Las Vegas Raiders Draft Thread
Hello, friends. It's been a while. Too long, in fact. Since my last take, the Oakland Raiders have officially become the Las Vegas Raiders, and a global pandemic has swept the world. Time flies.
About this Las Vegas Raiders thing. It's a bitter pill to swallow for someone who grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the original Oakland Raiders, and who was elated when they returned to their rightful land in 1995. It should have been forever.
I can't begrudge the City of Oakland for not giving public funds to a billion-dollar enterprise. That said, I can't begrudge Mark Davis for accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in free money for a modern stadium. I will say, if the Raiders were going to move out of state, I cannot think of a more fitting destination than Las Vegas, with its proximity to California and its own brand of renegade spirit. But a little part of me died when they officially left Oakland this winter.
Regarding the pandemic, I think it's time to start ramping things back up where it's regionally appropriate. Yes, we need to be careful. Yes, this virus can be virulently lethal (see New York City). That said, the despair, joblessness, stress, loneliness, depression and fear of seeking medical attention for other issues is its own mounting health crisis. This isn't an either/or equation. It's a balancing act. Not every region is affected equally. Screaming "science" when the science is different every day isn't the answer, either. The response needs to be measured and thoughtful, with the knowledge that risk tolerance is nothing new, but something we live with every day.
Anyhow, back to the draft. This promises to be a draft day for the ages, precisely because it will be so unique and watched by so many. It's truly the only game in town, and it will be interesting to see what Mayock and Gruden do, especially in the first round. Will it be one of the big three WRs? If Tua falls will they be tempted? Or, in true Vegas fashion, will they deal a wild card?
Grab your popcorn. It's going to be fun, and I look forward to your predictions and takes! I hope that you and yours are all well, thanks for sticking around these parts.
About this Las Vegas Raiders thing. It's a bitter pill to swallow for someone who grew up in the Bay Area rooting for the original Oakland Raiders, and who was elated when they returned to their rightful land in 1995. It should have been forever.
I can't begrudge the City of Oakland for not giving public funds to a billion-dollar enterprise. That said, I can't begrudge Mark Davis for accepting hundreds of millions of dollars in free money for a modern stadium. I will say, if the Raiders were going to move out of state, I cannot think of a more fitting destination than Las Vegas, with its proximity to California and its own brand of renegade spirit. But a little part of me died when they officially left Oakland this winter.
Regarding the pandemic, I think it's time to start ramping things back up where it's regionally appropriate. Yes, we need to be careful. Yes, this virus can be virulently lethal (see New York City). That said, the despair, joblessness, stress, loneliness, depression and fear of seeking medical attention for other issues is its own mounting health crisis. This isn't an either/or equation. It's a balancing act. Not every region is affected equally. Screaming "science" when the science is different every day isn't the answer, either. The response needs to be measured and thoughtful, with the knowledge that risk tolerance is nothing new, but something we live with every day.
Anyhow, back to the draft. This promises to be a draft day for the ages, precisely because it will be so unique and watched by so many. It's truly the only game in town, and it will be interesting to see what Mayock and Gruden do, especially in the first round. Will it be one of the big three WRs? If Tua falls will they be tempted? Or, in true Vegas fashion, will they deal a wild card?
Grab your popcorn. It's going to be fun, and I look forward to your predictions and takes! I hope that you and yours are all well, thanks for sticking around these parts.
posted by Raider Take at 9:23 AM
81 Comments:
What a Pleasure to hear from you, RT, and that you are well. Spot on, as always.
I agree the city/county should never have been responsible for the bounty the Raiders received in LV but they could have kept the Raiders for much less. IMO, they grossly dropped the ball (pun intended), to the point which even the Raiders-hating NFL supported the move.
Indeed, a balancing act is needed for the pandemic/economy. I will defer on this one because it still seems so unnecessarily politically charged. I will say, I think the country (all of us) is more ready than congress.
I see the draft exactly as you say, one for the ages. It has potential for massive TV audience. It's the Super Bowl of drafts, if for no other reason than pent up demand across the sports spectrum, from bowling to golf, to NASCAR, baseball, hockey, basketball, squirrel tossing, or whatever folks are in to.
I'm not good at predicting specific players but I see the Raiders drafting WR and CB in order of best player available with their two 1st round picks.
Little chance Simmons falls, and I don't think Raiders take a QB unless it's mid to late rounds.
Here's my priority by position:
WR
CB
LB
S
DT/DE
RB
Cheers! Stay safe!
Take! Good to hear from ya again. Like you, I am saddened by the Raiders move, but I do think the City/County of Oakland/Alameda had the chance to keep both the Raiders and Warriors; but they let them go. Now they are reneging the promises made to the A's and may be losing the A's in the near future as well. Who, are looking at moving to Vegas, San Jose, and Portland.
I put this on the last blog, and it was my last post on the draft. I have pasted it here, but have added a few things:
Draft is tomorrow! Food for thought, I am not sold that the Bengals pick Burrow. I listened to Jim Rome yesterday, and he had Carson Palmer on. Carson talked about how the Bengals still have Dalton on the roster, and the front office really likes him. He made this suggestion, and I agree and think they pick Chase Young, and pick a QB like Jake Fromm in later rounds. I am hearing that these mock draft writers really don't have a clue to their picks. If this happens, I think the Dolphins trade with the Skins to the #2 spot with their #5 and #18 picks, and take Burrow #2; and Tua won't be selected in the first round. If this doesn't happen, I think the Dolphins get Tua with the #18 pick.
A lot of Mock Draft writers have CJ Henderson as the second CB taken by either the Falcons or the Jags, but I think it will be Trevon Diggs (Bama) and AJ Terrell will be selected before him, and CJ will fall. I also think Herbert will be picked by the Chargers. I think the only other surprise I have is the Bucs selecting D'Andre Swift (RB, Georgia) to beef up the offense around Brady, esecially now that they have Gronk.
Here are my Raiders' picks for each round. I think we have a stellar draft:
1st Round #12-Jerry Jeudy (WR, Bama). I like CeeDee Lamb a lot, but I think the Jets pick him. Jeudy though, the more I watch, the more he has great speed to spread the field. He will be the WR we all thought AB would be.
1st Round #19-I think CJ Henderson falls here. The second CB off the board will be Trevon Diggs, and then the Cowboys select AJ Terrell.
I am sticking with my picks that I selected before after this.
3rd Round #80-Bradley Anae (DE, Utah). With all the depth at OLB/DE players, the Raiders get a true 4-3 DE here, who has tremendous athleticism, strength, and power.
3rd Round #81-Noah Igbinoghene (CB, Auburn). Here is a lockdown CB who drops in the draft due to the depth of the CB position. I think this is one steal of the draft for the Raiders who will further solidify the secondary.
3rd Round #91-Akeem Davis-Gaither (OLB,Appalachian St). 6'1", 224 lbs, runs 4.68, 40. He has 101 tackles, 5 sacks, 8 pass defenses, and 1 interception in 2019.
