When I was a child, there was a reader titled, "Look and See, Dick and Jane." I thought it was a redundant title. Later, I learned the true definition of "look" and "see." Now I know that we can look at things in life without really discerning the deeper meaning of those words, events and episodes.

Here is an article that, hopefully, will help us to look at Oakland Raiders' Dave Dalby and to "see" what the impact of having three Super Bowl rings can mean to some of us in 2012.

The Article

Some NFL players are yearning to get one Super Bowl ring. This Sunday, Feb 5, 2012, millions of fans will peer at television screens to see who becomes victorious in the battle between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

Dave Dalby and a few more Oakland Raiders and other players acquired three rings during their NFL careers. Those valuable rings are a symbol of victory in one of the most popular games in American football history.

When I toured the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio I saw so many versions of the NFL Super Bowl rings. They were mounted and exhibited in display cases and there were captions explaining the symbols on the ring and other historical facts.

Dalby, however, left more than a memory of his football achievements. His life story is powerful and it is a testimony that needs to be shared with millions of people.

First, Dalby was a player who replaced the great Jim Otto. Otto was a player who made his mark in NFL history, and Dalby, received the baton like a track star, and continued in his role as an offensive lineman.

Dalby also helped to make the Oakland Raiders a powerful team during its era in Los Angeles, California.

No doubt the memories of Dalby and other great players is what tempts fans to believe that the Oakland Raiders can flourish, again, amid the stars and glitter of Los Angeles. That issue is being argued in men caves around the United States.

David Merle Dalby was a center who was 6'3" and during his peak years he weighed 242 lbs. He was born Oct. 19, 1950 in Alexandria, Minnesota. He attended UCLA, and he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round (100th overall) of the 1972 NFL Draft. Not only did Dalby earn three Super Bowl rings, he was also a one-time Pro Bowler.

There is no question about the presence of Dalby on the Oakland Raiders team during its years of glory. What is more intriguing is his experiences off the playing field, and how a young girl could be inspired to write him a long letter just a few days before he moved to another realm.

There was a special lady in Dalby’s life. The daughter of this special lady was moved to share her thoughts with Dalby. She mailed her letter. It never arrived. She mailed a second copy and it arrived, at an appointed time for a special purpose. The letter is dated Aug. 2, 2002, nearly 10 years ago.

Timing is important. In an email a few days ago, Pastor Armando Leon encouraged me to contact Sue, the very special lady in Dalby’s life. Sue shared some powerful events with me by telephone.

It was clear to me that Sue has a mission and she is directed by God. Sue faxed her daughter’s letter and it was so rich in content that I ended up being a few minutes late to class.

In Sue’s handwriting and at the bottom of page one of the letter it says,

“This letter was written ten days before Dave’s passing.”

There can be meaning attached to “10.”

The research says:

Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.

Tiffany wrote a complete and powerful appeal to Dalby. She directed him to an eternal Super Bowl victory.

Yes, Dalby had three rings and as I shared a few highlights of my conversation with Sue on Feb. 2, the technician who was administering a stress test to me said that each ring meant something for Dalby: one for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Spirit.

The technician got my attention.

I rushed home on Feb. 3, and started writing this tribute to Dalby, a man who did something on the night before his fatal car accident. After reading the letter written by a young girl, and after a deep conversation, David Dalby made a commitment to God. In just a few hours from that epiphany, Dalby’s car accident occurred and the tragedy facilitated a transition because his car hit a tree.

Somehow, the tree symbolizes more than the end of a life, but the beginning of a life made complete by his commitment to “true” excellence.

In 2012 a few days before a Super Bowl that so many in the Raider Nation believed the Oakland Raiders could have been in to commemorate their commitment to excellence, we find that the story of Dalby represents a commitment to true excellence. On this day and in the hearts of many fans in the Raider Nation, Dalby’s life transition was facilitated by a tree to move him into the realm of the Tree of Life.

