Oakland Raiders News: Going To Hall In A Bucket?

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Mar 21, 2008 12:19 PM PDT in News

Al Davis and his team of employees have climbed to the top of the NFL Mountain and when asked if they would ever be competitive again SHOUTED, "Hall Yes!!!"

By signing Wilson, Harris, Walker and now Hall, coupled with keeping Fargas, Nnamdi and Kelly the Raiders have gone out and signed Pro Bowlers and potential Pro Bowlers to a young core of talent that will NOW have playmakers and shut down defensive players to lean on.

By adding Gibril Wilson to the secondary mix, they sent a message that Schweigert WILL NO LONGER BE A PLAYER ON THIS TEAM unless he takes a substantial pay cut and just plays special teams. They also used the first signing to replace the largest weakness on the entire team and they didn't stutter or hesitate, they paid the Bay Area native and best safety available in the draft or free agency and moved onto Wide Receiver and LT.

By bringing in Kwame Harris, they said goodbye to good guy Barry Sims and opened up a spot for second year player Mario Henderson to compete for while making the 6th best rushing team even better with the powerful and agile Harris. He can play LT or RT and is a BEAST in the running game, while he has struggled, to say the least, in the Niner's version passing game. Cable brought him in because of his high football IQ and his dominating run blocking.

When Jerry Porter bolted for Jacksonville (My pick for AFC Champs in 2008) he left a terrible group of receivers, of which he was the supposed #1 guy.

With no true #1 available in this draft and a deep talent pool of "Potential" receivers the Raiders went after the 2nd best receiver on the market, Javon Walker and they gave him #1 money.

Walker has all of the tools that are required to be a #1 receiver. He has great hands and he makes tough catches in traffic and he can, unlike Jerry Porter, battle well for contested tosses. He is exactly what a young JaMarcus Russell needs, a second go to guy on third down (Miller is also an option) as well as a threat to score from anywhere on any given play.

Last season there was NO THREAT that the Raiders would score through the air and the team STILL ranked #6 in the League in Rushing. Imagine how well the team will run with an actual threat to throw the ball under center and catch one deep split wide.

The presence of Warren Sapp, who should have been a pass rushing ONLY player, and the lack of Tommy Kelly really hurt the inside of the Raider's run defense so the team made sure that Kelly would be in Silver and Black for a LONG time by committing Top Line money to him.

Tommy Kelly is as versatile as any DT/DE in the League and if he stays healthy he will make the run d better.

Justin Fargas deserved the money that he got to stay. Fargas is a true Raider and in part time duty he ran for 1,000 yards last season. Any team that wants to be successful over an entire NFL season needs three backs that can start and with Fargas, Rhodes and Bush the Raiders are set at RB until 2009. And that is VERY important on this "Running Team", which the Raider should be to take the pressure off of JaMarcus in his first full season.

Even in adding Drew Carter, slot receiver, and William Joseph the Raiders continued to address needs and then the Bomb dropped yesterday.

With Nnamdi (Arguably the best man on man corner in the NFL) already locked up with the franchise tag, the Raiders made a move that sent "Shock and Awe" through the NFL. By putting together the sign and trade for DeAngelo Hall (Arguably the best bump and run corner in the League) the Raiders have put the League on notice. The Raiders are coming back and their doing it their way.

The lockdown duo of Nnamdi and Hall will allow the team to blitz and stunt more and there will be no QB in the League that wants Derek Burgess breathing down his neck while waves of silver and black piranhas stir in the secondary just waiting to take a pick back to the house.

If you add Michael Huff to the mix as a lockdown safety on the tight end then the Raiders can take your three best receivers out of the game...Completely...With three players while the rest of the team gets after the QB and stuffs the run. That will be SWEET!!!

So, with the money concerns that some raise and the health concerns that others lament, I can offer this, by doing things Al's way, "We may be going to "Hall" In a Bucket, but at least we're enjoying the ride...Again"

Tweet Comment 8 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

at long last the wait is over

Finally, we can stop worrying about the Hall deal and move on. Now we have the best secondary since Haynes/Hayes. With four picks, I suppose we could fill the rest of the gaps. The Raiders are driving in the fast lane, and I like it.

