WELCOME TO DARTHRAIDER.COM
DARTH'S TAKES
MY TAKE ON THE 2010 RAIDER TRANSACTIONS
I believe Al Davis finally decided to stop trying to out-think the scouts and drafted and traded for talent that should improve the 2010 Raiders.
Since March the Raiders have brought in 23 new players (6 veterans, 9 draftees and 8 undrafted free agents) and I believe all of them have the opportunity to compete for a job and improve the team.
Prior to the draft they traded a 3rd round draft pick in 2010 to Cleveland for Kamerion Wimbley and a 5th round draft pick in 2010 to Jacksonville for Quinten Groves.
Wimbley was a first-round selection of the Browns in the 2006 NFL Draft, taken at No. 13, six spots after the Raiders selected safety Michael Huff. The Browns converted Wimbley from a defensive end at Florida State into a linebacker in their 3-4 scheme.
Groves was a second-round pick in 2008, he had 2.5 sacks as a rookie, but none last year for the Jags. He'll get a fresh start with the Raiders and a chnace to display the sort of pass-rushing skills he demonstrated in college.
The Raiders also signed free agents Chris Cooper, Kyle Boller and Rock Cartwright.
Cooper has a history in Oakland. He was a sixth-round pick by the Raiders in 2001 and spent three seasons with the team. He has played for Dallas, San Francisco and Arizona since leaving the Raiders. He spent the 2008 season on injured reserve for the Seattle Seahawks and was not on a team at all last season. He has 8½ sacks in 78 career games.
Boller never lived up to his billing after being drafted 19th overall by Baltimore in 2003. He started nine games as a rookie and all 16 the following season. But because of injuries and ineffectiveness, he eventually lost his job and played last season in St. Louis. Boller is familiar with new Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who was the quarterbacks coach in Baltimore in Boller's final season with the Ravens. He did not play at all in 2008 because of a shoulder injury. The former Cal star has made 46 starts in his career, throwing 50 interceptions and only 48 touchdown passes. He has completed 56.8 percent of his passes and has a career passer rating of 70.6.
Cartwright adds depth to the Raiders backfield and is a seven-year veteran. He was a locker room leader in Washington and among the most respected guys on the roster because of his practice habits. In Washington, he was primarily a specialist, returning kickoffs, and served as special teams captain.
I am certain that as dedicated member's of the Raider Nation you have already read everything possible about the Raiders draft so I will just summerize.
The way I hear it the top 4 players on the Raider's board were defensive tackles Suh and McCoy and offensive tackles Williams and Okung.
Rolando McCain of Alabama was moved up to the fifth spot on their board a few weeks ago because of Kirk Morrison's demands (more on that later).
Since their first four choices were off the board they wisely selected McClain with their first pick.
What does the Rolando McClain pick do in terms of an immediate impact for the Raiders? Well, they get the best inside linebacker for starters. McClain played a key role in helping Alabama win the national championship last season. The Raiders hope he can have as big an impact in Oakland. The Raiders finished 29th in run defense last season, allowing 155.5 yards per game.
In the second round the selection of DT Lamarr Houston of Texas was another good move by the team.
Houston is very versatile and can play anywhere on the defensive front.
This article explains his potential impact very well: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/383708-oakland-raiders-draft-lamarr-houston-means-defensive-options-galore
With their third round pick the Raiders got OT Jared Veldheer of Hillsdale is a small school guy that really impressed people at the Senior Bowl. If he listens and learns from Cable he has the potential to start at one of the tackle positions in the season opener.
In the fourth round they drafted Bruce Campbell of Maryland, who based on Al Davis' past history was projected to be selected by the Raiders in the first round.
Campbell is a work out warrior with much potential but he most probably is a project player and will be a backup while he learns the NFL.
I also hear that he will be given a look at guard along with Langston Walker to help improve an interior line that last year was constantly overpowered by bigger defenders.
Also in the fourth round the Raiders traded Kirk Morrison and their 153rd pick to Jacksonville for their 108th pick.
Rolando McClain's selection in the first round made Morrison expendable.
I was sorry to see Morrison go and would have liked to see what he could do as an outside linebacker. But, my sources tell me that he was very reluctant to make the move and he made staying on the inside a condition of signing his tender. If he really wanted to stay in silver and black that was not the way to do it.
With the pick the Raiders selected WR Jacoby Ford of Clemson.
Ford will need to learn better techniques to play WR at the NFL level but he is fast and could make an impact as a return man on special teams.
