It would seem that Mark Davis is at least interested in bringing Packers' Reggie McKenzie to the Oakland front office. It has been reported that McKenzie talked to Mark Davis at his father's funeral last month a few times and expressed interest in aiding Mark with the Raiders.

Former GM of the Packers, Ron Wolf, seems to hold McKenzie in high regards and praises his ability as a talent evaluator:

"You're talking about the ability to evaluate, right?" Wolf said. "Pure evaluation. Yeah, I would think so. He's just as good as Ted is.

"Reggie's a tremendous evaluator. He can tell you who can play and who can't play. That's what it's all about. Some can write reports but can't tell you who can play.

"Whatever that is, he has that. He has a feel."

Can't really knock the guy considering the Packers in the last couple years.

Other names mentioned as possible candidates are Eric DeCosta of Baltimore, Tom Gamble of San Francisco and Jimmy Raye of San Diego.

NFL Rules forbids contacting anyone until the season is over, and given the playing of the Packers, 49ers, and Ravens, that could be early January at the earliest.

  So far after a bit of a rocky start Jackson decided relying completely on the pass wasn't working and started to incorporate the run with Bush and Jones.

First score was Jano for 3 then a pass to Bush for 7 and then a pass to Ress for 7. End of the half we stopped the Broncos then Taiwan Jones deicded to give them another set of down. I think he was just screwing with them. The Broncos decide to shank a 43 yarder and Oakland is ahead.

Broncos get the ball back in the 2nd half.

It's been a bad game so far. Boller is bad. Very very bad. 14-0. Can we turn it around? I sure hope so.

I made this thread cuz I can't post to the front page. So feel free to use this as a 2nd half bitch, er discussion, forum.

It is unlikley that we will see Palmer at all this game. Should Pryor go in? I don't know. He may not be any more ready than Boller.

EDIT: Palmer warming up w/ his helmet on

With Campbell being out for an extended time, possibly on IR, the Raiders are looking for an additional quarterback. Right now it's Boller and Lechler (no joke) as emergency backup.

EPSN reports that the Raiders have reached out to David Garrard for replacing a vacancy under QB on the roster sheet.

Garrard and his agent, Al Irby, plan to discuss the situation and get back to the Raiders on Monday afternoon, the source said.

Reportedly, Orton can be obtained as well for a draft pick and $5 million to pick up his contract.

It seems the Browns are unwilling to part with Palmer.

St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Clifton Ryan was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders, and he did not travel with the team. Ryan was hospitalized overnight Wednesday with migraines and missed practice Thursday and Friday. The Rams also downgraded the backup cornerback Kevin Dockery (left hamstring) and replaced him by signing Marquis Johnson from the practice squad.

If this had been earlier in the week, I would have fanshotted it, but since the game is in 7 hours, I'll FanPost it.

source: The New York Times

The points of this is not to recap the game. Raider-R-Superstar does a great job of that himself. This is just some day after opinions.

I'll start with Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski. I feel Bruce is the better choice to start. Now, before all the Campbell camp jumps all over me like a rabid coke head going through withdrawal and looking for that 50 bag he hid somewhere (apologies to any coke head going through withdrawal who can't find his bag the moment. There's a place for everyone in this world), stop, keep reading, and think.

Jason Campbell was behind a horrible offensive line. No doubt.  But I have some issues. Now while the o-line was bad, people have been saying that Brady and Brees, etc wouldn't do good behind the o-line. And that's true, but they would be more mobile and able to make more decisions than Campbell did. To compare man to o-line, first you must compare man to man and then man to o-line. It seems that Campbell may have gotten a little shaken mentally and looked like a deer in headlights.That cannot be. He's a professional NFL QB, by title, and should be able to handle such pressure. We have even harder teams to play this year and we cannot have our QB freezing and panicking. I also don't like how he blows off help from fellow teammates trying to give him pointers or encouragement. If he thinks he knows everything already, how will he handle coaching? But most importantly, and I've been saying this for a long time now, he has no chemistry with the team. I feel he was anointed starter and in a Russell type of way, took that as long-term.

