Shortly after the draft, Tom Cable spoke to reporters about just how well the draft went.
The attention suddenly turned to the run defense. Middle linebacker Rolando McClain and DT\DE Lamarr Houston were great picks and were sure to help turn around a horrible run defense.
Then Cable threw Raider Nation a curve ball. He told reporters that Houston, a defensive tackle last year at Texas, would be moved to defensive end.
The obvious question from there was, "What will the Raiders do about the defensive tackle position?" To that Cable said, "I have a secret weapon that everyone will like at defensive tackle."
That made everyone ...
The pieces are finally locked in for the Silver and Black. For years now there has been a lineage of flaws for the Raiders. This season, however, shows glimmers of greatness.
To begin with, there were the problems in pocket protection—Aaron Brooks can attest. However, the offensive line has improved with LG Robert Gallery, LT Mario Henderson, and C. Samson Satale. Oakland's former QB (J. Russell) had sufficient time, he just held onto the ball for too long.
There were also holes in the run defense. The Raiders were in need of "run stuffing" linemen and once again the problem was fixed ...
Tom Cable and Hue Jackson are getting the Oakland Raiders worked up during the offseason.
Jason Campbell seems to feel that the coaches are working the team so hard that the actual games are going to be "slow for you."
That's like a guy driving a car at 150 mph during practice and then being in an actual game and finding that he only needs to drive himself 100 mph to get over and win the game.
Campbell said in a recent interview that Hue Jackson "talks a lot of smack." Well, the smack that Jackson is talking is "good smack."
Jackson wants the ...
Something tells me with all the decisions, possibilities, and scrutiny upon him, Tom Cable must have a permanent head ache!
This is the final installment of my five part series projecting the Oakland Raiders opening day depth chart. I will be discussing the secondary. As this is the most cut and dried squad on the team, it will make Cable's job a bit easier...and mine too!
The secondary added some nice young talent this offseason. Some of that talent will contribute right away; some will take some time to develop. I'm going to try to predict those that will, and those that ...
NFL teams have sleepers every year, usually in the form of a late round draft pick. For the Oakland Raiders last season, one of their biggest sleepers came to them in the fourth round.
While all eyes were on top 10 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, fourth rounder Louis Murphy became the team's proverbial sleeper, leading all Oakland Raider wide-outs in receptions.
In 2008, a sixth round draft pick, Trevor Scott, led all NFL rookies in sacks.
Who will be the Raiders' sleepers this year?Begin Slideshow
This is not a million-dollar question. It is a 100 million-dollar question. There are many factors in considering how Albert Haynesworth would fit in with the Oakland Raiders. Some of these factors are: current roster, money, personality, and production. Allow me to explain.
Current Roster: Looking at the Raiders roster, there is a glaring weakness: defensive tackle. In a 4-3 defense, the Raiders use 2 DTs.
Right now, the Raiders have only one above-average tackle and a competition between some no-names for the other spot. The above-average tackle is Tommy Kelly and the no-names are second year Desmond Bryant, free agents ...
With the exception of the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos, the AFC West wasn't well represented in 2009.
However, the draft and the signings of free agents may have leveled the playing field. But which team will use the combination of draft picks and free agents to contend for the AFC West title?
Will the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs still be the doormat of the AFC West, or will they be able to turn things around in 2010?
Below are the four teams in the AFC West with an analysis of each team's draft picks and free agent ...
We are now a little over a quarter of the way through the baseball season, and the Oakland Athletics' Ben Sheets is the center of attention. In the off-season, Sheets signed a one year, 10 million dollar contract with Oakland. Almost unheard of in the scheme of Billy Beane's makeup for the A's.
Now, it is my intention to grade the overall performance of Sheets up to this point.
The 10th overall pick of the Brewers in the 1999 draft has appeared in 10 games this season. Within that stretch, he has had two 6 inning, shutout games, including his most ...
I have heard the rumblings all over the "Black Hole" about Darren McFadden. Most of it is not good. He is often put in the same category as Jamarcus Russell and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
While Russell is a colossal bust and Heward-Bey is a project in the making, McFadden came to the "Black Hole" as a ready made weapon, fully decorated with the Doak Walker Award. In his last year at Arkansas he had over 1,800 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns. He also caught 21 balls with one going for a touchdown.
In the beginnig, McFadden looked as if he had Adrian Peterson written all over him. In ...
Did the Raiders fix the run defense with the revamping of the linebackers? It is one of the biggest questions the Raiders will need to answer this offseason. If so, can the linebackers Trevor Scott, Rolando McClain, and Kamerion Wimbley also cover running backs out of the backfield and tight ends on passing downs? The Raiders started 2009 with Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison, and Ricky Brown as the starters. By the end of the year Scott had supplanted Howard on the weak-side and Howard had moved to the strong-side for the injured Ricky Brown.
When Sam Williams ...