4th Round #121-Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR, Liberty). He is 6'3", 222lbs, ran a 4.6 40, so he is a little slow, but is a terrific route runner. In this league, great routes equates to separation, and being open. With his height advantage, it will cause CB and Safeties to double team and shadow him in the red zone. He had 69 catches for 1,066 yards and 10 touchdowns last year; and his junior year had 71 receptions for 1,037 yards with 10 touchdowns. I think he is another late round gem, and will be a nice slot WR.
5th Round #159-Either Matt Hennessy (OG/C, Temple). I still like Hennessy here because he would be a solid backup at Center if Hudson were to go down. But he can also be in the Guard position, and I think he becomes valuable like Feliciano was.
Player Trades?
Raiders have trade possibilities with PJ Hall and Gabe Jackson. Hall has way under-performed, diminishing his value, but Jackson is still a road grader. He just doesn't fit in the Raiders zone schemes.
Draft trades?
I'd be okay with the Raiders trading whatever draft capital (and the aforementioned) it takes to get Joe Burrow. Short of bringing back Bill Musgrave, Carr has pretty much shown us his ceiling under Gruden, and it's not good enough.
I'd also be okay with the Raiders trading up to get Isaiah Simmons. Raiders have already upgraded at LB with Littleton, Simmons would supercharge the position.
Short of these two blockbusters, I hope the Raiders keep their #12 pick and draft a top tier WR, CB or LB, but I might prefer they trade back with #19 so they can get back in the second round. In addition to giving Mayock more picks to do his thing, I'm being a little selfish here because it's gonna get boring if after #19 the Raiders don't pick again until #80.
Great to year from you NY and RN75! Looking forward to more as the night unfolds.
What are the Vegas odds the draft goes off without a technical hitch?
Ron Rivera told PFT he will have his wife and daughter helping him with the draft, e.g., crossing drafted players off his board, etc. Others said they will have IT people outside their home for emergency repairs.
Will tonight be a case of Murphy's Law?
There goes that dream. Bengals got a QB. Look no further for highlight package than the championship game. He played his best football when it mattered most.
Next up! Isaiah Simmons. Not as ambitious for the Raiders but it would take a significant draft capital sacrifice to pull it off.
Jets then Raiders. Pretty obvious the Raiders will get either Lamb or Jeudy. I think they have to pick the best available WR. The days of drafting DHB with the top pick are over.
This is fascinating. Raiders have their pick at WR.
CeeDee Lamb is my pick. He is the most physical of the top three WRs and can make contested catches. That has been missing in Oakland (LV) for sooo long!
Ruggs III
I'm not disappointed. How can I be. 4.27 40 speed and 25% of his catches went to the house.
Now we just need someone who can get him the ball down the field.
If Jeudy or Lamb hang until 19, Raiders take two! They might anyway...
Whoah! Curveball at #19. Needed a CB but no one saw that particular one coming.
Seems like the Raiders could have traded back for both their first round picks. Maybe they tried but both were a bit of a surprise. Lamb and Jeudy were the clear top two choices at WR. I get the desire for speed but how much will (and can) Derek Carr take advantage of that? Maybe the Raiders are hoping the threat of speed is enough to get opposing defenses off the LOS. Eventually, Carr will have to connect.
I'm not familiar with Arnette. He ran a 4.56 40 at the Combine, so I guess there's no chance he can keep up with Tyreek Hill. That's the first thing I read on him, and know nothing else, except that he was 2nd round talent on some draft boards.
After last year's draft, I have to give the Raiders (and Mayock, especially) the benefit of any doubt.
We need another Maxx Crosby find.
Hello everyone, hope all is well.
The Ruggs pick reminds me of when Al took Haywood Bay. Speed over ability. Donks got Jeudy the other 'Bama Wr, so we'll see who got the better. 'Boys got Lamb, so Mayock really put it on the line with this one.
Arnette the corner. Well the Raiders do need CB's, but the Raiders need a lot of things. Was this the best value at #19? Again, Mayock went out on a limb. Hope the limb is strong.
I'm rooting for defense, defense, defense, with remaining picks.
Stay safe all. Especially you Take, because we need/love this blog.
00 - I don't see Ruggs as the next DHB. Ruggs is a player. I've read that Ruggs can play anywhere, even line up in the backfield. He is way more versatile and reliable than DHB and his college career stats for taking it to the house are superhuman. He is a Tyreek Hill threat. Combine speed was 4.27 but he's been clocked below that. Expect safeties to respect that speed and keep out of the box.
I guess Jeudy is more of a slot WR, and the Raiders have Renfrow whom they trust. Lamb was who I thought the Raiders would draft. Big and physical.
Arnette is a mystery, other than playing opposite the draft's top CB at OSU. IMO, LB Kenneth Murray or even Queen would have been a better risk at #19.
Top remaining needs have to include LB and DL, but might also include another WR and big RB (thunder!).
I'm going out on a limb here...
Jalen Hurts does it all. He ran for over 1000 yards, catching passes and scores lots of TDs. And he's also one of the better (second level) QB talents in this draft. What I get from watching highlights of this kid is that he wants very badly to play and win.
Raiders get a lot of player if they draft this kid. He might even play special teams.
Just a thought!
NYR...The fact is, Jeudy was considered the best WR at 'Bama, and Raiders passed him and took the "other guy", Ruggs.
Okudah was considered the best CB at OSU, but Raiders got the "other guy", Arnette.
When Isiah Simmons was sitting there at #8, I thought Raiders should move up from #12 to get him.
I agree with you about Hurts. Really don't want to see Gruden run Jacobs into the ground again. A little help in the backfield would be nice.
Raiders need speed at WR, which is why they risked a lot on AB last offseason, but they could have had great route runner and speed with Lamb; so I am confused with the pick at 12 because Ruggs is a guy they could have selected at 19 though. Arnette they could have selected in the 2nd round; but then Noah Igbinoghene (CB, Auburn) was also selected in the first, and I had him listed as a 3rd rounder. This was one of the weirdest 1st Round Drafts in a long time. Nobody could have predicted this. Simmons dropping down to the Cardinals was a surprise. If the Cardinals had passed on him, I would have had hope for him dropping to 12.
But the Raiders weren't the only one's making weird moves. The Packers trading up to take Jordan Love, SF trading up to take Brandon Alyuk. Trevon Diggs not drafted in the first round. The Chargers trading back into the first round with the Patriots to select Kenneth Murray. Seahawks selection of Jordyn Brooks out of Texas Tech, a guy they could have got in the 2nd Round, maybe the third. KC selecting Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, LSU) who was listed as a third round pick by Walters Football. 7 offensive lineman, including a USC O-Lineman that was rated a 2 or 3rd rounder. Only 2 DE/EDGE rushers selected. Yetur Gross-Matos went unselected in the first. D'Andre Swift (RB, Georgia) was not selected in the first.
So I have to re-evaluate my picks. With the way offense is going, Raiders are going to have to make some moves on the O-line, as well as DE and OLB and one more CB.
