely by Mark Davis, who is far more of a straight shooter. Also, it defies the bylaws of the league. Davis is a franchisee who owns exclusive rights to Oakland. He has no inherent rights to other cities. Also, LA, for example, is the second largest market in the country. Owners aren't going to let the Raiders just skate into LA, nor should they... if I'm being objective.
My prediction hasn't changed. The stadium issue will continue to fester and the Raiders are stuck at O.co.
So we can sit back and watch which price goes up faster: The cost of building a new stadium, or the market value of the Raiders which Mark Davis will almost certainly have to sell a stake in order to afford a new stadium. One thing to keep in mind, interest rates are still near record lows. If rates climb, as they eventually will, the debt service cost becomes much greater. Debt service on hundreds of millions is nothing to sneeze at... if you have Mark Davis money and a long-failing franchise.
Chargers are staying in San Diego for the 2016 season instead of leasing LA Coliseum. They have reached an agreement with the Rams to join them in 2017.
LA is officially not an option for the Raiders. I think the League is forcing Mark to stay in Oakland, where he will lose profits from parking and concessions, and force his hand to sell. I just hope if this happens, Amy Trask is the one who buys.
"Also, it defies the bylaws of the league"
***********************************************************************************
True, but as Al Davis proved, just because NFL makes a "Rule", it doesn't mean it will hold up in court.
Relocation fee sounds like a shakedown to me. Fee is not helping the Raiders franchise, but rather damaging it, by limiting, or even stopping any move. Smells fishy to me.
R-00 - Al might have tested those waters but, in that vein, what's to keep the Raiders from moving to Dallas or NY, or anywhere that a franchise(s) already exists. I don't think this would play out the way it did in the 80s. Even with Davis's case as legal precedent, the NFL probably set whatever safeguards it needed to prevent that from ever happening again. The relocation fee might be part of that safeguard.
Nate - The way I read it, the Chargers only delayed their decision, leaving the Raiders hanging for at least another year. Spanos agreed to terms with the RAMS but also gave SD time to complete a vote needed to pass the proposed public funding for a new stadium. Chargers might still end up staying in SD, and all that has to happen is to pass a vote for what SD officials have already proposed.
Raiders would have been better off if the Chargers just moved. Then they would receive a share of the relocation fee as consolation.
Seems like everything the NFL, Rams and Chargers do just continues to hurt the Raiders. Maybe there is a lawsuit brewing! You'd still need Al's balls to initiate it.
Chargers have a year to exercise their option to join the Rams, and they have the ability to extend that option another year should SD vote favorably to subsidize a new stadium (presumably a contingency to protect the Chargers during that process).
So the Chargers have the ability to delay the Raiders access to LA for two years, after which the Raiders have another year to decide if they want to become a tenant with no equity at the Rams new stadium in Inglewood. That's three years!!
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf:
"I recognize that the Raiders have a powerful brand and that they will always have options outside of Oakland," she said. "And, I remain committed to proving to them that Oakland has the most to offer them."
Is she f'n kidding? What are they offering?
If they were offering anything at all, this probably wouldn't even be news. They'd be building a stadium.
San Diego can delay a move to LA, but only had a year to reach an agreement with the Rams if they were going to move or not. Basically, the Chargers have given San Diego this next season to make a decision about keeping the Chargers.
I say the Raiders are officially out of Los Angeles because Stan Kroenke has made it clear he does not want to enter any agreement with the Raiders or Mark Davis. He knows that the Raiders have a bigger brand in Los Angeles, and he would lose money in that deal. I think that is more of the "League" talking than Stan, the "League" doesn't want the Raiders in LA, which is why they voted the way they did.
The Chargers just gained the upper hand on San Diego with the agreement with the Rams. This is a move the Chargers cannot delay. They either go in a year, or they don't. They only thing that can delay a physical move to San Diego is the stadium (which is to be completed before 2018 season). If Chargers move, they will probably play at the Chavez Ravine for a season. Not sure that San Diego will get something done for the Chargers that they would like.
Raiders, meanwhile, have no backing from the League, and no backing from the city; just lip service from both. Mark Davis lost the majority of his investments from the inheritance tax; and is struggling. It doesn't help that Mark Davis does not own the land the Raiders play on; and his profit-making abilities are few. League wants more owners like Kroenke and Jerry. They forced DeBartolo out of San Fran, and now they are trying to do the same to Mark. Right now, nothing can stop the Raiders from looking elsewhere. They have been approved to look at locations to re-locate the team. They would have to be approved once a site is selected, unless, Mark imitates his dad and does it without League approval.
"Mark Davis lost the majority of his investments from the inheritance tax"
I wasn't aware he paid any taxes yet. Isn't Carol Davis still alive? She more or less owns the team.
Clearly, Mark is not the renegade that Al was; not even close. So he would presumably face a large relocation fee (up to $550mm) just like the Rams and possibly the Chargers. That fee is bigger than his bankroll, so trips to San Antonio, LA, Vegas or anywhere else are probably a waste of his time.
You should google Tim Brown's interview with Rich Eisen yesterday. I saw it on Twitter because I follow both. Tim talked about why he feels Bill Callahan sabotaged the Super Bowl against Gruden and the Bucs. He said all week, the Raiders offense practiced to pound the ball with Wheatley to use the size advantage of the O-line against Tampa's small defense. The last practice (Friday) before the game, Callahan changed the plan to go with the offense scheme/plan they used all season; the plan/scheme that Gruden knew. Tim says no one has ever done that in the history of football at any level. Most players went looking for Al Davis to tell him of the changes and complain about it, but Al had gone "somewhere" (according to Tim) and the players couldn't reach him until it was too late. It makes me angry, because I felt that Callahan should have changed up how they did things. To know that he did initially, and then change it all back on the final practice shows just how absurd of a coach he was.