The Autumn Wind Is A Raider, and his name is KA1Z3R. >:)>

by KA1Z3R on Mar 21, 2008 12:51 PM PDT reply actions

Those Four Picks should net us:

D-Line, Wide-Out, LB, BPA

I'd lone:

Gholston/Long
Dexter Jackson
Thomas Williams
BPA

Pride And Poise!!!

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Mar 21, 2008 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I believe it is 4

1st round, 4th round, 6th round and 2 in the 7th. But don't forget there will be some other picks we can get by trading a player or two. Never underestimate the ability to get undrafted players. There are a lot of undrafted players in this league, not to mention Tom Kelly who was undrafted. There are tons of offensive linemen with good size that will go undrafted. Same for defensive linemen. It was nice to have a Kiffin quote in this latest signing. There really is a Lane Kiffin. I don't much care about this draft, we should get a starting player at #4, and some reserves later, but they are not going to make or break this team. It is the roster we currently have that will make the difference. There are 3 or 4 guys on this team that should fill Sim's job. Could be Henderson, or Harris or Palmer who the Raiders like a lot. On a football team there are so many different factors that play into the success of a team. A defensive turnover here, a long completed pass there, a breakaway run, they all work together for success. The Raiders have been so one dimensional for so long, every thing has looked out of order. It is up to Kiffin and Russell to right this ship, get the offense moving, score some TD's, make the defense wary of facing Oakland. We have a tight end now who can catch the ball, a receiver who can go deep, a QB who can throw deep, and 3 good running backs, Bush might be the best of the lot and we haven't even seen him run yet. Let's get this season rolling, I am sick and tired of listening to the Raider haters.

by chinabob on Mar 21, 2008 1:11 PM PDT reply actions

I here ya.

Chinabob: "I am sick and tired of listening to the Raider haters."

AMEN!

The Autumn Wind Is A Raider, and his name is KA1Z3R. >:)>

by KA1Z3R on Mar 21, 2008 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Playmakers

I like the fact that Al is going after playmakers, Javon Walker and Deangelo Hall should give us the big plays we need, I thought Jerry Porter would do this for us last year I guess not the guy plays with no heart, I'd like to see Takeo Spikes in the Silver and Black, we need a strong side linebacker bad and he would help against the run, if I were Al I would trade Ronald Curry and Lamont Jordan and next years 2nd rd pick for Ocho Cinco.

by 702NATION on Mar 22, 2008 10:26 AM PDT reply actions

Spikes = WLB

The Raiders already have their Weak or Whip side LB in Thomas Howard. Spikes is not the right fit at the Raiders need of Strong, or Monster LB.

OakFoSho

S&BP > MileHighMules

by OakFoSho on Mar 22, 2008 7:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Trade 4th pick

We could compensate for no 2nd rd pick by trading our pick to Dallas for their 22nd and 28th pick, then we could get a Wr and DE or DE and OT, I think we might be okay with the O-Line, training camp will tell if Henderson is ready and if Harris can play like a former 1st rounder, I havent heard many bad things about Harris but supposedly he's a bust, but if Cable wanted him he's probably better than we think, and Jonathon Palmer did start a few games for the Steelers, I wonder if Gallery is ready to slide back to Tackle? As much as I like McFadden, I think after signing D Hall we must go after a pass rusher which means we'll probably go Gholston, I doubt this will happen but if Kelly stayed at DE we could grab Sedrick Ellis or Dorsey I prefer Ellis. I like Desean Jackson or James Hardy at WR.

by 702NATION on Mar 22, 2008 10:47 AM PDT reply actions

702Nation

Why do we need Ocho Sinco, the last thing we need is some whiney self-centered jerk who thinks he's better than he really is. Plus we would have to pay him like a 80 mil. Let's not forget that we still need to pay draft picks, and sign Asomugha to a long -term deal. Spikes would be nice, however, I don't think we need a player like Spikes. I do not agree with your trade the 4th pick idea. I believe we need #4 to get the best player we can.

The Autumn Wind Is A Raider, and his name is KA1Z3R. >:)>

by KA1Z3R on Mar 23, 2008 6:07 AM PDT reply actions