If we can trade into the 2nd, I'd love a shot at Diggs too. So here are my thoughts for the rest of the draft:
3rd Round #80-Bradley Anae (DE, Utah). I still like this pick here. I think we would have to get into the 2nd to get Yetur Gross-Matos or Trevon Diggs. I think Mayock and Gruden are content with what they have; and clearly have a plan.
3rd Round #81-Akeem Davis-Gaither (OLB,Appalachian St). Since Noah Igbinoghene (CB, Auburn) was selected in the first by the Dolphins, Akeem Davis-Gaither moves up.
3rd Round #91- Bryce Hall (CB, Virginia) or Michael Pittman Jr (WR, USC). I still think we need another CB to play the slot. But I think this will be the last round to get a decent possession WR like Pittman Jr. One may argue that Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow fit this bill, but I'm not sold that they will be consistent. I think Antonio Gandy-Golden (the WR I originally had in the 4th) will be selected before this spot.
4th Round #121-Matt Hennessy (OG/C, Temple). I had Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR, Liberty) here, but with the O-Line being selected fast, Hennessy would be a steal here, he'd be a stretch pick in the 3rd round, which the Raiders aren't afraid to stretch things a bit.
5th Round #159-KJ Hamler (WR, Penn State) or Troy Pride Jr (CB, Notre Dame). I think this pick will depend on what we do with our third pick in the 3rd round. If we get Bryce Hall, then Hamler is our pick here. If we take Pittman Jr in the 3rd, then we take Pride Jr here.
I think we were all shocked with our selections last year too, but it turned out to be the best draft class the Raiders have had in awhile (minus the Mack, Carr, and Jackson draft). I'm hoping we have another stellar draft here. Just Win, BABY!
From what I am reading about Arnette, he is a real physical CB; and his play is similar to the style of Jonathan Abrams. If this is the case, there are two things I worry about. First, will his aggressiveness be continually flagged by the officials. Second, does he go for the ball first, then the hit; or the hit first, then the ball? In this league, a successful CB has to go for the ball first, then the hit. From all indications, Arnette likes to hit. This is definitely a gamble here; and I agree with Raider 00 that in both cases we went after the "other guy" in the draft.
The only thing I am wary of, is this Gruden's picks or Mayock's picks? I think Mayock would have went after Lamb or Jeudy with #12; so I think these are Gruden guys. Not that I think either are horrible players, but I thought we could have had better value at these spots. Gruden needs to listen to Mayock just a little more about things, otherwise Mayock won't last too long and we lose another Ron Wolf type GM due to pure ego.
We don't know yet, but the Raiders may have whiffed taking Ferrell with the 4th overall pick last year. Meanwhile, Josh Allen, the guy they passed up to pick Ferrell, was runner up defensive rookie of the year. Plenty of Raiders fans were hoping for Allen when Ferrell was selected. Actually, it seemed obvious!
Hopefully, that's not what happens now with Lamb or Jeudy. Raiders had their choice.
Raiders still need more help at WR. Adding one speedster isn't going to get it done, and neither is signing the kid from Philly (who drops passes).
IMO, Doss has one foot out the door. Somehow he got into Gruden's doghouse. I think it's when he declined to sign with the Raiders after he was released and picked up by another team... and Raiders had to up the ante. I think Gruden got his feelings hurt because we barely saw Doss after that, despite a huge void at the position.
Plenty of trash talking out there about the Raiders first round, especially Arnette, whom, apparently, nobody had as first round talent. PFF posted there were 11 CBs ranked higher when the Raiders selected Arnette.
Of course you can't believe everything you read but, damn, that's scary to think. My biggest concern about Arnette is his speed. 4.56-40. That's not good enough to play against any of the Chiefs WRs. Shouldn't that be the benchmark the Raiders are looking for?
They draft a 4.27 burner at WR, then draft a slow CB. Hell, these guys can't even practice together. It wouldn't be fair.
NY,
Plenty of trash needs to be talked about Arnette. Look, draft grades are based on how the majority of NFL scouts grade players. This is done through polling. These #'s are solid, and gives insight to how a team maybe thinking overall. Most of the time, the scouting numbers don't lie; but this is a strange year where these numbers weren't as readily available in the month or so leading up to the draft like they've been in the past. A lot of players ranked low are being picked in higher rounds. Matt Hennessy was a 4/5th round grade by most scouts, just went in the third round. Same with the 2 WR's we just picked at 80 and 81.
But it is all dependent on the GM and Coach and what/who they want and look for in a player that fits the need. Unfortunately, all of these picks for the Raiders seem like Gruden picks and not Mayock picks. Gruden seems to be more exuberant when they show him and Mayock. Mayock looks and acts kind of stoic. Gruden may be going with his big "gut" rather than his scouts, and guys, that is a red flag for the Raiders if so. Gruden is not a great scout, and failed miserably in Tampa in this role. I hope it pays off for the Raiders, but I'm not that hopeful of our picks, outside of Ruggs. I am grading the Raiders draft so far (2 picks in the 3rd out of 3), as a C-. This is based on available graded players on the board vs who they picked. I'm not too excited about it. Let's see who they get at #100. I hope it is a D-lineman, CB, or OLB.
What's up with drafting 3 WRs in their top 4 picks?
Remember, they pulled this s**t two years ago when they drafted both Miller and Parker in their top 3 picks.
Did the Raiders stop scouting players and just decide to overload their roster with WRs for future tryouts?
They neglected key needs at other positions.
This is the Twilight Zone of drafts... more bizarre than even Al could cook up.
Sorry, but overloading one position smells like a way of mitigating poor scouting.
Obviously, after a scorched earth approach at bringing in every possible WR since the beginning of last year, Gruden is unhappy with all of them... to the point which it clearly may have cost the rest of the team.
Cue the T-Zone music!
Now that the Raiders have played their cards and shown their lack of self-confidence in scouting and in all WRs on their roster (save Renfrow), I have to go back to my original position that CeeDee Lamb was the guy at #12.
I guess it made too much sense to just draft the consensus best wide-out and then move on to the next critical need.
Ruggs picked #12 could have been available at #19, and Arnette picked at #19 could have been available at #80... and if not, who cares!
Mayock (perhaps at the behest of Gruden) is insanely guilty of doing what he said teams should never do... reach for need.
Are some of these wide receivers two way players? I mean, can they play defense too?
Good Lord...this is AWFUL!!!!!!
Bowden, Jr., our first 3rd round pick is a project player, a poor man's Jalen Hurts. However, Hurts is a legit QB prospect and Bowden is probably not, nor do the Raiders want him at QB.
Bowden, Jr. is listed as a WR but has played wildcat and can run the ball. He also subbed at QB over 8 games due to injury. He's talented but this is no time to take risks.
Third round pick(s) should not be a pet player. College draft is loaded with talent. Raiders should be drafting legit starter prospects... Like Edwards, another WR drafted with the next pick.
Taken individually, I was absorbing the decisions to select Ruggs over Lamb, even Arnette over the 10-11 CBs ranked higher than Arnette, but, as a whole, this draft has me really concerned.