Here's the youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdqvdHmnbfA
Interesting. I seem to recall John Lynch having revealed that Callahan didn't even change the audible calls from the previous year, meaning every time Gannon audibled, Tampa Bay literally knew what was coming. I never thought there was anything sinister behind it; I just thought Callahan was that stupid.
Brown has claimed that many times. Marcus Allen and others have written in their books that Al Davis regularly changed game plans right before games, which could have directly or indirectly led to the Super Bowl stupidity, as Brown suggests.
Ken Stabler to HOF!
About time too bad it could not happen when he was alive
enjoy the bowl
Sandy
Well, Roger Goodall was finally right. You can get hurt watching football from your sofa. Because it was painful watching the worst super bowl in NFL history.
A stink-fest, slop-fest, mistake-fest game, in which it appeared neither team belonged on the NFL's big stage. Cam Newton=not ready for prime time. Peyton Manning= way past his prime. Even when they win, the clown clad Donkeys find a way to screw up the big game. What a stinker.
As for Tim Browns comments. Lets keep in mind that center, Barrett Robbins went bonkers before the game. Adam Tru, his replacement, Weighed 290 lbs. Robbins weighed 330 lbs. So this could be a reason to go away from the ground, & pound, that was practiced all week.
Glad to hear Snake finally gets into the hall. Better late then never I guess.
Raider00,
Barrett didn't go bonkers until Saturday night. Adam Tru didn't know until gameday that he was even starting. That was a blow to the Raiders for sure, but not as much as Callahan changing the power run game, to an offense that played into Tampa's hand. He was out of coaching in the NFL for 4 years until he got into the Browns as a coach, and is now with the Cowboys.
Marcus Allen and others say that Al Davis changed plays during games as he listened to the plays being called, if he didn't like it, he called in himself and changed it. He was always involved in game-planning, and changed it when he didn't like it, but that happened during practices (which he was a part of); never after a practice or at the end of a week. Al Davis was proactive, not reactionary. It is a big reason why coaches either hated Al, or loved him.
So to say he would always change the game plan, yes, but never at the level that Callahan did at the Super Bowl. Never changed the whole game plan on the last practice.
Who looked uglier last night, John Elway or the Doncos' owner? Holy good Lord, she was horrendous looking! I have a lot of respect for Peyton, I hope it is the end of the road for him. Doncos will be no better than the Texans a few years ago now. Their Defense will wear out (much like the Raiders did a few years ago) because of being on the field too much due to lack of offensive production. Aqib Talib should have been ejected for the face mask tackle in the 1st Quarter. In fact, if it wasn't the Super Bowl, he would have been ejected. He is a dirty player. I don't know who's more dirty, Aqib Talib or Richard Sherman. Either way, the Doncos still suck, and I can't wait until the Raiders punch them in the face next season. JUST WIN, BABY!!
Nate...I guess what I'm saying is, after Robbins was out, and replaced by the lighter in weight Adam Tru. Maybe Callahan decided that using the power running attack was no longer the best option.
If you go back and look at that game, you'll see that Tru did get shoved, and pushed around pretty easy. And a lot of the pressure by Tampa, on Gannon, came from right up the middle. Not to mention that the center makes all the calls at LOS regarding blitzes, and Tru did not have a full week of practice. Tru was very overmatched.
I don't think anyone suggested AL "always" changed game plans. We don't know what happened behind the scenes, and it's possible neither does Brown. Gannon was league MVP, as was Newton. Perhaps playing to that strength was too obvious. On the other hand, how do we know a power running game would have worked?
As for yesterday's game, I think those assessments don't give enough credit to the defenses. No way, IMO, the Raiders team that beat the Broncos a few weeks ago could have done much against the defense they fielded yesterday.
On another note, does anyone else find it interesting that John Elway won a SB in the same year after firing his entire coaching staff? And having P Manning as his QB was almost a non-factor. Am I missing something?!
Like it or not, Elway is GM of the year material.
Raider00,
I get what you are saying, my point is the game plan was changed by Callahan prior to Robbins' incident. At the last practice (a Friday), Callahan changed what they had practiced all week. The next day (Saturday) Barrett went AWOL.
Run blocking is easier than pass blocking too; which would have helped Treu. NY, I think Tampa would have lost to a power run attack. The Bucs played Pittsburgh in a game that year, and the Steelers shut them out 33-0 with a power run offense, that also spread the WRs in the field. From what I gather (from what Brown has said) that was the general idea the Raiders were going to take.
NYR....Good points. I noted during the season how Elway turned the Donkos from top offensive team, to top defensive team, in one off season.
Interestingly, Donkos had top offense with defensive HC, John Fox, and top D with offensive HC Tom Kubiak.
I challenged Reggie to do something as spectacular for the Raiders this off season. But I won't hold my breath.
00- McKenzie needs to do something spectacular if he wants Elway status.
Elway has been steadily making good choices in the draft and free agency, then totally blew up the coaching staff and replaced them with first-year SB winners.
Fired from last year's staff was Jack Del Rio. I like JDR and KNJ but there's no question Wade Phillips hit it out of the park for the Broncos this year.
So I'm starting to see some Mock Drafts appear. I like walterfootball, but have also read Sports Illustrated has a 2 round mock (which I think is a joke), as they have Joshua Perry (OLB, Ohio St) going to the Raiders in the 2nd, and indicate the Raiders would move him inside. What? A lot of these mocks have the Raiders picking different CBs, from Vernon Hargreaves, Mackensie Alexander (yes in the first round), and others. Though I wouldn't mind Hargreaves, I don't think he is there at #14. The rest want to make me PUKE as first round picks!