Tiffany wrote from her heart and she said to Dalby in the letter written at a time that “the whole cycle was complete” in Dalby’s life, yet many did not realize it. Hindsight is what gives us a pure perception of the miraculous events preceding Dalby’s death.

Tiffany wrote:

“I don’t think you realize that there are thousands and thousands of people that would be touched with your life, as well as be completely saddened with your death….Have you ever had an urge to help people…you have an incredible chance to help not just one or two but thousands.”

Tiffany’s words described the impact the treasured life of Dave Dalby has had on so many people who hear the testimony of Tiffany’s mother.

Again, Dalby’s life is remembered and his message is passed on through Sue, Tiffany and others who listen.

Indeed, Dalby’s life is a lesson in restoration and redemption for by some miracle I, too, have listened and recorded a portion of the life of a great Oakland Raider who took part in three Super Bowls like the one we anticipate on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012.

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McKenzie, Oakland's general manager, doesn't have many picks to work and he'll explore every opportunity to gain a few more. If McKenzie doesn't find a player particularly useful or valuable, expect him to dangle them as trade bait starting in the middle to late second round.

The Raiders must use the picks they do have to find gems at positions of need. McKenzie has a lot of roster shaping to do to make it fit the new schemes and the personality of head coach Dennis Allen. 

First round

Traded to Bengals (Carson Palmer)

It isn't likely the Raiders will able to climb back into the first round without trading Darren McFadden. Even in a situation that has McKenzie contemplating trading McFadden for a low first-round pick he might not pull the trigger. 

Skip the first round if you must, but don't forget to tune in for day two. The Raiders should get active.

Second round

Traded to Patriots (Joseph Barksdale and Taiwan Jones)

Like Round 1, the Raiders are without a pick in Round 2 as well. If McKenzie wants to get started he'll need to make a trade. Towards the end of the second round as the talent thins out, McKenzie may have the opportunity to make a trade and snag an undervalued prospect that slips.

There are a couple solid nose tackle prospects that fall into this range, and if the Raiders are anticipating a switch to the 3-4 either this year or next year they could think about moving up for the one they want to build around. 

Assistant offensive line coach Steve Wisniewski previously helped out the offensive line at Stanford and may be familiar with offensive tackle prospect Jonathan Martin. He's an athletic lineman that might be a good fit for Greg Knapp's zone-blocking system.

Potential targets:

Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt

Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina

Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis

Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

Third round

Used in 2011 supplemental draft (Terrelle Pryor)

The Raiders are slated to receive a few compensatory selections and the highest available pick is pick No. 97 in the third round.

There is a strong likelihood that pick 97 could be the team's first in the draft. The Raiders need to fill a need and they should be looking for high-motor players that can come in and contribute right away.

Potential targets:

Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California

James-Michael Johnson, ILB, Nevada

Nate Potter, OT, Boise State

Audie Cole, OLB, North Carolina State

Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

Fourth round

Traded to Redskins (Jason Campbell)

Eventually the Raiders had to give the Redskins something for two years' worth of Jason Campbell. The Raiders don't have any picks in this round, but it's much easier to make a trade and get a pick in the fourth round and the Raiders could be looking at a compensatory pick in the fourth round. If the Raiders do get a pick here, expect them to look to solidify the offensive line. 

Sleeper:

Kelvim Beachum, Jr., OG, Southern Methodist 

Fifth round

The Raiders finally get to pick in their normal draft slot and this is where McKenzie will make his money. There usually good players available in the later rounds if the team and general manager know where to look.

Keep an eye on: Aaron Henry, FS, Wisconsin

Sixth round

Two rounds in a row the Raiders have their regular selection. This is where the team digs deep. This is where hours of scouting and analysis can make a huge difference. Prairie View defensive end/linebacker Adrian Hamilton registered 20 sacks and will likely get looks a pass-rush specialist to start. He need work, but he's got a great motor and a he's a physical specimen.

Sleeper: Adrian Hamilton, DE/LB, Prairie View

Seventh round

Traded to Seahawks (Aaron Curry)

The Raiders will not have a seventh-round selection and will likely hit the phones of priority free agents hard.