Now, what I feel Gradkowski brings to the table IS the chemistry with the team. He has enough fire to keep the Offense and Defense in the game and playing hard. He takes no shit and has no problem holding a player accountable. Like the Henderson incident last year when he told him to get his head in the game. That's a leader. When he takes the field, he commands respect and takes full control. This is what the Raiders need. It also seems that Gradkowski may be more...umm...football-centric intelligent, for lack of better word. Watching him last year when the blitz came it seemed he just tucked himself into a ball with legs and barreled out of the pile to a spot he already predetermined to be so he can scan the field and find the WR he's looking for. The WR's didn't have to worry if he was in trouble or stop and look at him. They ran their route, and he found them, expecting them to be there, and trusting them. A chemistry was thus formed. It also seemed that he never panicked and had a list in his head of routes to scan for. If none were available, he ran it. This is what I want to see from Campbell. I think maybe it is early to call for Campbell's benching because it would send a message to the team that the coaches are giving up on him and it could happen to any one. And that could be damaging. After all, these players are still human and have feelings. I'm not saying treat them w/ kid gloves, but you can't demoralize the team so early. But in a week or 2 if no improvement, put him down.

The trick play in the game was interesting. It's a shame it didn't work out, but it's good to see the playbook be opened. But we can't be doing that with the current state of the o-line.

I hope McFadden is starting to prove me wrong and this game isn't just a fluke. I'll be watching him closely.

Everyone was happy we got Hue Jackson. And while I understand he's an OC and Cable won't be calling plays, there are some flags here. Jackson has only be an OC for 2 previous years. Not consecutive and not on the same team. His 2 records are 4-12 and 5-11. Nothing to write home about.

The Defense needs to blitz more. Marshall needs to not be afraid and call a blitz. I understand that Davis doesn't like them, but even in the Kiffin era when Kiffin made Ryan blitz, we kept the game close. We lost due to prevent D.

Now, Tom Cable. He's supposed to be an o-line coach. He stated he has been working with the o-line more closely. If this the result, we have many issues. Tom Cable is a yes man through and through. Gruden was able to sit down with Davis and discuss situations and get things done, maybe he should tutor Cable on how to do this. Assuming Cable can complete a thought. For now the players are behind them, but if we have more outings like this, then I don't think he can hold the locker room much longer. The team is tired of losing. I know everyone wanted consistency w/ him staying, but if it's just consistent losing, then it's not good consistency.

And those are my unsolicited opinions.

Cam Inman reports it was easy to overlook Mario Henderson in offseason training activities. And this is a good thing because when the offense clicks like it was, the left tackle should go unnoticed.

No longer blocking for Russell, expect Henderson to enter the season as the starter at left tackle, a role he wants for the next "1,000 years" with the Raiders. As for last year, he struggled at times, but he was a junkyard dog, asked to protect Russell.

When asked about the addition of Campbell, Henderson had this to say:

"It's crazy. For him to be able to come here, be able to grasp the offense and take control of it as fast as he did, it's amazing," it just goes to show you the type of guy he is and the type of hard worker and studier he is."

 

"Now I can get adjusted as to where (Campbell) steps up in the pocket, (and) I know he's accurate, as far if it's a seven-step drop, I know he'll take seven; if it's five (steps), I know he's going to take five. That's good to be accurate."

He also says that Jackson is making an impact on the team by coaching up the players and taunting the defense.

As for coach Tom Cable, he is supervising instead of micromanaging.  But Cable is not forgotten by the kid he inserted at left tackle toward the end of that 2008 season. Henderson sees him a a father figure. For what that's worth.

Also, DHB seems to be coming in his own and catching right on target balls (yes, we do have a QB with the ability now). So far everything I've read of the OTA's has been very positive. I'm cautiously optimistic.

To add depth to the backfield, the Raiders have signed HB Michael Bennett to a 1 year deal. Bennett is a former 1st round pick and played for the Chargers.

His career stats are:

840 Attempts for 3,692 yards and 13 TD's rushing

He has 6 passing TD's and 1,285 yards.

Bennett started his career at the Vikings and rushed for 1,296 yards and added 351 yards receiving on his way to the Pro Bowl. They released him for being injury prone and ball security reasons.

He then was ultimately traded to the KC Chiefs where he played in 17 games for the Chiefs in all, carrying the ball 56 times for 252 yards and no touchdowns. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just over a month in the 2007 season.

He then went to TB and was released after Carnell Williams came off the PUP list.

And now he's with us.

There are reports that Tim Tebow visited the Raiders. Please keep in mind this all word of mouth and I cannot confirm this happened, but have read various articles that said it may have, so let the speculation begin. Now you all know I hate making articles about rumors, however, this could be interesting since the majority of us are against drafting a QB or at least doing it early.

Gil Brandt has suggested the Raiders have talked in depth with Tim Tebow.

Reportedly (rumored?) Tebow was asked by the Raiders to breakdown a play. No word on the result of that task.

Tebow would most likely not be a consideration at number eight, but if he is on the board when the Raiders second round pick comes around he could be on his way to Oakland.