So this got my brain working. Who do I want to see the Raiders target? Right now I feel the battle is won in the trenches, as indicated by this last Super Bowl. So I am thinking of the right side of the O-line. But I am also thinking about the MILB spot, which is just as important on the defensive side of the ball, and a needed position for the Raiders. Even though I like Neiron Ball, I think he'd be better on the outside, and would compliment Malcolm Smith. So if the Raiders do not address this position in Free Agency, they need to address it in the draft. Also, the Raiders are concerned about Mario Edwards' neck injury. The reality is he may never play again. That is speculation at this point, because the Raiders are really really tight-lipped. So they may be looking for a DE too.
My feeling is that if Reggie Ragland (ILB, Bama) is there at #14, the Raiders choice is easy, but most mocks have him going in the top 10. Jaylon Smith (ILB, Notre Dame) is another guy most mocks have going high, but he tore his ACL and may drop to the 2nd round depending on his recovery. If this happens, it would be a HUGE benefit for the Raiders to target the right side of the O-Line, and go after Smith in the 2nd. The bottom line, Reggie Ragland is who the Raiders should target. If they can't get him, then they need to look to fill the right side of the O-Line.
If Reggie Ragland is not there at #14, any of these players are who the Raiders should consider (IMHO):
Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame, 6-5, 315 lbs. He took over at LT last season to replace Zac Martin. He started at ND as RT. Most scouts have him as lacking power; but he had plenty at the RT spot a few years ago. I think the lack of power came due to shifting to the other side of the line. Get him back at RT, and he will plow again.
Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan St, 6-6, 325 lbs. He is a LT coming into the draft, but I think could be a better RT. Give him time to adjust to the other side of the line.
Germain Ifedi, OT, TX A&M, 6-5, 320. Most scouts don't like him at LT and indicate that teams would move him inside at Guard. I think he moves to RT. Also, most scouts have him in the 2nd-4th rounds, even though walterfootball says, "Ifedi has more strength and nastiness to him than some other recent Aggie offensive line prospects like Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews and Cedric Ogbuehi. However, Ifedi isn't as quick or athletic to be a left tackle like that trio." That is why I would try him at RT.
In the 2nd Round the door is wide open:
Eli Apple, CB, Ohio St
Vadal Alexander, OG, LSU
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, OK St
Carl Nassib, DE, Penn St
Jonathan Allen, DE, Bama
Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson
James Bradberry, CB, Samford
Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
What are your thoughts?
Once upon a time, when Raiders signed a three-year stadium lease, we all thought that would be the bridge they needed to secure a site and build a new stadium. It's been status quo since, and the Raiders just signed another one-year deal with the county. Honestly, I don't see this arrangement changing anytime soon.
If Mark Davis wants my advice, I say just keep making trips to Vegas. That's the only way to keep your sanity on this issue. Good luck!
Nate - you always have a lot of insight about the draft and college players. I've seen Conklin named with the Raiders. This year is actually tougher because the Raiders are not selecting in the top five for a change. I'll take a look at some of your suggestions.
NY, I think it is also just as equal to consider how the Raiders address these needs in Free Agency as well. Here are some of my thoughts about free agency.
Eric Berry (S, Chiefs) is a free agent, but will the Chiefs try to low-ball his salary after battling cancer? If so, does he look elsewhere or take the pay cut? This is a situation to watch.
In Dunver, Osweiller, Von Miller, Brandon Marshall (ILB), and Danny Trevathan (ILB) are all free agents. With Ware, D Thomas, Aqib Talib, and even if Peyton Manning retires or is cut; the Doncos don't have a lot of cap room, and may target Osweiller, Miller, and Marshall leaving Trevathan with the short straw and looking for a new team. He's a beast! I'd love to have him in Oakland and allow Ball to move outside with Malcolm Smith, and Mack at DE permanently. This is a HUGE for Reg to keep his eye on, and may be the best option at MLB for the Raiders.
Other realistic possiblities at MILB are players that the Raiders can get at a cheaper price in FA and still target for depth in the draft. These players would be:
Jarod Mayo (NE, age 30), Keenan Robinson (Wash, age 27), and Sean Weatherspoon (Ariz, age 28).
At CB, Reggie clearly has indicated his intention to re-sign Amerson. But they need someone to compliment his play, and move TJ Carrie back to his natural position at Safety. Brandon Boykin (Pitts, age 26) seems like a great fit here. Pittsburgh did not utilize him much last season until December. I don't know if it was because he was in the doghouse or what, but he was a healthy scratch for most of the season, and when he came in, he was lights out. I wonder if Tomlin just let him play to show other teams what he is capable of, and do not have plans of signing him. The Raiders could get him at a reasonable price and move Hayden to nickel or dime packages, while continuing to bolster this position in Free Agency and the draft.
Other notable CBs:
Bice McCain (Mia, 29), Jerraud Powers (Ariz, 29), Antwon Blake (Pitts, 26), and Shareece Wright (Bal, 29).
At safety, the most interesting team to watch is the Bengals, who have their top 2 CBs as free agents, and their top safety. Do they sign Pacman and Leon Hall and let Safety George Iloka go? Speculation is they are going to sign Leon Hall and Iloka and let Pacman go. Another thought is that the Bengals Safeties were good because of Pacman and Hall's play at CB, freed them up to do whatever. It will be interesting to watch, because if they let Iloka go (who is 26), the Raiders can get him at low $$.