Put it this way, there's real cause for jealousy when you look up and down the NFL and see the talent being drafted by other teams, including and especially the teams in the Raiders division.
This just seems like a pet project fest for Jon Gruden.
CB Robertson taken with the Raiders 2nd pick in the 4th round (pick #139) was reported to fall in the mid 80's on some draft boards, while CB Arnette taken with the #19 overall pick ranked as high as the mid 50's. By this measure, one was a reach and the other was a steal.
Hopefully, they're both ready for the NFL.
Raiders (Mayock) seem far better at identifying value after the first 1-2 rounds.
Go find a highlight package for Robertson. Raiders could have taken this kid in the 3rd round without missing a beat... late 2nd round if they had a pick. His instincts look great. He reacts quickly to the ball in coverage and in defending the run.
This might be my favorite pick of the draft.
Watch tape on Arnette too. He seems overly aggressive to the point where he uses his hands too much. College refs let him get away with a lot more contact than NFL refs will.
Once again the front seven issues of the Raiders are totally ignored.
They signed a free agent LB from the Rams. So I guess that fixes everything.
LB's, DE's, DT's, you just don't need'em to win in the NFL...LoL!!!
It's gonna be another long year watching the defense get drubbed.
I agree Raider00, but I think they are going to rely on Malik Collins and Mo Hurst as starting DT, and Crosby/Key/Ferrell rotation at DE. I felt they could have used a guy at DE and failed to snag one.
It wasn't just the Raiders' draft that was weird, this whole draft was weird. Highly rated players picked in mid-low rounds, and low-ranked players selected in the first 2 rounds. Raiders definitely reached for Arnette at #19. The more I think about and watch film on Ruggs, the more I like him and feel that it was a good selection at #12. But think about it. We could have drafted Lamb and Ruggs at #12 and 19. That hurts!
We let some good players go and seemed to reach for players that could have been picked later. I'm confused and really at a loss for words with this draft. I didn't think COVID effected the way people thought and reasoned.
Again, my grade for the Raiders for the draft (based on who they picked vs available talent) is a C-. Very poorly thought, very poorly executed. Just Wimpered, Baby!
Nate... I agree. if the Raiders were determined to load up on WR's, they should have used both 1st round picks on them.
They could of had any combination of Ruggs, Jeudy, Lamb. Any 2 out of the 3.
Then they could have used rest of picks to focus on defense.
Once again, I can detect no real plan for building a team. A team that includes defense. A defense that includes the front seven.
I grade this draft a D.
what are you talking about they added 4 quality players to the front 7 on D.
Littleton is a pro bowler, Kwiatkoski a legit NFL starter, the raiders are often in 2 lb 5 db so that lb for the first time in awhile have solid players. Drafting any lb excpet Simmons would have been a waste.
In terms of d line man a total of 1 was taken from 12 onwards in the first round so who the hell did you want them to draft
Maliek Collins is one of the best pass rushing DT and Nassib is a starter or excellent depth.
They did a ton to address the front 7.
The defensive backfield is where there are too many young unproven guys. Damarious Randall will help for a year or two
Murray and Queen were both available to the Raiders at #19, and both represent speed and intensity that the Raiders should covet at LB. Taking Arnette instead of either of these guys was a big reach, IMHO.
Randell is young, but he's not the answer. Browns were happy to see Randall go. He's been a TD machine for the opposition.
Opportunity costs were high for the Raiders in this draft. 3 WRs including a project player in their first 4 picks. The only player selected in the first 4 picks that wasn't a WR was a reach by ALL accounts. Raiders will not grade well for this draft... at least initially.
Take, glad your back posting! I think this draft went really good. The Ruggs pick was spot on and was the reason the 9ers made the first move in the draft (back) because the guy they wanted was no longer there. Also Arnette is the top ranked man on man cover corner in the draft not sure how that was a reach...even Mayock didn’t want to move back for fear of losing him. And Bowden was picked as a rb “Joker” this kid is selfless and I think will pay dividends in our return game. Keep em coming Take!
Topher
IMO, the Raiders clearly improved at WR and CB, the two positions they needed most. But I'm not entirely smitten over this draft.
Ruggs will not be a producer like Lamb. Cowboys stole one there at #17.
I like what I've read about Arnette in terms of his toughness and determination. My primary concern is that he does not possess the athleticism and speed to keep up with NFL WRs, especially Chiefs WRs, e.g., Tyreek Hill. It's a miss-match the Raiders can't afford. Plus, his aggressive hands-on-the-WR style of play is gonna get flagged in the NFL.
I strongly believe the two speedy LBs Murray or Queen would have been better options at #19.
By comparison, Raiders second CB pick, Robertson, is athletic and fluid but also tough. His highlights are impressive and show him reacting to the ball.
Both these guys have skills that should improve the Raiders weak secondary.
The Bowden pick at #80 (Raiders first pick in the 3rd round) is a headscratcher. Does Gruden plan to run a wildcat offense? Does he plan to run gadget plays which Bowden throws the ball? The kid is clearly super athletic and charged but can Jon Gruden and Derek Carr pull off an offense that allows this kid to be successful. So far, Gruden has shown us some boring and unimaginative playcalling even when he tries to move players around... just ask the Jets defense.
I thought the plan was to draft a big RB (thunder) to compliment Jacobs (lightning).
I guess every draft has its would'a, could'a, should'a, so why should this one be any different.
Murray or queen makes no sense. The Raiders spent big money on two linebackers who will be starting they don't need a third who is going to be a backup the Raiders barely ever have three linebackers on the field at the same time like most NFL teams these days. At least Arnette will be starting cornerback is a way more important position in today's NFL
Raiders play a base 4-3. They at least need to be prepared for that. Who is the third LB?
Also, let's hope they have enough depth to rotate players and keep the defense fresh.
Murray and Queen represent speed and tenacity that the Raiders need.
Khalil Mack's little brother went undrafted and the Bears signed him as a FA. Like big brother, he also played at Buffalo and put up some decent numbers. Wish the Raiders signed him, and not the Bears.
Alright, the more I read on the players the Raiders drafted, the more I like it. Here is an article I saw posted by a friend of mine (who yes, I told about this site, and hopefully they come and comment).
The article is from PFF, and here are their Rankings/Grades of their Top 10 CBs:
#1 Amik Robertson, La Tech (Drafted by Raiders), PFF Grade of 91.9, 40 targets, 13 Receptions allowed.
#2 Trevon Diggs, Bama, PFF Grade 90.9, 40 targets, 12 receptions allowed.
#3 Damon Arnette, Ohio St (Drafted by Raiders), PFF Grade of 84.2, 36 targets, 10 receptions allowed.
#4 Jaylon Johnson, Utah, PFF Grade of 81.8, 48 targets, 17 receptions allowed.
#5 Lavert Hill, Michigan, PFF Grade of 80.7, 25 targets, 9 receptions allowed.
#6 Jeff Okudah, Ohio St, PFF Grade of 80.2, 36 targets, 13 receptions allowed.