Overall

If the Raiders can add two to three players on defense and an offensive lineman, they will have had a successful draft. McKenzie should focus on the defensive side of the ball that struggled last season despite a handful of highly paid players on that side of the ball.

Don't expect a big splash from McKenzie, but you can't rule out the Raiders making a big splash to correct a defense that has had problems for nearly a decade. 

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

He has the records: most consecutive seasons with 75 or more receptions (10), most consecutive starts by a wide receiver (176), most consecutive games with at least two receptions (147).

He has longevity: 17 seasons, 255 games played.

He even has the nickname: Mr. Raider.

Yes, Tim Brown has all of the individual accolades, accomplishments and attachments one could hope for having played as long as he did in the NFL. Brown ranks fourth in career receiving yardage, fifth in receptions, tied for sixth in touchdown receptions. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He led the entire league in kickoff-return yardage as a rookie. He played the second-most number of games at the wide receiver position in NFL history. They are achievements that anybody would assume earned Brown a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

And yet, in his first and second years of eligibility, 2010 and 2011, Brown did not earn a call to the Hall. Perhaps the third time will be the charm?

On Saturday, voting takes place for the election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Inductions will be held in August.

In 2010, Brown was overlooked, primarily because a former Raiders wide receiver teammate was a shoo-in to be elected: the greatest of all time, Jerry Rice. The most prolific running back was also inducted that summer, Emmitt Smith. Last year, the Hall of Fame made an effort to usher in a class that included the best coverage cornerback of all time (Deion Sanders) and the player who, at his retirement, was the most prolific receiving tight end in history (Shannon Sharpe).

This year is no less crowded with formidable candidates. Among this year’s 17 finalists are fellow wide receivers Cris Carter and Andre Reed, along with running backs Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martins and defensive stalwarts Chris Doleman, Kevin Greene, Charles Haley and Cortez Kennedy. Not to mention former head coach Bill Parcells and former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartalo, Jr. Needless to say, it will be a daunting task to choose from such an elite group of candidates, and no doubt someone—or more—will be squeezed out from Hall of Fame immortality. At least temporarily, of course.

It’s true that most of the eligible nominees are undisputed football greats. The problem with the Pro Football Hall of Fame is that there are so many people to choose from each year. After all, one football team alone is 53 players, with numerous positions on offense, defense and special teams. Add a couple handfuls of coaches and front-office members, and the list grows incredibly long. It’s impossible to elect 10 to 15 players and football contributors each year, even though they are all considered universally worthy.

That’s why a player like Brown, who retired with the second-most receiving yardage and the third-most receptions and receiving touchdowns, has been left out of the Hall two years running. And it’s possible that he will be overlooked again this year. Both Reed (2006) and Carter (2008) have been Hall of Fame-eligible for longer. Though Brown’s numbers certainly stack up against and above both Carter’s and Reed’s, it’s a bit tough to separate any one of triumvirate outside the other two—at least as a receiver.

But Brown has one distinguishing footnote to his NFL bio, and that is his versatility as both a punt returner and kickoff-return man earlier in his career. Hopefully, his 3,000-plus punt-return yardage and 19,000-plus all-purpose yards give him an edge over his fellow receivers. His consistency, reliability and professionalism as part of one of the more successful and turbulent franchises earned him the distinction as Mr. Raider.

Obviously, Brown’s greatness was lost by the general football public, being a part of an organization on the West Coast that had numerous losing seasons, coaching changes and internal tantrums. But there’s no dispute: During the entire decade of the '90s, in both Los Angeles and Oakland, Brown was the Silver & Black—and the Silver & Black was nothing without Brown.

So, can Brown will his way into the Hall this year? Or will he fall short again?

If the Hall of Fame was truly about honoring and immortalizing the best of the best football players, then Brown—and Carter and Reed—would already be enshrined. But here’s hoping that Brown gets his call to the Hall on Saturday.