Other safeties to watch:
Eric Berry (KC, 27). I love Berry, one of the toughest competitors.
Michael Griffin (Ten, 31), Omar Bolden (Den, 27), Robert Blanton (Min, 26), and Walter Thurmond (Phi, 29).
Tackles:
Ryan Schraeder (RT, Atl, 28). Does Reggie spend big $$ on the O-line like he did with Hudson? Will he re-sign Donald Penn as well? Andre Smith (RT, Cincy, 29) would be an interesting choice too. Not much in the Tackle area as far as FA goes, but besides Penn, the Raiders may lose K Barnes, J'Marcus Webb (who was stellar at RG), and Tony Bergstrom to free agency.
Guards:
Kelechi Osemele (LG/LT, Bal, 27). This could be another stellar sign if Penn walks, and may help ease those who are still complaining about losing Veldheer.
Alex Boone (SF, 29). Tough and nasty Guard in the League, worth the $$.
Other Guards to get on the cheap that would provide depth to target starters in the draft:
Vlad Ducasse (Chi, 28),Amini Silatolu (Car, 27), and Brandon Brooks (Hou, 27).
Finally, at DE, there is not much in FA to really go after. Raiders are extremely tight lipped about Mario Edwards Jr. His neck injury stems from a condition he has had since birth (narrowing of the spine). He may never play again, and that seems to be the currently possibility.
Derek Wolfe was the one to watch, but he re-signed with the Doncos. Walters Football has Olivier Vernon (Mia, 26) as a high ranked DE, but his stats are less than stellar. It will be interesting to see what the Chiefs do with Tamba Hali, and George Selvie (NYG, 29) didn't have a terrific season, but the Giants overall didn't have a terrific season. It will also be interesting to see what happens to Jason Pierre-Paul.
Other DE's to watch:
Quinton Coples (Mia, 26), Derrick Shelby (Mia, 27), and Adrian Clayborn (Atl, 28).
Nate - Raiders are flush with cash, i.e., cap space, again this year. Sky is the limit, so let's see what rabbit McKenzie can pull out of his hat.
I would note that something needs to be done at LT. Penn has been serviceable but McKenzie has not reached out to Penn to discuss the possibility of coming back. Penn just the other day was questioning to the media the Raiders motives for not reaching out to him to even open the line of communication.
Is this another Veldheer set-up by McKenzie? Hopefully, McKenzie can upgrade the position but it seems that he might be playing with matches again so soon after getting burned. Though, I hope for an upgrade!
Jerry Mac said that PFF may actually rank Penn ahead of Veldheer in 2015 but that's an absolute joke. Palmer holds the ball, whereas, Carr masterfully avoids pressure. If Penn and Veldheer switch teams, Penn would have another season like the one that got him kicked out of Tampa.
IMO, letting Veldheer walk for average money was the second biggest mistake McKenzie has made in his short GM career.
Rams cut Chris Long (DE) and James Laurinaitis (MLB) this weekend. Both of whom the Raiders should bring in.
Texans have released Arian Foster! Raiders are looking for a RB to compliment Murray, here he is. Yes, he has battled injuries, but he did not have a solid backup in Houston. Make the call Reggie!
Nate - we consistently disagree on this front. IMO, bringing in a vet RB is overrated. Worse, Foster was injured last year and was released due to "failed physical."
That's good enough for me. Too many young and hungry RBs out there to waste time, money and a roster spot. Trent Richardson, Helu, etc. Raiders can do better, and should expect more.
The big news now is Raiders rolling the dice at LT. Starting to look like they will let Penn hit the FA market. Not an easy position to fill. Don't be surprised if Kalif Barnes is the starting LT next year.
SCAR
Unofficially official, the Raiders grab the best Lineman in free agency! Contracts with Kelechi Osemele can't be signed until tomorrow, but this will make 2 years in a row the Raiders snag the best offensive lineman in free agency. So Will Osemele be playing LT or RG? Either way this signing is an instant upgrade.
SCAR
Raiders ahve signed Kelechi Osemele from the Ravens who can play both OG or OT. he's a beast, and the #1 free agent at the Offensive Line position. One of two things, he will either replace Donald Penn at LT(but I hope we keep Penn), or he or Gabe Jackson could replace J'Marcus Webb at RG. Menelik Watson could be moved to RG, but he is really injury prone and even if he comes back, should be a depth chart player.
My thought is that he replaces Penn,unfortunately, who is getting older. I think Penn still has a few years left, and he is a tenacious Tackle, and a quality leader. I was okay with his signing, and thought he was equivalent to Veldheer. Also, Penn provides stability for Watson, Osemele to get back into the groove of playing.
As far as RB, NY, Ian Rappaport is reporting that the Raiders have reached out to Chris Ivory. I think that is fair, but I am not sure he will be any different than Helu. At least with Foster, when he is healthy, he is a beast, and plays above average. I heard Seattle is interested in Foster since Marshawn retired. If I had the choice between Ivory or Foster, it would be Foster in a heart beat.
SCAR
Can we grab Cb Sean Smith from the Chiefs and LB Trevathan from the Broncos? Talk about dagggers in our rivals if we did.
SCAR
Vic Tafur is reporting that Sean Smith (CB, KC) is being heavily pursued by the Raiders, and will likely be the next "domino to fall."
It is being reported that Bruce Irving is leaving the Seahags and coming to the Raiders. Moves are happening fast.
I'm having to follow the action from across the pond, this is good stuff. looks as though the Raiders may be poised to snag more than one CB on the market. What a difference a year makes, we made waves last year in our signings this year it seems that we are making Waves! I really am pleased with the direction our ship is heading.