The Oakland Raiders have reached an agreement with offensive lineman Langston Walker. Originally a 2nd round pick, Oakland could utilize him at Right Tackle since we dismissed Cornell Green. Head coach Tom Cable stated that Erik Pears and Khalif Barnes would compete for the right tackle position. But upgrading the line significantly with a high round selection could be in the mix.

With over 8 years in the league, Walker has played in 105 and started in 67.

Tha Associated Press reports that he Oakland Raiders re-signed free agent offensive lineman Khalif Barnes to a one-year contract on Friday.

Barnes signed a one-year deal last year to come to Oakland after four years in Jacksonville. He was expected to compete for a starting left tackle spot with Mario Henderson, but broke his left ankle in training camp. He appeared in just six games last season, appearing mostly on the right side of the line.

In other news, Oakland also hired Keven Ross as DB coach. He spent 5 years with Minnesota and San Diego.

Ross played defensive back for 14 seasons with Kansas City, Atlanta and San Diego. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and recorded 38 career interceptions.

Occasionally I head over to Bleacher Report, I don't know why, and this one guy who posts some Raiders articles (loose use of the word) always blames Russell's ineptness on the fact he's black and all the white folk coaches are trying to hinder him at the Raiders (and the media too). But today he made a comment about how only Al Davis is giving blacks a chances (the guy is black and goes on his tyrants). So it got me thinking: Is the Rooney Rule still necessary? We all know what the Rooney Rule is. It requires National Football League teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations opportunities. Plenty of minority coaches have been hired and had success.  I do believe when it was enacted it was a neccesity and has helped the NFL out greatly by introducing more talented coaches that may have been overlooked by primitive minded society of the past, but are we still in that place in society? I feel it's simply a formality so the team doesn't get fined and most are token interviews, which isn't fair to the affected person. I think it actually makes it a harder slap in the face because they know it's not a real interview, it's just to cover the bases.

This is all assuming a CBA isn't agreed upon.

Should this season actually be uncapped and we don't have a CBA in place certain rules will change.

1) Players aren’t eligible for unrestricted free agency until they’ve been in the league for six years rather than the previous four years. That’s a big loss for performers in a young man’s game and takes 212 players off the open market this offseason.  This means that technically Bruce Gradkowski is a Restricted Free Agent. So there's a chance he may not be going any where. While he did do good, he may not have done good enough to get any real hard looks and may end up doing better here at Oakland contract wise. For those that don't quite understand the difference between FA and RFA here's the wiki for Restricted Free Agent:

In the National Football League, a restricted free agent (RFA) is one with three accrued seasons of service, who has received a "qualifying" offer (a salary level predetermined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players) from his current club. He can negotiate with any club through a certain date. If the restricted free agent accepts an offer sheet from a new club, his old club has "right of first refusal," a seven-day period in which it may match the offer and retain him, or choose not to match the offer, in which case it may receive one or more draft picks for the upcoming draft from the player's new club. If an offer sheet is not executed, the player's rights revert to his old club the day after negotiations must end.

2) No Salary Cap. Well that's obvious and it's meaning is obvious. The more income intense teams can spend more on Free Agents and Draft Picks. It will of course drive up salaries.

3) Ah Ha! The one no one speaks about. No Salary Floor. This means teams can spend as little as they want as well. In today’s weak financial climate, some clubs will be looking to cut costs drastically for the short term, and their biggest expense by far is players. However, it would be unlikely any veteran would take less than the current league minimum. But it could give the owners some advantage on undrafted and high round picks.

Should an uncapped year happen by March 5, 2011, there are 3 options for both sides: They can operate under the same rules as 2010; the players can strike; or the owners can lock out the players. Expect the third option.

Judging by several steps the league and teams have taken, it’s all but certain the owners will lock out the players if it comes to that.

DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA’s new executive director, said  it’s a certainty there won’t be football in 2011 because of a lockout. The major issue is how much of gross revenues the players should be paid. Under the previous agreement, they received about 59 percent, but the owners want to reduce that significantly. They say the NFL’s profit on the approximately $8 billion-a-year business dropped by $220 million from 2005, mostly because of payments for new stadiums, while players’ salaries continued to rise. Keep in mind this all negotiation PR. The stickler for the Players Union is they want to see the Owner's books, and the Owners are say no.

Goodell and Smith held separate press conferences at the Super Bowl, and Smith made the boldest declaration of the week when he said it will be “virtually impossible” for the players to bring back a salary cap now that there won’t be one in 2010.

For this offseason, conventional wisdom says the free-agent market will be even more overpriced than usual because of a diluted market. All the four- and five-year players who would have been unrestricted free agents in years past are restricted and in effect can be removed from the open market with a high restricted free-agent tender.