Their final four Raider picks were all on the defensive side of the ball.
Pick 138 was CB Walter McFadden.Auburn
McFadden adds depth tio the Raider's secondary and should challenge Stanford Routt for the third cornerback spot.
Pick 190 was LB Travis Goethl.Arizona State
Adds depth at linebacker with his impressive size, speed and athleticism. He is also viewed as an immediate contributor on special teams.
Pick 215 was CB Jeremy Ware.Michigan State
Ware has great speed and excels against the run but will have to compete for a backup spot in a crowded defensive backfield.
Pick 251 was DB Steve Brown.Michigan
Brown is a project player and a long shot to make the team but might wind up on the Raiders practice squad.
But even with a Grade A draft the Raiders' best move of the weekend was trading their fourth round pick in 2012 to the Washington Redskins for Jason Campbell.
This move gives the Raiders five quarterbacks on the roster. Campbell, Boller, Gradkowski, Frye and DuhMarcus Ruffles.
Campbell looks like the odds on favorite to be the starter and was often maligned in Washington, but he has improved every year in the league.
He is a hard worker and a definite improvement over the soon to be cut JaWalrus.
IMHO the Raiders even did a great job getting more talent by the signing on the undrafted
FB Chane Moline UCLA
FB Andre Anderson Tulane
FB Manase Tonga BYU
The Raiders needed to prepare for the possibility that FB O'Neal will not be ready to start the season from a potential career ending knee injury. I think the Raiders could have the answer with one of their three free agent fullbacks. The odds on favorite is Tonga and here is what was said about him in the Deseret News: "At 6-foot and 248 pounds, Tonga is a devastating blocker with powerful drive in his lower body. As a lead blocker in Robert Anae's offense, he was fearless in tracking down and putting a bead on linemen, linebackers, safeties and corners for Harvey Unga. His pass protection is something Anae and position coach Lance Reynolds use as an example, a how-to tape"
OG Alex Parsons USC
LB Brashton Satele Hawaii
WR Trent Guy Louisville
DE Alex Daniels Cincinnati
OT/DT Kellen Heard Memphis
I believe with the Raiders' free agent acquisitions, trades, draft picks and a favorable schedule the Raiders have a chance to go 9-7 or 10-6 and could be a playoff team.
I believe Al Davis finally decided to stop trying to out-think the scouts and drafted and traded for talent that should improve the 2010 Raiders.
Since March the Raiders have brought in 23 new players (6 veterans, 9 draftees and 8 undrafted free agents) and I believe all of them have the opportunity to compete for a job and improve the team.
Prior to the draft they traded a 3rd round draft pick in 2010 to Cleveland for Kamerion Wimbley and a 5th round draft pick in 2010 to Jacksonville for Quinten Groves.
Wimbley was a first-round selection of the Browns in the 2006 NFL Draft, taken at No. 13, six spots after the Raiders selected safety Michael Huff. The Browns converted Wimbley from a defensive end at Florida State into a linebacker in their 3-4 scheme.
Groves was a second-round pick in 2008, he had 2.5 sacks as a rookie, but none last year for the Jags. He'll get a fresh start with the Raiders and a chnace to display the sort of pass-rushing skills he demonstrated in college.
The Raiders also signed free agents Chris Cooper, Kyle Boller and Rock Cartwright.
Cooper has a history in Oakland. He was a sixth-round pick by the Raiders in 2001 and spent three seasons with the team. He has played for Dallas, San Francisco and Arizona since leaving the Raiders. He spent the 2008 season on injured reserve for the Seattle Seahawks and was not on a team at all last season. He has 8½ sacks in 78 career games.
Boller never lived up to his billing after being drafted 19th overall by Baltimore in 2003. He started nine games as a rookie and all 16 the following season. But because of injuries and ineffectiveness, he eventually lost his job and played last season in St. Louis. Boller is familiar with new Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who was the quarterbacks coach in Baltimore in Boller's final season with the Ravens. He did not play at all in 2008 because of a shoulder injury. The former Cal star has made 46 starts in his career, throwing 50 interceptions and only 48 touchdown passes. He has completed 56.8 percent of his passes and has a career passer rating of 70.6.
Cartwright adds depth to the Raiders backfield and is a seven-year veteran. He was a locker room leader in Washington and among the most respected guys on the roster because of his practice habits. In Washington, he was primarily a specialist, returning kickoffs, and served as special teams captain.