Topher
Nate - Ivory and Helu are as night and day as you can be. Ivory is a tenacious runner. Helu was known as a 3rd down back who can catch, i.e., until he completely disappeared from sight after signing with the Raiders.
Ivory is reported to be signing with the Jags, who have been very aggressive so far.
Most of the Raiders failures in the running game have been at the line. Pursuing Osemele was smart. Penn has been serviceable but he's a stopgap player who has overachieved with the Raiders thanks to Carr's tremendous ability to avoid pressure and get rid of the ball. Even with that, last year was a sharp spike in sacks, and Penn had more than his share of pressures.
LT needs an upgrade, whether it's Osemele or someone else.
Let's hope the Raiders stay aggressive and find one or two solid corners. CB was by far the Raiders worst failure last year. Lots of options in FA for immediate upgrade(s) and in the draft for long-term.
League year starts today!
Raiders lose the race for Janoris Jenkins, Doug Martin, and are still pursuing Chiefs CB Sean Smith. If we can lock up Smith, and get a safety like Walter Thurmond, or Reggie Nelson at a reasonable rate. I don't think the Raiders should pursue Weddle, and I know I may be in the minority with that view. I still hope they re-sign Donald Penn and Tony Bergstrom too and see what they can get out of Osemele at RG, and have solid depth on the O-line. I think the signing of Osemele and Bruce Irving may change how the Raiders draft. Especially if they do not sign a strong CB like Smith. With Osemele, the Raiders could still draft a solid Tackle too. I'm loving the moves Reggie has made out of the gate. I'm loving how the Raiders played last season that made players want to come this year.
Doncos losing players! Brock Osweiler signs with the Texans. They went from Manning and future QB, to no one! There is rumors that Kubiak will go after RG3 or Kaepernick. Talk about 5 steps in the wrong direction. This makes my day!
Alex Boone is going to the Vikings, Forte to the Jets, and Lamar Miller (overrated) to the Texans. Chargers keep going after WRs signing Travis Benjamin. Is Matt Millen their GM? Holy crap! Doncos, Chiefs, and Chargers are imploding. Good day for the Raiders!
Danny Trevathan signed with the Bears, and by designated the lowest possible RFA tender to CJ Anderson, the Doncos may lose him too! I will be happy if Von Miller and Aqib Talib become the next Burfict/PacMan Jones in regards to onfield immature tandems/meltdowns.
Only Gary Kubiak and John Elway would think that RG3 and or Kaepernick would be an upgrade to losing Osweiler, so I'm not sure that these are real options for the Doncos, or smokescreens to who they really want. If these names are smokescreens, then the QB they will go after is Fitzpatrick, which would then be a scary good move to let Osweiler go. At the same time, Fitz does not fit with Kubiak's system, he is more of a "run/gun" type QB. Maybe they make a trade for Sam Bradford. Hahahaha, this is awesome!
Indeed. Things shaking up in the AFCW and mostly benefitting the Raiders... if for no other reason than the Raiders don't have any valuable FAs to lose. M King was perhaps the Raiders top FA, and he was re-signed earlier. Penn wants to stay in Oakland but it's not clear if the Raiders wants him back.
Broncos have no QB, and they have lost some key FAs. Chiefs too, mostly on D.
So far, so good!
PS Chiefs lost a 3rd round pick this year for tampering.
Raiders sign Sean Smith! That is 3 of the top 20 Free Agents that the Raiders have signed!
Elway took a parting shot at Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan by saying that he only wanted to sign players that wanted to be here. What a loser! No class whatsoever!
JUST WIN, BABY!
SCAR
Kelechi Osemele. Bruce Irvin. Sean Smith.
3 impact starters so far in free agency.
I can only qualify this as great start to free agency.
SCAR
"Elway took a parting shot at Osweiler, Jackson, and Trevathan by saying that he only wanted to sign players that wanted to be here. What a loser! No class whatsoever!"
Nate - That was the same stance the Raiders took with many players who left Oakland. It seemed as though Elway made a fair offer for Osweiler to stay in Denver. The guy has seven career starts, including a loss to the Raiders. Did you see the comparisons with Matt Flynn?
Based on everything that's gone down (pun intended) so far in the AFCW, the Raiders are looking up.
Raiders are signing all the big boys.....just like that guy Jones told ya how it would go down.....who's calling for Reggie's job? HUH? What's that? Not a fucking soul? A complete 180 done by little Marc and Big Reg.....and you fucker are still wondering? Still bringing up Flynn? Veldheer? fuckin fruit loop.
That's deep, Jones. There's never been a doubt in my mind that you're trolling this site waiting for any opportunity to spout. Funny part is, my reference to Flynn was not in any way directed at the Raiders. Seattle was the team that initially signed Flynn, you idiot!
Troll on!
I though Sean SMith and KO were great signings. Bruce Irvin is athletic and above avg but no star. taht beings aid he is a huge step up from Ray Ray Armstrong
KO was signed to play tackle you don't pay a guard that kind of money.
I see the holes as one more O lineman, I don't think Penn is back. Combine that move with two more dbs (hopefully wedell and a good draft pick), a starting de and playoffs are a real possibility
Regards
Sandy
Regards
Sandy
Sandy -
IMO, Raiders have three solid OL players but still need two.
Hudson
Jackson
Osemele
The rest of the field is marginal, at best. Raiders seem to have little or no interest in retaining Penn or Webb. Howard was bad at RT and worse at RG; and Watson can't be counted on.
Three down; two to go!
