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Archive for April, 2016
On Day 2 of the NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders continued to add bulk and pass-rushing components to their front seven.  The Raiders’ draft team selected Illinois defensive lineman Jihad Ward with the No. 44 overall pick and Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun at No. 75. Head coach Jack Del Rio sat down with local reporters, per the team’s official website, to recap Oakland’s second- and third-round selections. He denied coming into the draft focusing specifically on defensive voids on the roster. In fairness to Del Rio’s claim, it became a shocker to see Calhoun, a productive edge-rusher, slip through the cracks ...
The Oakland Raiders decided to strike first at the safety position with the No. 14 overall pick in an effort to add the final missing link to a fiercely competitive secondary. West Virginia safety Karl Joseph doesn’t bring the glitz and glamour in comparison to previous first-round picks. Many Raiders fans hoped to land UCLA linebacker Myles Jack or Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, as both prospects slipped past the top 10. General manager Reggie McKenzie obviously went with the favorable choice, which also fills a roster need. Critics questioned McKenzie’s decision to select another ailing defensive back at the top of the ...
The Oakland Raiders entered this offseason with major questions in their secondary. On Thursday, they hope they found the answer to their future at strong safety.  The Raiders selected West Virginia product Karl Joseph with the No. 14 overall pick in a move that continues a smart team-building trend in Oakland:      Joseph is perhaps the hardest-hitting safety in the entire class. He made a name for himself at West Virginia, from the moment he walked onto campus until the moment he limped off. He recorded five interceptions and 20 tackles in four games last season before he suffered a season-ending knee ...
With the future of the Raiders in Oakland very much in question, owner Mark Davis announced his hope to move the franchise to Las Vegas on Thursday.  According to ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez, Davis revealed his stance on the campus of UNLV and said he is prepared to put up $500 million of the $1.4 billion needed to build a domed stadium, while Sands Corp. would contribute an additional $150 million. Davis also said he wants to turn "the Silver State, into the silver and black state." Retired soccer star David Beckham was present as part of his promotional obligations to Sands Corp. as well, ...
Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie and his draft-day decision-makers can put a bow on a productive offseason. After signing linebacker Bruce Irvin, offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele, safety Reggie Nelson and cornerback Sean Smith, the final pieces to a playoff-contending roster could join the Silver and Black over the next few days. For Raiders fans, it must feel like an extended gift-giving holiday season. Oakland will start the draft with 10 selections to fill shallow voids on the roster. For the first time in a long time, the Raiders look poised to contend for an AFC West title. However, an additional impact player ...
After allof  the speculation, prospect reports and endless mock permutations, you’ve reached the final predictions for the Oakland Raiders draft. General manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Jack Del Rio revealed a collaborative approach in selecting this year’s incoming rookie class in a predraft press conference, per the team’s official website. The Raiders’ decision-makers have eight picks to fully assemble a playoff contender for the upcoming season. During the press conference, McKenzie mentioned taking the best player available but opted not to go into specifics about differences in opinions in the war room. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller talked to a source inside the ...
Selection history, NFL Combine numbers, speculation and mock projections all rolled into a full Oakland Raiders draft guide for those anticipating Thursday’s draft kickoff. General manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Jack Del Rio sat down with local reporters for a 26-minute predraft press conference—posted on the team’s official website—but provided very little information on their joint strategy in the coming days. In typical fashion, the decision-makers opted not to make headlines or show their hands in an extended draft poker game. Nonetheless, there are whispers and roles to fill on the roster, which allow outsiders to use conventional wisdom in deciphering the ...
Your aunt Suzie, annoying little sister and even the uncle who swears he knows more about football than you all simulated a mock draft stating what’s best for the Oakland Raiders, but what do the experts say? From ESPN pundits to the analytics gurus at Pro Football Focus, varying opinions on the best choice for the Raiders raise intriguing ideas and viable options to strengthen the roster. Here’s a quick spoiler: Only one offensive player surfaced as a fit for the Raiders, and he’s not likely to fall past the top 10 selections. The rest are all defensive players who could potentially ...
You see a foul ball. He sees a tryout opportunity.For the Oakland A's ball boy, opportunity came knocking in the third inning, when the Kansas City Royals' Christian Colon sliced a foul ball to the right side.Springing easily from one leg, the young man casually plucked the ball out of the air, securing the errant hit before tossing it to a nearby fan—all while maintaining an understated confidence.But the astounding grab didn't just stun the front-row fans—it likely spared one of them from a whack in the head too.Sometimes, rather than capes, heroes wear baseball gloves and helmets.[MLB.com, h/t For ...
For the Oakland Raiders, there’s no more waiting for next year—this is it. After an active free-agency period, another impact draft class should dig this franchise out of an extended rebuilding stretch. General manager Reggie McKenzie deserves an A-plus for his shrewd free-agent moves, but shallow spots on the roster remain leading up to the draft. In the new calendar year, Oakland signed defensive backs Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson to address the secondary, added another primary pass-rusher to pair with Khalil Mack in Bruce Irvin and strengthened the interior of the offensive line with Kelechi Osemele. The front office also refreshed ...