#7 Luq Barcoo, S Diego St, PFF Grade of 80.1, 59 targets, 25 receptions allowed.
#8 AJ Green, OK St, PFF Grade of 77.1, 36 targets, 15 receptions allowed.
#9 John Reid, Penn St, PFF Grade of 76.8, 32 targets, 13 receptions allowed.
#10 Kristian Fulton, LSU, PFF Grade of 75.5, 50 targets, 18 receptions allowed.
Wasn't PFF the one that graded Arnette as a 3rd round pick and out of its top-10?
I think Arnette was a baller in college but I'm really nervous about his 4.56 speed. He might have football speed but that won't be a factor when he's chasing a speedy NFL WR down the sideline.
IMO, the Raiders have a lot to answer for in this draft (at least to the fans).
As 00 pointed out, Ruggs wasn't even the best WR drafted from Alabama, Jeudy was and he went to the Broncos. And it really bothers me that the Cowboys got Lamb at #17.
Picked at #19, Arnette needs to be a plug and play CB. Otherwise, it was a bad pick. Right?
With their next pick, Raiders draft a gadget player. What about another CB or a LB? Raiders desperately need depth at both positions. Also, another RB to share duties with Jacobs.
They look to have gotten some value picks later in the draft, which appears to have become their strength... but it's the early rounds that they need to make the smartest picks.
Getting immediate help with their top 2-5 picks is where the Raiders should be judged for this draft.
Look, I realize the NFL has changed a lot over the years. it's a very offense driven league right now.
The Chefs just won the SB without a great defense. And the 49ers defense was exposed by the Chefs offense.
Carr now has some weapons, and this will be a make or break year for him.
The defense, IMO, is still very leaky. So Raiders will have to score many points to win games. Check out the schedule,(if there's a season), it's a tough one.
I just watched "The Call" on Raiders.com which Gruden spoke with every draft pick before the selection was made. Very inspiring right now in the f'd-up world we live in. Raiders picked some tough kids who want to play football and they all bring something to the team.
I have my disappointments with this draft but I'm no scout. Raiders addressed some key needs, and found some real value toward the end of the draft.
I'm really looking forward to the season, and just hope we actually have one!
I think I am going to make a bold prediction here. Amik Robertson is a starting CB this next season. Where he starts, I don't know. Who he bumps out to start? Either Isaiah Johnson or Damon Arnette.
Here is a highlight video of Amik for 2019:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M71bKDQSo0
Here is one of Arnette:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHe9zRYdpWU
You can see the difference between Arnette and Amik. Arnette is going to struggle as he has a tendency to keep his eye on the WR and does not turn around to watch the ball as he defends, and he is going to be called for that. He also holds and grabs the WR too much. He has good hands and can fight off WRs, but if he doesn't turn to watch the ball, and can't keep his hands off the WR, he is going to rack up the penalties.
He has some strengths: great open field tackles, not much going to get by him after the catch. He has terrific closing speed to the ball once it is in the air. He can force the ball out pretty well too.
He is a good, physical WR, but he cannot guard a WR without grabbing him in the above video. Very handsy, and is glued to the WR and not the ball.
Hey, any chance the Raiders take a chance on Jadeveon Clowney?
He's still out there, and maybe can get him on a one year deal.
Any thoughts?
I think it is dependent on how much he wants. I wouldn't mind Clowney, and think he would fit in nicely. If we can get him for a good price then yes, I'd take a chance on him. But I also think he is looking for big $$.
Economics will prevent the Raiders from signing Clowney. Way too much $.
Nate, my posts above say the same thing. Arnette is going to get flagged for his hands-on approach in coverage. Robertson has better instincts and athleticism. But Arnette is a 1st round pick and will be given every chance, and then some. I see Robertson replacing Joyner in the slot. Joyner is better suited for deep safety where he can watch the ball and react. Damarious Randall is not a reliable option at safety. Randall is among the league leaders in giving up TDs. Raiders would have been better off retaining Joseph.
Safety is still a big concern.
Arnette can play perfect coverage every time, and he still will draw many flags.
He's on the Raiders!!
Raiders have a tough schedule this year, particularly early on... and including two cold weather games late in the season (at Jets and at Denver).
Derek Carr has pretty much proven he cannot play effectively in cold weather. I think it was Damien that suggested the Jets game would be a revenge victory for the Raiders. Not sure what he's been smoking but the Jets completely dismantled the Raiders last year and the Raiders were unable to do a thing about it. So it's tough envisioning the Raiders enacting any revenge in December, in the Meadowlands. As of right now, I have no interest in going back to the Meadowlands for a second helping of that debacle.
Good news, there are 4 prime time games.
IMO, for the Raiders to break through to a winning record this year, they will need good coaching. There's no more room for excuses. And if Carr can't break through himself, we could find the Raiders starting over next year with a new QB. That would be the midpoint of Gruden's ridiculous 10-year contract.
You are ridiculous
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Outside of Kolton Miller, the Raiders 2018 draft (Gruden's first) is pretty much a bust. I think this assessment pretty much sums it up...
"The rest of this draft is utterly forgettable. PJ Hall has done nothing, Brandon Parker has looked dreadful in spot duties, Arden Key has flashed in camp and preseason only to fizzle out in the regular season, Johnny Townsend was literally the worst punter in the NFL before being replaced last year by undrafted rookie AJ Cole, Azeem Victor didn’t make the team, and Marcel Ateman has 20 career catches bouncing back and forth from the practice squad."
If rebuilding the Raiders depends on the drat (which it does), then the Raiders have only 2019 and 2020 drafts to show for it. Gruden dismantled the Raiders roster and previously drafted players as his first order of business. Now his 2018 draft is highly in doubt.
Maybe we should be thankful for Mike Mayock. His first draft was fantastic... jury is still out on 2020 but there are at least a few hopefuls.
this is NY checking in with nothing of substance to say except hate for Gruden and the Raiders
Jones, are you welcoming me to your club, because you've been clinging to nothing of substance since 2003.
I wouldn't write off Arden Key yet, since he was out the majority of the year last year with injury. PJ Hall, as it is turning out, and who I was happy about drafting, has shown that he is not willing to put in the work and is sloppy on his execution; which is severely disappointing because he has the make-up to disrupt the way Warren Sapp did for the Bucs. Ateman has been up and down due to injury, so I wouldn't write him off completely either. When he has been on the field, he has been productive.
All in all, 2018 wasn't as good as 19, and Gruden came to the game late, and did not listen to Reggie or the scouts, he went and got who he wanted. Gruden is not a great talent evaluator alone, he needs someone to challenge him, which is what Mayock does. I thought he and Reggie could make it work, but it is the Gruden show, and MD gave him the keys to the team, and he blew Reggie and company out the door. 2018 and its debacle is purely on Gruden.