Follow me on Twitter: @nathanieljue

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The Raiders have retained assistant offensive line coach Steve Wisniewski to work alongside freshly hired offensive line coach Frank Pollack. The team has also hired former Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Steve Hoffman to fill the same position. 

Pollack replaces offensive line coach Bob Wylie, who spent just one year as a coach for the Raiders. A highly respected coach around the league who holds annual seminars on line play, Wylie helped the Raiders' offensive line improve dramatically while having many of the same faces along the line. Oakland gave up the third fewest sacks in the league with 25.

Pollack previously spent the past five seasons with the Houston Texans, which after the hiring of Knapp, who was the team's quarterbacks coach, makes all the more sense. Houston has finished in the top five in total offense each of the past three seasons, and much of that is due to the improved play of its offensive line. In his first season as a line coach, Pollack was able to cut the Texans' sacks allowed in half.

All that being said, if Raider Nation was displeased with the hiring of Knapp, this hiring certainly has the potential to ruffle a few feathers as well. Though Wisniewski remaining on the staff should assuage some of that frustration, Pollack's hiring should mean one thing: as if Knapp jumping on board didn't make it obvious enough, the Raiders will most likely shift to a zone blocking scheme. Pollack has run the system exclusively in Houston.

Reserves like Joseph Barksdale, Bruce Campbell, and Stephon Heyer could be rendered useless with the switch. Though Heyer is an unrestricted free agent, the Raiders spent a third and a fourth round draft pick on Barksdale and Campbell, respectively. Both were drafted with the thought that the Raiders would drift to a power-based scheme to suit running back Darren McFadden's skills a bit better.

The good news is starters such as Jared Veldheer, Stefen Wisniewski, and especially Cooper Carlisle should be unaffected by the move. Expect two new faces along the offensive line.

Again, coach Wisniewski staying on could make a world of a difference as far as continuity goes. But the potential change in scheme is something fans should be mindful of.

Also, this should ruffle a few more feathers: former Raiders' offensive coordinator Al Saunders is interviewing with the Chiefs to rejoin their staff.

On a more positive note, after being denied by the Dallas Cowboys for an opportunity to interview special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, the Raiders have hired a familiar face in Steve Hoffman. 

Hoffman has spent the past three seasons working with the Chiefs in the same capacity. He is known for being the special teams coach of the Cowboys between 1988 and 2004, helping the team win three Super Bowls.

Finding a defensive coordinator has been another story. All the hot names that have been thrown around have fallen through.

The Broncos denied Oakland from talking to linebackers coach Richard Smith, who had worked with head coach Dennis Allen this past year in Denver. The New Orleans Saints also blocked the Raiders from talking to defensive line coach Bill Johnson, who also has ties to Allen. Finally, former Chargers' defensive coordinator Greg Manusky decided to head to Indianapolis to become their coordinator.

The next name that is being thrown around is Green Bay Packers' cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. Despite only being 33 years old, Whitt has accomplished a good deal, helping develop players such as Tramon Williams and Sam Shields. And you'd have to imagine GM Reggie McKenzie knows what he'd be getting in Whitt from working with him in Green Bay.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The team hired Reggie McKenzie as their general manager, fired Hue Jackson as their head coach, and hired Dennis Allen to replace him. They also let Al Saunders go, replacing the offensive coordinator with Greg Knapp.

At the moment they haven't hired anyone to replace Chuck Bresnahan as defensive coordinator, but I expect that to come soon as well.

The Raiders are clearly doing some restructuring, if not fully rebuilding.

It kind of amuses me how many Raiders fans are saying that Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen don't need to rebuild the team, just make some minor adjustments.

Really? Just minor adjustments?

While I agree a total rebuilding is not necessary, I believe the Raiders need more than some minor adjustments to become Super Bowl contenders.

After being 7-4 on December 2, they finished the season at 8-8 and missed the playoffs again. They also lead the league with 163 penalties for 1,358 penalty yards, one very good reason why they didn't make the playoffs. I'm pretty sure all those penalty yards and the lack of discipline associated with them had to cost the team at least one win. And one win more was all they needed to make the playoffs.

