jmt57

One nice thing about this past season is that the Raiders finished ahead of the Chiefs. That means Oakland has two tougher games next year than they would have had they finished in 4th place. They play Miami rather than Buffalo at home, and are at Pittsburgh rather than at Cleveland. That's a potential two-game swing in their 2010 record, which could move that 2011 pick up several spots.

IcyPatriot

I still think we will trade that 2011 Raider pick for a #1 this year ...

Then ... we will trade out of the 1st round with our own pick.

spacecrime

Like he has a chance of signing a quality coach. By definition, any coach that signs with Davis is a coach without any other options.

__________________
“When we look at the board, based on everything we want in a football player at that particular time, we evaluate them and take the player that fits best for our football team. That’s what we always do, and I think the last nine years we’ve put a pretty competitive team out there on the field every year. I think that’s how you do it – you get good football players. Sometimes they are not always at the No. 1 position, but I don’t think you pass up good football players to get the guys who aren’t as good just because they’re at a position that somebody feels you need.”
BB on his draft philosophy, April 2010

TealSox

Raiders have so many questions to answer, too many holes to fill and (frankly) don't have the management to get the job done in the foreseeable future. Firing another head coach (again)? Well, the prospects of Al Davis firing Tom Cable is only the introduction of the essay of how the Raiders will struggle early in another decade, similar to how they finished the last one.

Generally, I would enumerate the top three issues in a way to make a compelling and easy to follow, but the number of significant issues exceeds three and understanding them, isn't comparable to general relativity.

As mentioned, the firing of Tom Cable would encourage ESPN to refer the coaching changes in Oakland as a spinning top and not a carousel considering how quickly the make such changes. Kiffin seemed to get the respect of the offense, while Rob Ryan was slowly but surely making a difference on them defense after a failed attempt to install the 3-4 defense. Both of them out, Cable in and in much the same way of getting the job, he is going to lose the job.

Continuity?

Not in Oak-town.

Not to make excuses for 350 pound, 1st overall pick in the draft (no, not Russell Maryland), but how would you feel if you were Jamarcus and saw the circus show from behind the curtains? And don't mistake my words, Oakland is a circus and I am sure Jamarcus thinks he is the only sane one in the group.

I say this all the time, but you have to have a plan. There never seemed to be a plan as to how to bring Russell into the starting role, unless the plan was to give it to him as soon as he decided to sign his contract. Or unless the plan was to give him a different offensive coordinator every year, no blocking up front and having head coaches on hot seats. Honestly, at this point, it is a lost cause and the Raiders should take some blame and let him go.

The players they do need to keep are on the defensive side, if they want to remain competitive. Obviously they traded for Richard Seymour and he will be a free agent at season end, but they also have Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison on the free agent list (correct me if I'm wrong). Both have been staples on the defensive side and, given their inability to attract free agents that want to win, it might be hard to keep them without using a franchise tag. And talking about staples, Sebastian Janokowski is a free agent and I just finished watching a Bengal team that learned how important it is to have a kicker that makes field goals (that isn't a prediction, just a statement of the obvious).

And assume it was a perfect world and Cable was retained, Jamarcus is released, and Seymour/Howard/Morrison/Jano are all re-signed, they still have to play the games on the schedule. And that brings me to a point that would had, generally, enumerated at the third spot.

The AFC South seems to be in the AFC West's future. Playing the Colts is one thing, but toss in the resurgent Titans, the tough Jags and the "almost playoff bound" Texans and a Raider fan is reconsidering season tickets (which they would do anyways). The Steelers and Dolphins only add to the storm of bad news the Raiders can expect, unless that is, the Steelers come to Oakland (where they just can't win).

Right about now, Raiders fans are hoping Brandon Marshall leaves Denver, Vincent Jackson signs in another division and Matt Cassell gets hurt in week one. The list of Raider hopes doesn't stop there, but I've wrote more than I wanted to (already).

All said, another brutal year for the Raiders in 2011... given the fact that they will fail in yet another draft to pick a group that can contribute quickly and will likely spend money on free agents that won't mean much in the long run.

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"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."Vince Lombardi


Pats fan since 1993

Schmo

Admittedly, I don't have a wealth of knowledge in terms of college players, but it seems like every year people are saying, "Next year's draft class is going to be great!"

Every year...

mayoclinic

This year's class is shaping up to be pretty darn good. Next year looks to have better talent at the top, but won't be as deep.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

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mgteich

This year will be better than it might be because many players will declare this year to get their big contracts before the league moves to a rookie slary scale,

Patspsycho

That is, if they do that.. either way it's a win-win scenario for us because if they do institute a rookie cap for next season, this draft will be so packed that the talent gets pushed down (e.g., our 3 round 2 picks) and next year we get a reasonable amount of debt for our educated gamble.