I think that this may be a make-it-break-it year for Derek Carr. I love DC, and I think he is a cerebral QB. His problem is that Gruden is in his head demanding perfection. Gruden has also been sluggish to give him the ability to make pre-snap audbiles until the end of last season; and that is when Carr looked like he did in 2016 and even protected the ball better. Gruden's audibles are scripted, and he has 2 or 3 scripted audibles per play. When Gruden relaxed a little toward the end of the season, you saw Carr audible into completely different formations and plays and succeed. I am hoping Gruden gives Carr a little more free reign to make decisions and adjustments, instead of scripted audibles this season. Otherwise it may be another long season for DC, and may be his last with the Raiders.
Here is Jordy Nelson's assessment of Carr, and I happen to agree with this, it was taken off MSNBayArea article:
"'I think he's been in a tough situation. I think it's similar to what Alex Smith dealt with on the 49ers of just constantly rotating through coaches and offensive coordinators, which means a whole new scheme. "Yeah, he's smart enough to pick it all up and be able to run it, but it's getting all the offensive linemen on the same page, getting all the running backs, the receivers, the tight ends.'
Carr has played under four head coaches -- Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio and Jon Gruden -- in six seasons, along with multiple offensive coordinators.
Smith was taken with the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and played under four head coaches -- Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary, Jim Tomsula and Jim Harbaugh -- in seven seasons with the 49ers.
Nelson didn't only point to coaching changes, too. He believes the Raiders' constant roster shuffling has put Carr at a disadvantage as well.
'It hardly seems like they keep guys for long terms,' Nelson said. 'They're very short. So he's constantly dealing with new receivers. ... It makes a difference when you're not able to keep that chemistry from Year 1 to Year 8 to 10, and every two years you're constantly swapping guys out to get any sort of rhythm.'"
You can't succeed with a merry-go-round WR corp that Gruden created. I mean at least Gannon had Brown and Rice consistently; who has DC had consistently at WR with Gruden? Anyone? I think this is why Mayock is so important for the Raiders. It is Mayock who is bringing stability to the Raiders among the players and personnel, not Gruden. I think we are going to be surprised with our drafted players this year. The more I read and view, the more excited I am to have these guys on the team. The only exception is Arnette. Amik Robertson will be the better of the two.
My dream for this season is for the Raiders to do well; the Patriots and Tom Brady with the Bucs to suck; and for us to beat the Chiefs! Just Win, BABY!!!
Hey, Nate. IMO, the rotating OCs notion is a little overblown. It only took one season for Bill Musgrave to make Derek Carr look like an elite QB and compete for league MVP. That's because Musgrave called plays to Carr's strength. Since then, it seems the Raiders are too hung up on scheming outside of that pocket, and it's cost them unnecessarily.
Maybe this will be the year that Carr excels in a system that he is not inherently comfortable.
I believe Key and Hall both have a chance to stick to the roster because the Raiders still lack depth on the DL. I'm more intrigued by the fact that Rod Marinelli will be breathing down Paul Guenther's neck the entire season. That's worth watching.
Ateman has a huge hurdle to get over. Raiders are loaded at WR, at least in terms of depth. Ruggs, Williams, Renfrow, Edwards, Agholor, and like 6 others fighting for one more spot.
Raiders have one of the best OLs in football, elite RB, arguably the best TE rotation in the NFL and 6-7 deep at WR.
All factors considered, if the Raiders offense doesn't click, it will be on the shoulders of Gruden and Carr. Time for excuses is over.
Maxx Crosby just got a Raiders shield tattooed to his arm. I hope he is a Raider for life. But he better not get too good for fear the Raiders might jettison his high salary for draft picks, ala Mack. Meanwhile, Crosby is a Raider to the core. We knew he was special when he broke his hand in preseason and had it put in a cast so he could finish the game.
You are still whining about the Mack trade you are a illogical baby. The Raiders are better than the Bears and Mack has a 25 million dollar cap hit this year. We all know you're secretly a Chargers fan
I am going to break from Raiders talk for a moment. I am going to share my thoughts concerning the death of George Floyd through several posts. This is another of a long list of tragic and unnecessary deaths that seem to be racially driven. He was arrested over a reported counterfeit $20. I have heard of testing $50's and $100's, but as an accountant, I have never tested a $20 to see if it is counterfeit or not. Pretty ridiculous. Also, how did the store owner know if George Floyd was the person responsible for making the counterfeit bill? As far as we know, any of us at any time could be carrying and passing out counterfeits.
Nonetheless, the po-po were called, and George hung around thinking that this wasn't going to be a big deal, and the police would handle the situation with some due process. It is also being reported that the officer who choked him with his knee, knew George Floyd, they both worked together at a night club. The officer as an off-duty police presence, and George Floyd as a security guard. There is speculation that there may have been a riff between the two. This could push the 2nd degree murder charge against the officer, to a first degree murder; and to be honest, I really hope it does.
What is also being reported is this officer was a 17 year vet, and was the senior officer on site; which is why the other 3 did nothing to further prevent this from happening, because they feared standing up to a senior officer and usurping their superior's authority as he commanded them to keep people away while he used excessive force, and eventually murdered George Floyd. His actions here tells me that this wasn't the first time he has acted in this way in similar situations; and if we dig deeper, we will find he has used excessive force against other people of minority when it wasn't needed.
This is one of the things that need to change across the nation with police forces. There needs to be a way where if a senior officer goes against the protocol of their training, and uses excessive force and brutality against anyone; a lower ranking officer should be able to correct the situation and remove the senior officer; with the potential of making an arrest against the officer on the spot for assault and battery.
There are 2 videos that offer what happened in the scenario. One is from someone's cell phone where we see the officer choke out George Floyd with his knee on his neck for about 10 minutes. The second one is from a security camera that proves that George Floyd in no way resisted arrest or fought with the officers, as was claimed in the official police report by all 4 officers. Once George Floyd was cuffed, he should have either been placed in the back of a police vehicle until the situation was sorted out, and statements were taken; he should have been sat on the curb with an officer presiding over him; or if he needed to be physically restrained due to resistance (as previously mentioned, there is no evidence that he resisted) the officers are trained that when a perp is detained with cuffs and is on his belly yet continues to fight; a knee in the middle of the shoulder blades will help the officer maintain control of the perp. The fact that none of these things happened is a complete travesty. The fact that none of the other 3 officers turned and told the senior officer to remove his knee from the neck to the shoulder blades is just as much as a travesty. I think the other three should be charged with accessory to murder, just like if you are in a group that robs a liquor store, and one of your boys shoots the cashier and he dies; you would be charged with accessory to murder. At the same time, these officers feared the senior officer, and feared the repercussions of taking a stand against a senior officer because there is no protection for them if they do so. Again, this is what needs to change within the police ranks across the nation in a situation like this.
With the above said, I am angry over this. I have spanish blood in me, but I am also a mix of Spanish, German, Jew, Greek, and English (according to Ancestry DNA); so I in no way claim to be a minority. With that said, I have had my share of run ins with police officers; especially growing up in Southern California. I have been pulled over for "speeding" when I was doing the speed limit, as an excuse to search my car for drugs because of the vehicle I drove and my age. I have been searched countless times for drugs on my person. Not because I do drugs, but because of my age and the way I dressed. Never mind that I was studying in a private university, and studying to be a pastor.