Webb signed with Seattle, and Penn is looking around. That these guys started 16 games in 2015 and the Raiders are letting them walk speaks to how bad the OLine was last year.
HAHA, you idiot, Penn just signed...are you going to cry about Veldqueer now? This years O-line is going to be one of the tops in the league....and still you cry. Reg was letting Penn see for himself that he wasn't going to hit on the BIG contract. So Penn resigned to Reg and the deal is done. Reg is proving himself to be a top GM in the League. I guess you were wrong about that too....LMFAO....you are the dumbest 'Raider fan' ever.
I am a Raider...and you aren't, you fraud piece of shit.
I'm happy he has re-signed. He is not only a premier tackle, but a leader in the locker room. He, Gabe Jackson, Hudson, and Osemele are the nasty we need on the O-Line!
I wished the season started tomorrow because I'm freaking beside myself. JUST WIN, BABY!
Jones, are you still mad that you've made so sooooo many miscalculation about the Raiders' road to recovery? Let's all get on the Jones' train and hail to Dennis Allen, Greg Knapp and Jason Tarver. Praise Matt Flynn, Matt Schaub and Matt Lienart.
Thank goodness we "intentionally tanked" all those games to end the 2014 season... even if it did cost the jobs of every coach on the team. Thankfully!
Yeah! You're batting 1.000.
At least there's still one thing we can all be sure.
You're still a spineless troll.
But, hey, you're entitled to your opinion.
Have a nice day, big guy!
The Penn signing (pun intended) is multifaceted.
On one hand, it was smart to re-sign Penn because it's not a like a serviceable LT would just fall into the Raiders lap, like Penn did after the McKenzie whiffed at replacing Veldheer with Saffold. However, the Raiders paid Omesele LT money and he's played LT before... so there was a backup.
From quotes posted in the media, Penn was pissed at the Raiders for not negotiating a new deal with him prior to the start of free agency (sound familiar?), and because they first signed Omesele.
It took Penn arranging a meeting with the Giants for the Raiders to get a deal done.
In the end, they are probably lucky Penn wanted so much to stay with his teammates.
Either way, Penn is no more than a stopgap. Raiders need a LT. Hopefully, they will draft somebody who brings long-term stability to the position.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz = same old shtick....can you get some new angles? They are so outdated and so is your thought process, it's embarrassing to REAL Raider fans.
Go Reg and Mark and the OAKLAND RAIDERS
Jones, you have three posts on this thread and you haven't said a thing about football.
Jones = Troll
49ers having difficulty paying their $24.5 million a year stadium rent.
Could be a sign.
NY
Omsele has been paid a lot to play guard but I suppose the long term plan is to move him to LT. In the meantime the Raiders probably have the best interior threesome of any o-line in the NFL.
Resigning Penn leaves holes at DE, and two to three starters still needed in the secondary. Perhaps another lb. If they can draft a starter in the 1st or 2nd round, perhaps this is the year they challenge for the playoffs.
How do you feel about Karlos Dansby. Not sure if they have a solid starter at mlb. Smith is more of a tweener, Ball is coming off injury and better on the outside and Heeney is so-so.
Have a good weekend
Sandy
Sandy - No doubt, on paper the Raiders look good at OLine. They were successful upgrading center last year, and this year at G. I'm confident Mike Tice and JDR will field their best five, which could leave Penn as an expensive backup. However, my understanding is Osemele is a better G than T.
On D, don't discount Ben Heeney. He looks like a baller. Just needs more experience. I see Heeney as the sleeper in last year's draft. Raiders are pretty set at LB (they have options at MLB). However, they still need DE, S and RB to fill some pretty big holes.
Mario Edwards' injury remains a mystery. If he can't return, that sets us back a bit. Apparently, his alignment is more long-term, and was known prior to the draft... although, perhaps not by the Raiders.
Raiders should match whatever offer Dallas made to Mayowa. He's a pretty solid edge player off the bench.
That's my take.
Sandy/Nate
This is well written. The author makes some really good points; although, some could be debunked by a single transaction.
http://tinyurl.com/haxqgkk
Some of this points to what I've been saying... Vet RBs are overrated. They extend that notion to MLBs, suggesting outside LBs are more athletic and transition well inside. Damien points out that Wheeler and M Smith were both moved inside and performed well.
I am banking on Heeney and Ball covering the middle in 2016, with Smith being the safety net again.
NY,
JDR spoke with Penn immediately after they signed Osemele (according to Penn on a Sirius Radio interview, the one where Penn said he was pissed). JDR assured him they got Osemele to play interior Guard until Penn retires in 2 years. Penn has made it clear that this is his last contract. So the plan is not Penn being a backup, but will play LT and ride off into the sunset.
I also believe that Bruce Irving was signed to be the other DE to offset Mack. Smith is a good sign, but he said in Seattle's defense he was used sparingly, and wants the opportunity to show his skills. Norton Jr knows his skills, and will utilize them. I think this is an above average signing, and he's more than a tweener. Under Pete Carroll, he was used minimally. Norton and JDR has confirmed that they brought him in to showcase what he is capable of. I think our issue at MLB has been solved with Smith, and he will surprise a lot of people. The bottom line though, we need depth at this. Heeney and Ball will be the OLBs. I'm glad we rid ourselves of Lofton.
I think we need to focus on Safety and CBs. I still think we use the first and second picks of the draft to bolster the O-Line and D-Line. I think we take Ronnie Staley (OT, Notre Dame) to develop to replace Penn with the first pick. Yet this is a tricky pick for the Raiders. I think there may be an overlooked exception that most NFL pundits are not talking about; Derrick Henry (RB, Bama).
