Oakland Raiders

If your jaw dropped five feet from the amount of Jahri Evans’ new contract, understand a smile of equal distance stretched across the face of Logan Mankins’ agent Frank Bauer. 

In case you missed it, before the Lawrence Taylor arrest and JaMarcus Russell’s release (talk about polar opposite stories – Taylor goes to a New York prison while Russell gets out of Oakland, which replicates the depressing hopelessness found behind bars), the Saints agreed to pay Evans $56.7 million over seven years, the biggest contract in NFL history for a guard. 

Continue reading "Market Value Set for Mankins"

Pro Bowl balloting is open to the public. Choose wisely. 

This year New England fans will have a tough time rationalizing Patriot players worthy of being selected. The offense’s big three of QB Tom Brady and WRs Randy Moss and Wes Welker will get their share of votes. Beyond them…good luck. 

Continue reading "Pro Bowl Ben?"

A team strength just got a tiny bit weaker. The Patriots traded DL Le Kevin Smith to Denver for a 5th round pick. That selection was then sent to Oakland to complete the Derrick Burgess trade. The agreement was New England gave the Raiders 3rd and 4th round selections unless the Pats could get Oakland a 5th round pick. If the Pats came through with the fifth rounder, then that would replace the fourth round pick.

Continue reading "A Few Small Transactions"

OK, now I’m sold. 

Since the end of the regular season I’ve been waiting for the Patriots to get a rush linebacker I could believe in. Whether it was a rookie day one draft pick, a free agent, or by trade, I wanted someone that could get to the quarterback better than Mike Vrabel did in 2008. His trade to Kansas City made the need urgent. 

Continue reading "A Burgess Believer"

I’m not much of a poker player, but since the beginning of training camp, head coach Bill Belichick has been exchanging cards, looking for a full house. 

They looked at QB Cleo Lemon. DE Kevin Carter seems to be getting serious consideration. QB Matt Gutierrez was cut and QB Andrew Walter signed to replace Gutz. 

Continue reading "Ninkovich in the Cards"

The Patriots could have a full-blown rivalry with the Oakland Raiders, but it would be restricted to the front office. 

Former Missouri DE Stryker Sulak was at Gillette Stadium yesterday, as he was worked out by the Pats. The 6-4 251-pound rookie will then travel to Carolina and do the same. If Sulak shows the athleticism to make the switch from college defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker, New England would be very interested in signing him. 

Continue reading "Another Oakland Okie-doke?"

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Just today I read in The Boston Herald that New England was discussing a trade with the Oakland Raiders for DE Derrick Burgess. Apparently these talks have been going on since around draft time. Oakland’s asking price is a second or third round pick for the veteran entering his eighth year. 

Continue reading "Derrick Burgess Not a Big Deal"

In the world of journalism, it's the greatest compliment when an article you wrote inspires others to express their own opinion on the same subject.

Back in February, I wrote an article asking the question should teams draft tight ends in the first round. It was a relevant question because Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew could be the only TE selected within the first 32 picks.

Continue reading "Great Minds Think Alike"

According to The Boston Globe, DE Richard Seyour will miss today's game. With Big Sey is out, DE Jarvis Green probably starts in Richard's place.

While it's nothing new to the team, I'm going to repeat head coach Bill Belichick's mantra that worked so well in the past and this season:

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 17"

Just like against the Oakland Raiders, a healthy dose of pounding the rock would be in order for the Pats. That resulted in 277 yards on the ground. Now 'Zona is better defensively than Oakland, but I can see them missing tackles because they can't grip like they used to.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 16"

I don't like this match-up. This isn't paranoia carried over from last week's comeback win over a bad Seattle Seahawks team. Oakland is about as bad as the Seahawks. This Patriots-Raiders game has me very concerned because the Raiders can run the ball.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 15"

Matt's availability for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders is uncertain.

The Raiders offer sympathy to the young passer and his family, but Oakland probably hopes Cassel doesn't play. Back in 2003, Brett Favre, then playing for Green Bay, lost his father Irvin the day before a Monday night game in Oakland. Brett decided to play that night and passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns. The chances that Cassel finds the inner strength to play the game of his career in honor of his father like Brett Favre did isn't likely, but the Raiders don't want to be on the wrong end of another dramatic performance.

Continue reading "It Will Be An Emotional Game Sunday"

My interview with Bill Romanowski is on Real GM. You can read the trimmed for print edition or go to the end of the article and read the full interview.

Or watch the interview as it happened. Your choice.

Continue reading "The Romanowski Interview"

The Miami Dolphins are improving and quite intriguing, but they play the Oakland Raiders, a team that probably couldn’t compete in Canada, let alone the NFL.

I could go down the list, but all we would find are teams with flaws, with gaping holes. One team has no defense, another has no quarterback. Parity in the NFL has robbed us of any one great football team to watch.

Continue reading "Planning A Long Nap On Sunday"

Holy crap, the Oakland Raiders suck! How do you take a once proud franchise and systematically drain it down the toilet? John Madden, put down the turkey leg and race your Winnebago straight to Oakland and do something about this please!

Continue reading "The Blackest of Holes"

The Oakland Raiders fired yet another coach yesterday. Lane Kiffin, who was a surprise appointee to the head coach position in January of 2007, was fired by Al Davis over the telephone after a dismal 1-4 start to the 2008 season. Offensive line coach Tom Cable has been named interim coach. At the televised news conference to announce the firing, Raiders owner Al Davis called Kiffin, “a flat-out liar” and accused Kiffin of “bringing disgrace to the organization.” After last seasons 4-12 showing, it was reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Al Davis drafted a letter of resignation for Lane Kiffin and asked him to sign it, which Kiffin refused to do. The reason for this was so the Raiders could avoid paying the remaining $2,000,000 on Kiffin’s contract. The Raiders denied the report. Since there was much speculation during the off-season and preseason regarding Kiffin’s job, it did not come as a surprise to anyone when word came down of his firing yesterday. The Raiders claim the move was made for cause, meaning they will likely try not to pay Kiffin for the remainder of his contract.

Continue reading "A Coaching "Black Hole""

there are reports of Moss exhibiting the bad behavior that the Minnesota Vikings tired of and the Oakland Raiders wouldn't deal with.

Boy, that didn't take long. I know Moss is under constant scrutiny, but I thought he'd get the benefit of the doubt after last season. Nope, Randy Moss still is the media's curiosity, with every move, gesture, soundbite, and hair braiding scrutinized with the power of an electron microscope.

Continue reading "The Randy Rules"

e owners for over two decades, Upshaw beat down defenders in a 15-year Hall of Fame career with the Oakland Raiders. He played in three Super Bowls in three different decades, winning two, and seven Pro Bowl honors. He's considered an all-time great, possibly second only to the great John Hannah at the guard position.

Continue reading "Union Needs a new Upshaw"

NFL commissioner Roger Godell wasted little time handing out penalties after head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots were caught with the poorly hidden camera. Besides the monentary fines, he docked the Pats their first round pick.

Continue reading "Got 'till it's gone"

He knows there's at least three teams in the top seven (Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, New England Patriots) may have a jones for Gholston. The question is, how badly does one want him? All three franchises feel secure Gholston will still be available after two picks. His availability comes into question when he reaches Oakland at third. So if the Jets or Pats or whoever really want Gholston, they'd call St. Louis.

Continue reading "Miami bluff"