The one incident I want to share is being pulled over, accused of armed robbery, and held at gun-point by the police for 30 minutes while cuffed, as they searched for a weapon that was never there. I was with my dad, who was a pastor and chaplain for the police/fire/sheriff in his town at the time. We were pulled over, at night, in 1996 by 8 police officers. We were called out of our vehicle one at a time; and we complied with all of their commands. We both were wearing shorts, Raiders jerseys and hats at the time. When I walked backwards, I was immediately placed in cuffs and held at gunpoint for 30 minutes. The gun was between my shoulders. My dad had the same thing happen, but the gun held to him was behind his ear. FOR 30 MINUTES on the side of the road! We were not read our Miranda rights, which is required if you are cuffed, not when you are charged. When I asked why I was being detained, I was told to shut up. After the search, a senior officer arrived, ordered us to be uncuffed, and explained the situation to us. When we reported what happened to us, the senior officer wrote citations to every officer present for breaching protocol in the situation, as well as others we did not know about; and us sign it, and had them sign it. They were cited on the spot!
I cannot imagine what would have happened if my dad and I were darker in our skin color. I know one thing for sure, we would have not been released on the side of the road, and I'm pretty sure we would have gone to jail that night, and had to have gone to court to right the wrong done.
THIS! THIS IS WHY I AM OUTRAGED! THIS IS WHY I AM, NOT ONLY PROTESTING, BUT AM GOING TO START ATTENDING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, CONTACTING MY STATE SENATOR, AND SETTING UP MEETINGS WITH THEM TO START BRINGING CHANGES TO THE WAY THEY ARE NOT ONLY TRAINED, BUT GIVEN AUTHORITY TO STOP EXCESSIVE FORCE, POLICE BRUTALITY, AND ANYTHING DONE THAT BREAKS THEIR TRAINING AND PROTOCOLS; EVEN IF IT IS THE SENIOR OFFICER ORDERING THEM TO DO SO! THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO PLACE THEIR OWN UNDER ARREST FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY IF THEIR OWN DECIDES TO ACT IN THIS WAY AS WELL! I AM IMPLORING YOU TO DO THE SAME! CHANGE STARTS WITH US; LET'S BE THE CHANGE WE WANT AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST THESE ATROCITIES!
I have a lot of friends who are cops and they are just as upset over George Floyd as you are, Nate, as we all are. Protesting is one thing, but it has opened the door to lawlessness and cost the life of a retired cop and hurt so many other people and businesses. Peaceful protesters are being used as a front for bad actors. It's time to put down the pitchforks.
Nate, thanks for speaking out
Well said, very heartfelt and I agree with everything you said.
I am white and not ashamed to recognize the immense privilege that goes with it. I am also proud to say Black Lives Matter and I have no idea how hard it must be to be a person of color in this country. Racism is a scourge upon the US for 400 years. Racism and discrimination against blacks is systemic throughout the justice system from the police, through the courts, the laws and the prisons. We should all do our part to change that. As Americans we have a responsibility to support African Americans and try and solve this problem.
New York, we all know you support the piece of shit Trump and I well remember how you were hating on Kapernick. Pieces of garbage like Pence who say they support peaceful protest are liars. Taking a knee against police brutality was a peaceful protest and as we unfortunately have seen when George Floyd was murdered Colin was spot on.
New York you and your post disgusts me. It is so weak and transparent that instead of talking about the very real cause you would try and focus the narrative on the few fools out there who are causing mayhem. No one supports that crap and it has nothing to do with the issue at hand.
This is just how you reacted with Colin you wanted to focus on how you didn't like his protest rather than recognizing the cause was legitimate. You have always been negative and at times hateful on this blog so why would I expect anything different now. I can not look inside you heart but I wonder where you stand on the issue of race in America? Hopefully not the in the same place as Trump.
This country as great as it is is going down the tubes, the response to COVID has been a joke and the numbers bear that out. There is no leadership at the federal level, the economy is destroyed, income inequality only grows and now we are dealing with this terrible tragedy of another black life gone via senseless murder by the police. The priorities of the US are terrible lets spend money on healthcare and the environment I think that it has been proven these are the real national security risks not North Korea or Iran.
I wish everyone here a healthy and safe summer, hopefully we will have a Raiders season because I think the team is loaded after another masterful draft.
Regards,
Sandy
You have no idea who or what I support. It's not a "narrative" to say that many people have suffered unnecessarily due to the protests, looting and violence, including cops and including minorities. Real people own and work in the stores that are being destroyed. What do you have against those people?
NY,
Who you support is your problem, I want to know if you support the same things Jim Mattis does as quoted below?
"I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled,” Mattis writes. “The words ‘Equal Justice Under Law’ are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation.” He goes on, “We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
I have nothing against the people who have suffered due to rioting and pointed out in my post those people are fools, and that mayhem is unjustifiable and sickening.
Intellectual dishonest people such as yourself NY use it to not have to face or be able to recognize the very real issues. Just as you did with some tired crap about disrespecting the flag which they were not doing rather than the facts of what Colin was saying.
To quote the great Ben and Jerry
"What happened to George Floyd was not the result of a bad apple; it was the predictable consequence of a racist and prejudiced system and culture that has treated Black bodies as the enemy from the beginning,"
Just like our president why is it so hard for you to post something denouncing racism and systemic police brutality against blacks etc?
Here is your chance to do so, I think we all know why you won't do it.
Sandy
You are way out of line, Sandy. Again, you don't know me or my views. Funny that you would call me out for condemning the looting, violence and hatred among all people. I don't draw division among groups of people like you do. I wasn't raised that way and neither was my son. You have no idea what you're talking about.
I don't come here to post political views. Never have, never will. I only come here to discuss Raiders with my friends. But you are one of those "it's never enough" people. You have to control others' opinions or, as you say, my posts disgust you. We may have political or other differences between us but the main difference is that I won't judge you for your opinions and beliefs. I enjoy the open discussion and alternate viewpoints, whereas, you condemn views that don't fall in lockstep with yours.
I don't owe you or anyone else an apology for what's in my heart. So you can take that bullshit and shove it back up your ass!
Cheers!
Just to be clear, I am in no way supporting looting, murder, and hatred. Protesting and looting are two different things. What I was trying to communicate is that I am protesting peacefully, but part of my protest will be to contact city council members, state senators, and even the police brass to try and debate ways that we can have officers enforce against their own with regard to hate crimes, excessive force, and brutality that is above what is needed with regards to the situation they face. I implore you to do the same.
I don't care who you support politically, there are morons on both sides; as well as some really good ones who care about the people. Neither Presidential Candidate right now are for the people, but for themselves. Joe Biden is just as bigoted as Trump, and I cannot believe how much he gets away with saying. Seriously, he told a black man, "If you don't vote for me, then you're not black." He's just as big a fool as the goon in office right now. I'm seriously hoping that Mark Cuban, or another valid 3rd party person runs so we can vote someone who will bring unity back to our nation's leaders.