I know that part of the reason for the collapse at the end of the season can be attributed to the rash of injuries the team suffered. It is hard to overcome losing Darren McFadden for the last nine games of the season—10 if you take into account he only played a few downs in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, in my opinion, any team that depends on McFadden staying healthy for 16 games is in trouble for a couple reasons. McFadden is prone to injury and seems to be a slow healer, and let's face it, running backs in the NFL take a lot of punishment from week to week and injuries are inevitable.

As far as I am concerned, the loss of Jason Campbell in week six to the Cleveland Browns was the injury that sealed the fate of the 2011 Raiders. While Campbell wasn't going to win a lot of games with his arm, he did do a good job of managing the game and giving the team a chance to win. Carson Palmer has a better arm, but while trying to learn a new offense and shake off the rust, he made a lot of mistakes and cost the Raiders some games they would have won with Campbell in there.

Would the Raiders have made the playoffs without the injuries to McFadden and Campbell? Probably so. Would they be playing this weekend? No.

The Raiders need a partial rebuilding, not necessarily in player personnel, but in the way the organization functions and thinks. Yes Al Davis was a genius in some respects, but for the past few seasons, maybe not. I think Mark Davis' decision to hire a GM was a good start, many Raiders fans had been calling for Al Davis to do that for years. Was McKenzie the best possible choice out there? Maybe not, but then I'm sure some possible GM candidates are still a little hesitant to come to Oakland to work, at least until they see that the organization as a whole is changing for the better. However, I think McKenzie will do a good job of bringing the Raiders organization into the modern era of NFL football.

While McKenzie's moves haven't yet given cause for a "whoopee!" they have not been totally disappointing either.

Did Hue Jackson or Al Saunders deserve to not get another season with the Raiders? Probably not, but under Jackson, the Raiders came out very flat for some really important games, and the penalties showed a lack of discipline that I believe the head coach has to take responsibility for. And the defense? Well, don't get me started on how bad the Raider defense was all season. I will just say that I believe they had the personnel to be significantly better than they were.

I believe the team needs to make a clean sweep of the organization from the top down: new faces, new blood and new ideas. Jackson may very well go on to be a successful head coach in the NFL if he learns from his rookie mistakes, and while the Raiders' offense was a bit predictable at times this past season, I think Saunders did a good job with the personnel he had.

Do the Raiders need to trade Darren McFadden for draft choices like some are suggesting? Definitely not. I think many of the injuries the Raiders and other teams suffered this season were a product lockout. Because the teams were not able to make sure there were proper workouts, players just didn't get the conditioning they needed.

Will Carson Palmer play as poorly as he did at times this season for the Raiders? Well, maybe at times, but I think with a full offseason of mini-camps and team meetings, he will do better as the Raiders quarterback. Maybe a lot better.

Will Greg Knapp do a better job as offensive coordinator than Saunders? I don't know. Maybe Knapp and Allen will make a good team and the offense will improve.

Will another defensive coordinator do a better job than Bresnahan did? I can't see how they couldn't. I am glad to see they didn't hire former Chargers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, as I was never all that impressed with the Chargers' defense.

Some Raider fans are complaining that the coaching staff is filled with retreads from other teams. But if you really think about it, that is the way it is every season, with every team. Coaches bounce around the NFL like crazy, having success at times with one team, then not having success with another. Then all of a sudden they have success again when they move on to another team. Maybe this group of coaches and players will mesh well and the Raiders will have a breakout season next year.

As far as the choice for GM and the coaching staff changes go, one thing I am not going to do is complain about any of the moves too much. I mean really, is an 8-8 season anything to be that excited about? I don't think it is. The Raiders can do better than that for their fans. This Raiders fan isn't going to criticize the moves for now. Instead, I'm planning on sitting back and seeing what happens, and hoping all the moves work out and the team improves.

Hopefully the Raiders have begun the process of getting better, and that's really all the fans can ask for.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

What are the positions that McKenzie and Allen should be targeting most? Let's take a look at four spots where the Raiders could use some help...