A lot of these "pundits" do not have Derrick Henry going in the first round, and have Ezekiel Elliot going first to the Cowboys at #4, or somewhere between 4 and 12. I think Henry is the better RB of the two, but how much did he waste in Bama? I think Henry could be a steal in the first at #14 with the Raiders, or if he falls to us in the second round. I think this is where the Raiders will need to have a feel for what other teams are going to do. Outside of Elliot and Henry, the RB draft is pretty thin. A surprise at this position in the draft may be Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois) in the middle rounds (3-5), or Tra Carson (TX A&M) in the mid-late rounds.
Nate - Your description of Penn sounds like a scholarship ride to retirement. I hope it's not. Raiders should field their best players, regardless of Penn's feelings. It's anyone's guess why the Raiders waited until after free agency started to sign Penn.
I believe Smith can wear the audio set without playing in the middle, but it will be interesting to see how that vets out with Heeney and Ball in the mix. I doubt JDR or Norton would reveal their intentions with personnel before OTAs and the draft (or ever for that matter).
For the draft, I think the Raiders have to attack OL, DE and/or S in the early rounds. Mid-late rounds RB and depth.
NY,
I think Penn is a nasty player, and one of the most underrated Tackles in the League! He is going to earn his money, like a real leader does. The Raiders locker room has much respect for Penn on both sides of the ball, and that is rare for one guy to be a leader on both sides of the ball the way Penn is, and the way CWood was. His contract is incentive heavy ($3.5 million guaranteed for each year, for $7 million total; if he meets all incentives, his contract is $14 million for 2 years). That is not scholarship, that is respecting a hard workers wishes. Penn has earned that respect.
Penn said in the interview that he was pissed because Reggie and JDR had been talking with him that they were going to bring him back, and were working out a contract with him, then all of a sudden they were silent. The next thing he knew, they signed Osemele. He was worried that they didn't want him anymore, and JDR reached out to him and gave him the scoop that he was still being signed and Osemele will be playing inside.
I agree too that they should go after O-Line with the first pick (Ronnie Staley). I'm just saying that if Derrick Henry is truly there, I would cry if they picked him either. But I think Trent Richardson, Mark Ingram, and Eddie Lacy have ruined the NFL's view of Bama Running Backs.
My draft hope for the Raiders:
Ronnie Staley or Jack Conklin
Beniquez Brown (ILB, Miss State)
Karl Joseph (S, WV) or Jeremy Cash (S, Duke)
James Bradberry (CB/S, Samford) or Deiondre Hall (CB, Northern Iowa)
Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois)
Anthony Zettel (DE, Penn State)
Isaac Seumalo (C, Oregon State)
Sorry, I'm not as high on Penn.
The Raiders Oline is made better by the savvy of Derek Carr. Penn (and all the others) have benefited tremendously from Carr's ability to avoid pressure and get rid of the ball. That's part of what makes Carr so good.
In the end, the line has to do better than it has, particularly run blocking. Despite respectable numbers posted by Murray, Raiders have among the worst rushing attacks in the league, and Penn was part of that.
Penn struggles in run blocking and he takes his share of beatings by edge pass rushers. These are traits that carried with him from Tampa where, in his last year there, he gave up 16 sacks. Again, Derek Carr has been his best friend in Oakland and, essentially, resurrected Penn's career.
Sorry, but that's my take.
Raiders have three of five spots locked up with Hudson, Jackson and Osemele. Drafting a solid T in RD 1 would be a smart move!
The new short-term lease is false hope. Things have reached a boiling point with the Raiders stadium issue.
http://tinyurl.com/hpyun94
It seems unfathomable that the Raiders stadium rent would go up 4x over last year. Now, city council members have resorted to mocking Davis in the media.
It will take a gift of no-action by the Chargers, allowing the Raiders to move in with the Rams, to resolve the Raiders "home" field woes.
NY, another story that seems to show the real reason why Mark Davis is looking to move. Ridiculous!
I don't blame Mark. He's done more than AL x10 to get a stadium deal initiated. His biggest downfall is that he's been too honest in making it clear he wants to stay in Oakland; which, unfortunately, may have indirectly led to some arrogance by the city.
The criteria around building in Oakland goes way beyond cost. Davis indicated the A's would need to be a willing participant to use the current site, and no other sites have been offered... to my knowledge.
This is a losing battle.
Ben Heeney is lucky to walk away from this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDeFFx6Opn8/
The last Coliseum City proposal had the A's in a different locale downtown. It was rejected because the A's want to stay put where they are. The A's are trying to muscle the Raiders out, and they have the money to redo a stadium without taxpayer $$, and MLB behind them.
The Raiders need help building their stadium, with no help from the NFL, and proposal after proposal being rejected over tax breaks, use of land, parking for tailgating, and selling % of ownership in the Raiders. I think the city/county want the Raiders to sign a long-term deal like the A's did, and then commit to a stadium plan.
The biggest problem, the plan they want does not fit with tailgating plans. It is designed for fans to take public transit to the games (much like New York) as a way to gain revenue for the city. Mark Davis makes bank on tailgating and concessions, and the city wants to take away 1/2 of his income. It is a no win situation right now. The city needs to make money, and so do the Raiders.
I think a viable solution would be to have a "Tailgating Park", in a grassy area, complete with numerable park tables and benches that are covered, BBQ pits, sand pits to play volleyball, and an area for other games. These spots would be sold to season ticket holders as part of the package. That way, fans do not have to bring anything except food, beverages, and small things that can be stored in the tailgating area. I don't know if Mark Davis would go for something like that.