I have so many friends that are police officers that I respect the hell out of because they do it the right way. But there are just as many that don't. I will equate this problem to the Astros' cheating scandal. Now that Garrett Cole is with the Yankees, he claims that he knew nothing about the cheating. I call BS, he knew, but he wasn't going to rat them out because they are on the same team. Nobody wants to rat out their team. This applies with the police who consistently break their training protocols and go above the required force. The good cops don't want to rat them out because they are all on the same team, and they will eventually be found out as to who ratted. This has got to change, there has to be a way for them to do so anonymously. But, the Constitution guarantees that one who has been accused of a crime will be judged in front of their accusers. So that is going to be a difficult task. But when it is a senior officer ordering others to do so, they should have authority to be able to trump the senior officer. No one is above the law; we must hold those who abuse their authority to uphold the law accountable, and in accordance with the law.
NY
Thanks for proving my point, my intent was to draw you out and see if you could bring yourself to say something positive about the point of these peaceful protests or at least acknowledge that the police brutality against blacks is real and that racism is systemic. Why are you not able to say this?
I have no problem with varying viewpoints except when it comes to racism and discrimination, I have zero tolerance for that and will judge you for that.
You think I agree with everything Nate writes on this blog---of course not his comment about trying to equate Biden with Trump when it comes to this issue is ridiculous. I don't care if he does not like Biden, at least he is a decent human being who can shout out the truth and call out racism. It is strange you refuse to say one thing similar to Nate?
I know you are intellectually challenged so let me explain why I called you out one more time for you. No one with half a brain supports looting and rioting it is sickening and hurts everyone and people who do it should be arrested and prosecuted.
However, people such as yourself would rather focus on that then discuss the real issue of public safety and economic opportunity for communities of color. You don't want to touch that topic do you?
Yes I will judge you for being biased. I will also judge you for lying because you do spout political beliefs. No one here was talking about the anthem issue until you did. You started that by criticizing the peaceful protest of NFL players.
Any junior psychologist can tell you are a miserable cretin given 90% of your posts are negative and hateful seriously bro I could to a Chiefs site and find less harshness on Gruden than from you lol.
Please go back to putting down Gruden.
Sandy
Indeed, I'm a firm believer in the first amendment. Are you? Before you go calling others out, maybe you should take a hard look in the mirror, Sandy. Your intolerance is on full display all over this blog and other sites I'm sure. You regularly resort to personal attacks over even the most benign disagreements about the Raiders, so why would that be any different for any other aspect of your life. You define people based on your own narrow biases and you don't even see it. Maybe it's time for some introspection, Sandy.
By refusing to answer my simple questions you have affirmed everything I stated. Case closed
Strawman to the end.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1269282905861378049
Roger Goodell statement
We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange
The universal plea for racial justice is nothing to debate, critique or squelch. And now millions are seeing that this has been the point all along. Who’s fighting against this? We’re seeing it now — the irrational, the timid, the bigoted and the fearful.
Obviously, the case isn't closed.
Pathetically, you want to transform this Raiders blog into your facebook page. Even more pathetic, you continue to try and bait me over something we mostly agree... with the nuance between us being that you prefer to use intimidation and humiliation tactics (from your cozy home) to try and make others obey and conform to your flawed opinions.
"Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been," Brees wrote on Instagram. "We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.
"We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform. We are at a critical juncture in our nation's history! If not now, then when?
"We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us."
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25252751/mark-davis-oakland-raiders-1-8-start-buck-stops-me
Raiders traded one of my favorite picks at the time, PJ Hall, to the Vikings for a 7th rounder. I thought for sure he'd go big, and swing hard; and he just never played consistent football. He played lights out at University of Houston, was a big dude with a big workout regimen, and it just didn't carry over in college. He worked hard to get a contract, and gave up. I wish him well in Minnesota, but wished he could have lived up to his potential here with the Raiders. Once a Raider, always a Raider.
I hope everyone is well, and doing well. I and my family are doing awesome! We are looking forward to Raiders football, but are saddened by the news that no fans will be allowed at the games this year; puts a damper on it for me. Hopefully Take will leave the light on for us. God bless you guys, and JUST WIN, BABY!
https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/news/black-hole-las-vegas-raiders-jon-gruden-henry-ruggs-derek-carr-clelin-ferrell
Well, the season starts Sunday. The Raiders play in Carolina who have a new QB in Teddy Bridgewater. I'm happy for Teddy B, getting a chance to start again. He was an up and coming QB when he got injured and to see him play backup was sad. Much like Nick Foles.
There hasn't been much fan fare because of no pre-season. Only the coaches know what kind of talent we have. They put Mariota on the IR, traded away Lynn Bowden Jr to the Dolphins, Tanner Muse is on the IR, Tyrell Williams on the IR, Traded David Sharpe to the Washington Football Team.
Our starting Depth chart has Ruggs as our #1 WR, with Zay Jones backing him up, and Bryan Edwards as our #2 (which should be Tyrell Williams). Arnette and Mullens start at CB, and Erik Harris and Abram start at safeties. To be honest, I am pretty surprised that Amik Robertson is not starting over Mullens. I think he takes a slot CB position though. Dude can cover, and in my opinion is the best CB on the team.
I don't know, I feel "ho-hum" about sports this year. It will not be the same without fans, and that has kind of turned me off for the season. I had a chance to take my son this year to a game, and having that opportunity taken away is ridiculous. People say, "Well what about COVID" blah-blah-blah. Two things, let me decide what is and is not ok for me and my family. #2-I feel my family and I had COVID last NOVEMBER! That's right November 2019 the 4 of us got sick with "Flu-like symptoms" but it wasn't the flu. We were all sick for a week, but took another week to feel like we had recovered. We didn't have breathing issues, just a cough and fever. In fact, I had to wear a mask, go to the office to get my work, and take it home. I think the majority of Americans have had it, and it has ran its course. I know there is medicine available to fight this virus because Italy and France were the worst countries in the world with COVID, and they are past it claiming they have a medicine to fight it. But the US doesn't have one yet? Yeah right, this is a political scam by BOTH PARTIES!
There's my rant, sorry, back to football. Raiders have yet another season to come out and "Just Prove It, Baby!" I can't even stand to listen to Gruden's BS anymore. Just come out and prove it. They say this is Carr's make it or break it season, and he needs to prove it. I think this is Gruden's make it or break it season. He needs to prove it. If not, bring back Del Rio, Musgrave, and keep Guenther as DC and let them finish what they started. All in all, put up or shut up. Let's see what the Raiders do....
Hope everyone is well, much love to you all my Raiders family!
Not really into football this year. Sorry to say I think Raiders will be terrible again, 6 wins or less.
Plus, I don't want to be preached to from a league that gleefully screws the Raiders at every turn with mysterious, unseen, phantom, penalties every year.
So get lost to 44 million dollar man Goodell, and the phony NFL.
Pats, Steelers, Cowboys, Packers, Chiefs, Ravens, and Tom Brady. That's all the phony NFL cares about, and pushes down our throats every season. Same old boring crap. I'm done !!
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