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In their first draft together, Reggie McKenzie, Dennis Allen and the rest of the Oakland draft team must obtain players who will improve the faults of this Raiders team. 

However, they must do it without having a selection in the first two rounds.

With that being the case, there is little room for error for the silver and black. A miss on one player could leave the team less complete than it needs to be. In the middle rounds of the draft, the Raiders need to find players who will fit and be effective in their system, despite not being cream-of-the-crop talent.

The players are there—they just need to obtain them.

With that in mind, here are five prospects who can help fix the Oakland Raiders: 

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McKenzie made it clear during Allen's introductory press conference that the Raiders organization is not just a team, but will function like a team. The coaches and front office will share ideas and information and provide input as appropriate. 

McKenzie's primary responsibility will be shaping the roster with input provided by Allen. Allen's responsibility will be taking what McKenzie gives him and winning football games. If the Raiders are to win a Super Bowl under the leadership of these two men, they will both need to be successful. 

McKenzie reportedly handed Allen a four-year contract which is a clear departure from the contracts Al Davis would give to his head coaches. Two-year contracts with two-year team options made previous head coaches perpetually interim, and the turnover is partly to blame for the Raiders lack of success during the last decade.

Dennis Allen may be young, but he's the powerful head coach Raider fans have coveted since Jon Gruden walked the halls of the Raiders' Alameda headquarters. For the first time in nearly 50 years, there will be significant changes in the football department, and a lot of them will be at the prompting of the Raiders' 39-year-old head coach.

Culture

McKenzie has committed to Allen and given him all the power he needs to address the Raiders' biggest problem: penalties.

The penalty issue in Oakland is well-known and dates back to the days just after the AFL-NFL merger. Al Davis built a team with a "criminal element" and feuded with then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle. The reputation created then is still impacting the way the Raiders are officiated today.

Allen will address the mental penalties that plague the Raiders such as off sides and encroachment. The players will be accountable to Allen, and Allen will have real power to influence their playing time and status with the team. If Allen can solve the issue of mental penalties, that should go a long way towards solving the long-standing reputation issue. 

There will no longer be coaches acting as informants for the owner or even coaches hired by anyone but the coach. Allen will control the hiring of his own staff, and the power structure will clearly run through him.

It may not sound like a lot, but even small changes like these can have a positive impact on a team desperately trying to return to their winning past. 

Defense

Allen is the first head coach of the Raiders with a defensive background since John Madden, and big changes may be coming on the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders defense ranked 29th in total defense in 2011, and no one would blame Allen if he wanted to make wholesale changes. 

Allen wasn't ready to disclose if the team will switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base defense in 2012. Allen said his defense will bring multiple looks and wouldn't commit to any one scheme. Obviously, Allen isn't being entirely forthcoming because he needs more time to evaluate what he has and what can be obtained before the start of next season.

Multiple look fronts will correspond with blitzing. Yes, blitzing. That's the b-word many have been waiting to hear for years. There were times the Raiders would go several games without a single blitz.

Those days are over.

The defensive coordinator will need to teach the players the blitz choreography to Allen's satisfaction. In the past, even when the Raiders did blitz it was ill-disguised or the player gave it away to the quarterback too early. That will not be the case under the watchful eye of Dennis Allen.

Offense

Without much experience on the offensive side of the ball, Allen will hire experienced offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. Allen brings in an offensive mind to run the offense but don't expect Allen to let Knapp have total control over the direction of the offense.

As a defensive-minded coach, Allen will recognize what types of offenses are difficult to scheme against and steer the Raiders offense in those directions. Allen said he will not call any plays, and that will leave him free to learn more about the offense.

By bringing in Knapp, the Raiders are likely switching the blocking scheme of the offensive lineman back to the zone-blocking system developed by Alex Gibbs and taught to Greg Knapp during his time in Atlanta from 2004 to 2006. The Raiders spent the last two seasons transitioning away from zone blocking.