Source: Green Bay Press Gazette

Richard Seymour could possibly be franchised if he and the Raiders don't reach a long term contract. Should he be franchised, it will likely force a trade, which we could get a first round pick for possibly.

He does state that there are 31 teams he's looking at:

"There's probably about 31 teams I'd consider going to," Seymour said with a laugh, referring to the rest of the field in the 32-team National Football League. When asked if he would accept a call from the Pats if they approached him about coming back, he said, "That isn't something I'm looking to do at all."

"But there's no ill will. I wish them the best. I really mean that," Seymour said at another point in the interview, later adding: "I think it could have ended in a more respectful way, but that's just my personal opinion."

 

source:  csnne.com

The first part of the video interview is about his time in NE.

Sorry, Sons-Of-Blanda, this may send you screaming around the house cursing in Latin,  but he also states in the video in the above link he's found his purpose in Oakland.

As with any decision there always pros and cons to consider in making it. Some things Al may take into consideration:

The Record (5-11)

While the victories against play-off contenders are impressive, is it enough to keep Tom Cable around? The real question that lies here is why could we beat them and not the less than spectacular teams? Why couldn't we finish into the next week for another win?  A lot of that lies on sporadic play calling that seemed like some bi polar drug addict was calling them. No offense if you're bi polar or a drug addict and are reading this. However, he may have redeemed himself in admitting he may have been doing to many things at once. Some of us believe this may actually warrant him another chance if he relinquishes play calling.

JaMarcus Russell

Hmmm... Where do we begin here? He made the right decision benching him. But the wrong decision so late into the season. It seems that Davis still things Russell is the future. I don't , but that's just my opinion. Benching Russell may seal Cable's voyage to the great blue yonder because it seems as he has given up on him. Russell is still Davis' baby and new shiny toy. However it does seem Russell has not only lost the faith of the Raider Nation and coaching staff, but also the locker room. That's a dangerous thing to lose.  By benching him, Cable brought the "Just win, baby!" back to the nation, even if minor. But locker room talk brings us to another good point:

Player Suport

I posted an article before that Tom Cable has support by more than a majority of the locker room. However is that enough? He did seem to bring a sense of family, if you will, back to Oakland. And the team did seem to rally when Bruce and Charlie were on the field, which again leads to the above point that Russell has lost the respect of the locker room. A bad thing for a QB. However, in the Cleveland game, these same players that say they want to play hard for Cable sure let him down w/ 2 ejections, 1 for an unnecessary head butt. Please show me a necessary one. Of course this could all just lead to emotion getting the better of them. The losing games, the inability to continue into the next week and get another win, certain players throwing others under the bus, etc. So perhaps Cable deserves a pass here. However, allowing your team to fall apart like that is inexcusable.

Personal Conduct Questions

Well. Randy Hanson and the alleged abuse of his ex wives. This was drawn out in public quite a bit. He was man about it, admitted he hit his ex-wife. Does that make it okay? No, not at all. But it was 20 years ago. People can change. He was sorry about it. And he kept the team focused despite all this.

Coaching Consistency

Yes. Keeping a head coach for more than a year or 2 to actually build something is the right thing to do. However, there should be some improvement. When he benched Russell, numbers across the board went up. However he still could not get the team to commit to win. So to keep a coach that is unable to keep a streak and momentum going could be the wrong thing to do.

So while this posting is not close to exhaustive, it's some points I think Al will mull over before making his decision. It truly does look 50/50 for him. The only thing that may tip it in his favor is the players behind him, even Russell. However, Davis' insistence of playing Russell and developing him  and possibly right off yet another season may seal his fate.

Rich Gannon on his radio show has offered to help the Raiders out.. Gannon said on Sirius NFL Radio on Wednesday that he called Raiders owner Al Davis the previous day to offer whatever help he can to the organization:

"I did something yesterday that I can't believe even I did," Gannon said. "I picked up the phone and I reached out to Al Davis. So I called Mr. Davis, I have not spoken with him yet, but I'm happy to help out in any way I can. I'd love to help JaMarcus Russell if he wants help. I'd love to help Tom Cable and that organization. It's important. Listen, seven straight seasons where they've lost 11 or more games? Something's not right."

The Raiders have expressed their displeasure over critical remarks about the Raiders made by Gannon:

"What does Rich Gannon

Advertisement think he has to offer that Paul Hackett can't contribute, when he said himself that Paul Hackett is the best quarterbacks coach that he ever had?" Herrera said.

Also apparently the Raiders knew about Russell's trip to Vegas and it was approved.