I am certain that as dedicated member's of the Raider Nation you have already read everything possible about the Raiders draft so I will just summerize.
The way I hear it the top 4 players on the Raider's board were defensive tackles Suh and McCoy and offensive tackles Williams and Okung.
Rolando McCain of Alabama was moved up to the fifth spot on their board a few weeks ago because of Kirk Morrison's demands (more on that later).
Since their first four choices were off the board they wisely selected McClain with their first pick.
What does the Rolando McClain pick do in terms of an immediate impact for the Raiders? Well, they get the best inside linebacker for starters. McClain played a key role in helping Alabama win the national championship last season. The Raiders hope he can have as big an impact in Oakland. The Raiders finished 29th in run defense last season, allowing 155.5 yards per game.
In the second round the selection of DT Lamarr Houston of Texas was another good move by the team.
Houston is very versatile and can play anywhere on the defensive front.
This article explains his potential impact very well: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/383708-oakland-raiders-draft-lamarr-houston-means-defensive-options-galore
With their third round pick the Raiders got OT Jared Veldheer of Hillsdale is a small school guy that really impressed people at the Senior Bowl. If he listens and learns from Cable he has the potential to start at one of the tackle positions in the season opener.
In the fourth round they drafted Bruce Campbell of Maryland, who based on Al Davis' past history was projected to be selected by the Raiders in the first round.
Campbell is a work out warrior with much potential but he most probably is a project player and will be a backup while he learns the NFL.
I also hear that he will be given a look at guard along with Langston Walker to help improve an interior line that last year was constantly overpowered by bigger defenders.
Also in the fourth round the Raiders traded Kirk Morrison and their 153rd pick to Jacksonville for their 108th pick.
Rolando McClain's selection in the first round made Morrison expendable.
I was sorry to see Morrison go and would have liked to see what he could do as an outside linebacker. But, my sources tell me that he was very reluctant to make the move and he made staying on the inside a condition of signing his tender. If he really wanted to stay in silver and black that was not the way to do it.
With the pick the Raiders selected WR Jacoby Ford of Clemson.
Ford will need to learn better techniques to play WR at the NFL level but he is fast and could make an impact as a return man on special teams.
Their final four Raider picks were all on the defensive side of the ball.
Pick 138 was CB Walter McFadden.Auburn
McFadden adds depth tio the Raider's secondary and should challenge Stanford Routt for the third cornerback spot.
Pick 190 was LB Travis Goethl.Arizona State
Adds depth at linebacker with his impressive size, speed and athleticism. He is also viewed as an immediate contributor on special teams.
Pick 215 was CB Jeremy Ware.Michigan State
Ware has great speed and excels against the run but will have to compete for a backup spot in a crowded defensive backfield.
Pick 251 was DB Steve Brown.Michigan
Brown is a project player and a long shot to make the team but might wind up on the Raiders practice squad.
But even with a Grade A draft the Raiders' best move of the weekend was trading their fourth round pick in 2012 to the Washington Redskins for Jason Campbell.
This move gives the Raiders five quarterbacks on the roster. Campbell, Boller, Gradkowski, Frye and DuhMarcus Ruffles.
Campbell looks like the odds on favorite to be the starter and was often maligned in Washington, but he has improved every year in the league.
He is a hard worker and a definite improvement over the soon to be cut JaWalrus.
IMHO the Raiders even did a great job getting more talent by the signing on the undrafted
FB Chane Moline UCLA
FB Andre Anderson Tulane
FB Manase Tonga BYU
The Raiders needed to prepare for the possibility that FB O'Neal will not be ready to start the season from a potential career ending knee injury. I think the Raiders could have the answer with one of their three free agent fullbacks. The odds on favorite is Tonga and here is what was said about him in the Deseret News: "At 6-foot and 248 pounds, Tonga is a devastating blocker with powerful drive in his lower body. As a lead blocker in Robert Anae's offense, he was fearless in tracking down and putting a bead on linemen, linebackers, safeties and corners for Harvey Unga. His pass protection is something Anae and position coach Lance Reynolds use as an example, a how-to tape"
OG Alex Parsons USC
LB Brashton Satele Hawaii
WR Trent Guy Louisville
DE Alex Daniels Cincinnati
OT/DT Kellen Heard Memphis
I believe with the Raiders' free agent acquisitions, trades, draft picks and a favorable schedule the Raiders have a chance to go 9-7 or 10-6 and could be a playoff team.
