The Raiders have just completed their mini-camp and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic if you are an Oakland fan. The rookie class looks solid, and there is much improvement from last year.
For the first time in a while, there seems to be more depth at many positions, and that means there will be plenty of competition for starting spots up for grabs.
Let's take a look a 10 positions that will have plenty of competition this year at Oakland's training camp.Begin Slideshow
Last year the Oakland A's made big noise in the acquisition of Matt Holliday. Unfortunately, it also meant that the A's gave up talent to the Colorado Rockies to get him and now that talent is doing so much more than Holliday did in an A's uniform.
This trade by far was the worst decision Beane has ever made for the A's. He gave up Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith, and Huston Street to bring Holliday over from the Rockies. Holliday didn't win many fans in Oakland with his lackadaisical play and his slow start to the season.
He eventually was ...
A while ago I penned an article, questioning who was better, Fred Biletnikoff or Cliff Branch. Pretty simple, was that both players were exceptional, some felt there was no separating the players of greatness. Only the Hall of Fame tried to make a separation, given Biletnikoff had the yardage, the catches, and an MVP award to enshrine him over Branch.
Now, for those of you with weak stomachs, or an urge to smash the monitor, I have to ask...who are the absolute worst top three quarterbacks?
Right now, there is one, JaMarcus Russell, that has worn out his welcome faster ...
It sounds like another movie in the making. The Oakland Raiders' Rolando McClain saw it only one way.
To move above his trials and tribulations of growing up in a complex situation, he moved out by moving up in football.
Thousands of young people have challenges similar to McClain. They were born into certain situations. They are gifted with an innate intelligence to rise above their challenging circumstances. They fight to win. They rise above adversity.
As young people like McClain rise above confusion and poverty, you can be sure that the "bats" of the situation will try to attach themselves to the rising ...
The Oakland Raiders' roster is comprised of many young, fresh talents that have yet to be completely materialized. Entering their third year of play, many of these players have the potential to be game-breakers. I see big things in the future of these players.
1. Chaz Schilens Schilens is 6'4", 225 lbs, and fast. He has shown flashes of brilliance in his injury-limited playing time. This year however, Schilens is poised to emerge as a go to receiver for Jason Campbell. The entire receiving corps for the Raiders is comprised of speedy guys that can stretch ...
The great offseason the Oakland Raiders are having has stirred optimism within Raider Nation. The fans are more excited this year than they have been in nearly a decade, and rightfully so.
A great draft provided some nice talent in positions of need. Middle linebacker, defensive tackle, cornerback, and offensive tackle were all addressed. The undrafted free agent period provided even more depth on the offensive line and in the linebacking corps.
That said, the offseason move that has Raider fans all atwitter is the trade with the Washington Redskins to acquire quarterback Jason Campbell. The team quickly signed Campbell to a ...
Don't ever let anyone tell you that the Baseball Gods lack a sense of humor; it's simply not true. The collective funny bone is intact—the problem is that comedy doesn't tickle it.
Instead, it's cruelty that gives the diamond deities a case of the giggles.
Over the course of any team's 162-game season, a fan will see ample proof of this perversity. At the moment, aficionados of the Oakland Athletics are getting their eyeful.
Just as the 2010 Athletic campaign was taking on a very rosy glint, the Oaktown nine hit a pothole and began throwing rods. Those of you familiar with my ...
It's not uncommon for a Raider Nation member to sneak and look at other team pages just to get a feel for what's going on.
The Oakland Raiders are not in a vacuum, so it makes sense to study the context of their experiences and image not only on BR but in all media.
Snooping around other Bleacher Report team pages can be a lot of fun.
A book was reviewed titled, "boys will be boys" and it tells some stories of how "bad" the Dallas Cowboys were off the playing field. The review was on the Dallas Cowboys' BR page.
After reading the ...
Tom Cable has stated that the Raiders goal this year is to reach the playoffs. The road to the playoffs this year will go through the NFC West and the AFC South. The Raiders will also play a team from the AFC East and AFC North.
There is a very good feeling about the Raiders in 2010, and it is much different than before. John Clayton has the Raiders as one of his 5 surprise teams for 2010. The Raider Nation as a whole is very happy after draft weekend, and even the players attitudes this year are much more up ...
A win in the offseason doesn't automatically mean winning on the field!
As a long-time Oakland Raider fan, I too got caught up in the wave of positivity generated by the excellent offseason put together by Al Davis, Tom Cable, and the Raiders scouting team. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves; there's still a lot of work to do.
A great draft, good coaching hirings, and trades for great players are only pieces of the puzzle—there is more to it than just that. The new players and coaches have to be on the same page. If you were ...