FanPost

My Proposal


After watching our amazing run last year and being talks of contenders to now our pretender appearance, I'm at a loss of words for the regression we've shown this season. To be honest though we have too much baggage to proceed to the ranks of contender ship once again. If I was Reggie Mckenzie, and by all means Im no where near the man he is or nor have I've scraped the surface of what he's accomplished, he's earned everything he has in my opinion and I think he's the right man for the job in the long run. I'm a huge Oakland fan, both Athletic Gold and Raider Silver run through my veins and I'd like to say that Billy Beane ( Athletics GM) writes the book to total overall and rebuilding franchise especially with the cap he's limited too. I think RM needs to rip a page from BB's book, and heres my interpretation of what should happen using methods that work in not only the NFL but in FRANCHISES around the globe.

Step 1: Trade, trade and trade some more: Honestly most people would laugh at that solution for not only our franchise but any franchise. Look at the facts though, we have too much age with too much money. Kelly and Seymor are prime examples, yea I understand most teams wouldn't give up over a 3rd rounder for either but at this point I'd rather build for the future instead of sink any more money into TK and RS 401k! Heres what I propose we send TK and RS packing for a few lower end draft picks see what Mckenzie can find in the draft who knows maybe a package deal for a 2nd rounder and a pick next year, get a full class this year is a must with what I can see a pretty deep class. My Gotta go list is as follows: Seymor, Kelly, Lechler, McFadden, Biesel, McClain, DHB...KNAPP and TARVER (thats another subject) We could definitely DEFINITELY fill all those spots through the draft and open up that cap for some FA pickups.

Step 2: Take Chances: With a chance to win at any level you gotta take a shot at any and all players, Ill use the New England Patriots for example, they sign and try out so many players its going out of style! They just signed Dante Stalworth, they were the same franchise that has 2 first rounders every year they take that gamble they invest in players like Al Davis once did and all signs shows that those types of players have more to prove than half the guys we invest in. I see so much talent all throughout FA and the draft that is passed up because teams are too scared to take a chance, like Ryan Mallet is going to and I promise you a Super Bowl winner, wish we could've invested in him rather than TP. Tyrann Mathieu for example has that potential to be our Patrick Peterson, yes he does have off filed issues but with a strong core of leadership I know its possible for a kid like that to shine and one day he will, id be willing to throw down a 5th rounder and gamble on a player like that, he's a huge playmaker and Id rather have Tyrann Mathieu and Chris Carr/Spencer on our corners than Broke ass Bartell and Huff! Huff needs to be a hawk like we drafted him to be.

Step 3: Invest in depth: I mean thats a given and is as hard as who's available when and where but definitely a must especially after how injury prone everyone seems to become when they dawn that silver and black.

Step 4: Commitment to Schemecellence: How bout we stick to a scheme that works on all side of the field! It seems to me like we kinda half ass all of our schemes. We excel in PBS so we transition to ZBS makes sense? not at all but hey just a fan perspective...We absolutely don't have the talent to run a 4-3 defense nor a 3-4 defense but holy crap a hybrid of both? give me a break! We need to stick to a scheme and a type of player that fits these schemes either lets find NT to transition 3-4 of lets go find us a true RE and stick to 4-3 but for god sake lets commit! put a ring on it!

Yes I am not a NFL GM or plan to be but when looking at teams and organizations with success and looking at us we definitely don't try to emulate success, we try and write the book and its not working! stop paying washed up players when you can find better for half the price, commit to something, take a chance and find some fucking depth. Of course its all easier said than done but its all feasible to get back to contender ship. Us as Raider fans have been waiting 10 years too long to get back to where we belong, I'm starting to feel like playoffs would be a dream come true....C'mon RM invest in some true leadership like Te'o and some talent like Mathieu's. Drop the dead weight and add some depth! Please oh please lets change the record for 2013!