The Raiders could also shift towards the West Coast Offense and away from the Air Coryell inspired offense of 2011 offensive coordinator Al Saunders.

Personnel

It's tough to know what Allen and McKenzie will do with the player personnel. Allen expressed that he thought the Raiders have the right players to compete now, but that doesn't mean there will not be changes.

T.J. Houshmandzedah will not return, and any backup and special teams player is at definite risk of losing their roster spot as well as a few starters.

Players like Jerome Boyd, Mike Mitchell, Darryl Blackstock, Jarvis Moss and Trevor Scott will be lucky to return. Starters who could be on the hot seat include Rolando McClain and Michael Huff.

It's a new era of Raiders football, changes must be made and Allen will have a big hand in the changes to come. 

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Dennis Allen was rejected by former boss John Fox to interview Denver linebackers coach Richard Smith for the Raiders' vacant defensive coordinator job.  

Fox Sports is reporting that Kelly Skipper will be brought back in the same position he has held the last five years in Oakland—running backs coach.  Skipper has been through several coaches in those five years, and he has been re-united with a former co-worker.

It has been confirmed that Greg Knapp will return to the Raiders as offensive coordinator under Dennis Allen.  Knapp was the offensive coordinator for the Raiders during the turbulent 2007-08 seasons that saw Lane Kiffin come and go and then Tom Cable was promoted.  Cable would then strip Knapp of play-calling duties and fire Knapp after that 5-11 2008 season.

I have heard a comparison to Chuck Bresnahan's return, and that's a horrible comparison.  Knapp was fired by Cable, and we know what a brilliant mind "The Cable Guy" is.  Bresnahan never was successful in the NFL, and at his finest hour, had an offense led by Rich Gannon to rely on for a bailout.

Knapp has proven himself elsewhere in the NFL like this last season when he mentored a rookie QB (T.J. Yates) into a playoff winner.  Knapp also had success in Atlanta with Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn.  Before that, Knapp was in the playoffs with the San Francisco 49ers at the beginning of the decade.

The last time Knapp was with Oakland, he had the Al Davis mandated quarterback JaMarcus Russell as well as a battle between Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown while Russell was a holdout in his rookie season.  Although Knapp's offense ranked 27th in 2007, that year began the Raiders return to respectability.  

In 2007, the Raiders ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing, and they continue to be a top rushing team. And back then, the Raiders best running back was Justin Fargas, and with all due respect to him, the Raiders are better now with Darren McFadden, and hopefully, Michael Bush returning next season.

Also improved from Knapp's first tour of duty is the passing game.  Russell is gone and Carson Palmer is in.  The Raiders also have much better receivers with Darrius Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore as well as Jacoby Ford.  

The offensive line also improved dramatically with coaches Bob Wylie and Steve Wisniewski as well as Stefen Wisniewski who could be either the center or left guard.  Also new to the offensive line is left tackle Jared Veldheer who is among the better blindside blockers in the NFL.

I wasn't crazy about Greg Knapp getting this job replacing Al Saunders for the sake of continuity in the offense, but Knapp has a good track record around the NFL, and at his young age (48, he could be the Raiders' offensive coordinator for years to come.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The Raiders fell short, and that meant it was back to the drawing board. The front office acted quickly, dismissing Hue Jackson as head coach and hiring Packers executive Reggie McKenzie as general manager.

The Raiders looked the part of a playoff team for much of the year, but injuries to key players, defensive breakdowns and ill-advised penalties plagued Oakland once again.

With the NFL Draft looming in April, the Raiders are looking to add a few pieces to the puzzle in order to make a run at the playoffs in 2012. The bad news is that the Raiders only own fifth- and sixth-round selections as of now. The good news is that compensatory picks will likely come the Raiders way due to the losses of Nnamdi Asomugha and Robert Gallery among others.

Even with these extra picks, which don't occur until after end of the third round, the highest the Raiders can expect to select without trading up is around pick 100.

With these limitations in mind, let's take a look at some mid-to-late-round steals that could make an impact in Oakland...

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