I don't think a deal gets done with Oakland, and I don't think the Raiders move to Los Angeles. There is no short term solution for the Raiders at this point; and the long-term solution is dwindling. Raiders are losing money on this deal, and Oakland is taking advantage of the situation (like raising their lease 4 times from last year). I think any venue is a valid venue for the Raiders at this point in the game. I wonder if they've looked a little east to Sacramento?
Here's a link to the Raiders trying out a few players before the draft. I could see them drafting him to take a d-line spot to possibly take Edwards Jr spot if he is unable to play again. Still, mums the word on him.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/raiders/report-versatile-florida-d-lineman-set-visit-raiders
My final draft thoughts, now the FA has kicked off and big spending is done.
1 - Reggie Ragland (ILB, Bama) The closer we get, the more I think he'll be there at 14.
2 - Germain Ifedi, (OT, TX A&M)
3 - Jeremy Cash (S, Duke) or Jonathan Bullard (DT, Florida)
4 - James Bradberry (CB/S, Samford) or Deiondre Hall (CB, Northern Iowa)both would be steals at this point in the draft.
5 - Josh Ferguson (RB, Illinois)
6 - Anthony Zettel (DE, Penn State)
7 - Isaac Seumalo (C, Oregon State)
Vegas, baby! Inexpensive, direct flights!
Actually, "Las Vegas Raiders" doesn't sound half bad.
SCAR
Aldon Smith.Stout run defender. Seals the edge. Pressures the QB. Good incentive laden signing
SCAR
Free Agent Reggie Nelson (S, Bengals) coming to visit Raiders. The Smith signing is good, I'm excited about that, even though he won't be on the team the majority of the year. He was lights out the games he played for us.
Not sure about Vegas, but I guess it is better than San Diego (which is German for whale's vagina, according to Ron Burgundy).
Raider Nate,
Smith is decent to solid, but lights out? What were you watching he never came close to flashing the edge rush he provided in San Fran back in 12, 13. Perhaps without Justin Smith on the inside is the reason.
NY, I do blame Mark for the stadium issue. He is the one responsible, it's his team and you can not lay blame elsewhere. I think he has sat back and waited vs making aggressive moves. LA is a good example of that. Perhaps he can be more proactive on Vegas
Regards
Sandy
Sandy,
http://www.raiders.com/media-vault/photo-gallery/Best-Of-Aldon-Smith/70566f56-5385-4b1d-876d-b426b5296909#start
Also, 7 starts, 21 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, 7 assists.
Nate 3.5 sacks in 7 starts/9 games played does not make for lights out rock star level performance.
On another note I sure hope you are right about Ragland dropping to the Raiders. I don't see a cb of quality worth drafting mid 1st round
Regards
Sandy
Sandy - Mark has owners' prejudice, lack of funds and a city & county that don't want the Raiders all going against him.
I agree he might be over his head but how would you recommend he overcome these obstacles?
He's probably doing the right thing speaking with Vegas folks and trying to force the NFL owner's hand. If they block a move (as it appears they did to LA), then Mark can sue them for antitrust, just as AL did. It's not preferred, and far from ideal, but that's the corner which the participants have pushed Mark.
That said, I'd like to learn more about why the Raiders were forced into paying 300x rent they paid last year.
I still think all of this is a ploy by the NFL to force Mark Davis to sell the Raiders.
Raiders making good on the cap money they have to spend this year in order to stay out of the league penalty for three-year minimum spending.
Vegas talk heating up. Oakland & Alameda are pushing the Raiders out. There's zero chance of public funding in Oakland. Vegas is prepared to pay 2/3 cost of a $1.3B stadium with tourist tax.
Draft Thursday!
I'm wondering if the Vegas scenario is approved, if this will fire up the Oakland talks? It sure did work in San Diego when the league approved the Chargers to move. They are voting on a stadium pretty soon.
I'm also wondering if Mark Davis is talking with these developers to help finance the one in Oakland, or if this is a straight up move to Vegas? I'm not sure the League approves this move if it is legitimately being considered by MD. They spent big $$ to keep players away from FanDuel, Draft Kings, and other Fantasy Football league conventions in Vegas this last year because they have to do with a sense of gambling. I think San Antonio, Portland, San Diego, and Sacramento are better options than Vegas.
As far as the draft, I will be happy if the Raiders get one of the following in the first round:
Reggie Ragland
Ronnie Staley (I think the Ravens pick him)
Jack Conklin (I think the Giants pick him)
Germain Ifedi
In that order.
Nate -
San Diego is voting on public funding, something Oakland has vowed it will never do for the Raiders.
So Davis can stay in Oakland and continue to pay 3x last year's rent, with no hope of building a new stadium, or he can pursue other cities.
In Oakland, he'd hoped to obtain funding to build a modest $900M stadium. In Vegas, he's being offered a $1.3B stadium... 2/3 of which is to be funded by tourism that will only get stronger with the Raiders presence.
If you watch the presser announcing the Oakland stadium lease, you can cut the tension in the room with a knife. At one point, MD made a point that the rent went way up. These parties don't like each other.
NFL already denied the Raiders move to LA. Denying another city (Vegas or other) may quickly open them up to another lawsuit for breaking the same fed antitrust laws that AL once sued them for. And the NFL's anti-gambling argument is losing traction because casinos are everywhere. NY was just approved to add four more casinos.
I think Davis is on a mission. (Or maybe he has a gambling problem.)
No draft predictions, but I'll be glued to the process.
Cheers!
Guys, here is a recently opened Raider page called the Autumn Wind. I hope you can visit it...
https://www.facebook.com/The-Autumn-Wind-Oakland-Raiders-1173319476025653/
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