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News Archive
Apr. 1 - June 29, 2004
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An arrest warrant has been issued for one-time Raider Andre Rison, who owes $184,787 in two states for overdue child support payments, attorney's fees and interest. It's the fourth time an arrest warrant has been issued for Rison by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker for failing to pay child support.
So what, you ask, is different from the last warrant, signed by Michigan's Attorney General just a few days back? This is old news . . . Ah, but DeKalb County is Atlanta, and that jurisdiction happens to be situated in Georgia, where Rison's believed to be residing these days. Meaning he might actually get picked up on this one. Then again, this same judge has already issued three previous ones . . .
The payments are collectively owed to his ex-wife in Michigan and an ex-girlfriend in Atlanta. The Michigan case involves Rison's 16-year-old son, and the Atlanta case involves two sons, 16 and 19 years old.
Rison's Atlanta attorney said Monday his client is aware of his obligations in Atlanta, but he may dispute the amount. Yeah, r-i-i-i-ght.
Source(s): Associated Press
The recent article describing the procedure performed on both FS Ron Woodson and C Barret Robbins—in which ligaments from cadavers were used as surgical replacements for their own ruptured ligaments—was followed by the news that the Raiders aren't going to count on either player to be with the team this season.
New coach Norv Turner made the common sense observation that the team will plan to move ahead without either veteran. The Raiders are hoping Robbins might be able to practice some time in August. Woodson has said he hopes to be ready by the start of training camp.
Before the draft in April, the Raiders downplayed the extent of Robbins' injury. Now we know why. They weren't eager to call attention to C Jake Grove. Getting him in the second round was something of a steal for the Silver and Black. But then, the Raiders have a history of recognizing the importance of a great center. Whereas many teams simply move a guard over to play the pivot, viewing it as a position which most any offensive lineman can play, the Raiders—as we fans well know—have a tradition of great centers. They draft centers specifically, and that fact alone sets them apart from most other NFL teams. With the Raiders, it's not coincidence!
Now, with Woodson and Robbins both major question marks, the Raiders will go into "without them" mode. In training camp, and in any OTAs conducted before camp starts, Grove will work with the first team the majority of the time. At free safety, Ray Buchanan will be the presumptive starter.
Source(s): KFFL.com, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News
RB Tyrone Wheatley, absent but excused, gained ground yesterday on securing the starting tailback job for new head coach Norv Turner. He did it by default, meaning the competition screwed up big time.
Justin Fargas fumbled a handoff, and that's already the knock on him, that he's too nonchalant about holding on to the rock. Amos Zereoue was, well, all right, but he's still only 5-9. And Troy Hambrick? He showed up so out of shape that Turner said he'd have lots to say to Hambrick about it.
Said Turner, "He's got a month before we go to camp, and it's something we're going to emphasize to him, that he needs to have a great month to come back."
Source(s): San Jose Mercury News
The Raiders, already with an embarrassment of riches as far as linemen go, signed another big body today. Tackle Robert Hicks, 6-7 and 325 pounds, is a three-year NFL veteran from Mississippi State whose rookie year was 1998. He played for Atlanta previously and has apparently been out of football for one or more years.
This guy is Robert Gallery's size! It's as though the Raiders are determined to make up for last year's decimated lines due to injuries. But all the extra linemen just mean that a higher percentage of the roster cuts will be linemen. When push comes to shove, NFL teams use slotting in determining their ultimate rosters, and it's highly unusual for the number of linemen (on either side of the ball) to vary much from one year to the next.
Source(s): Raiders.com, SI.com
Head coach Norv Turner excused all the team's veterans over age 30 from this second mini-camp, and the vast majority took him up on his offer. In attendance, however, despite the free pass were (in no particular order) CB Denard Walker, QBs Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins, G Brad Badger, and FB Zack Crockett.
RB Troy Hambrick was absent yesterday for what Turner characterized as "personal reasons," but was expected to practice today. Finally, Mr. Surly, CB Charles Woodson, was off doing what Poston clients do best—holding out.
By all accounts, rookie T Robert Gallery—getting extra reps in the absence of nearly all the veterans—has been extremely impressive. "Gallery's been outstanding," said Turner. "He's everything we hoped. We get him in pads, and he's going to be a big factor on this team."
Source(s): KFFL.com
The Raiders' second "voluntary" mini-camp gets under way today in Alameda. The team is allowed two rather than the league-wide quota of one because it has a new head coach.
The following announcement was e-mailed to me in my capacity as President of the Oakland Raiders Internet Boosters.
Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the event nor can I vouch for the accuracy of the information.
MEET: RAIDERS LEGEND LESTER HAYES JUNE 25-27, 2004 Signing Hours: Friday ............ 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday ....... 12 to 7 p.m. Sunday .......... 12 to 6 p.m. At NewPark Mall in Newark, California Driving Directions - From San Jose: Take Highway 101 to I-880/North to Mowry Avenue Exit to NewPark Mall Directions coming from L.A.: Take I-5/North to 152/ West to Highway 101/North to I-880/North to Mowry Ave. Exit to NewPark Mall. FOR INFORMATION CALL THE EVENT PROMOTIONS @ 714-590-1553
Source(s): Oakland Raiders Internet Boosters
The team's official site, www.raiders.com, is sporting a sleek new design that's much less cluttered than the previous effort. Definitely an improvement.
This observer previously reported that the Raiders were able to afford Kerry Collins by restructuring the contract of veteran DT John Parrella. But leave it to ESPN—which has advanced the term "rumor mill" almost to respectability—to provide all the details by dint of John Clayton.
According to the erstwhile cap scribe, Parrella was scheduled to have a $3.991 million cap number. He reduced his salary from $3.1 million to $1.85 million by taking a $1 million signing bonus and turning $250,000 into an incentive he can make if he plays 35 percent of the downs.
There is considerable irony in this because Parrella is represented by the same agent as is Rich Gannon—Tom Condon of IMG—and the savings allowed Collins to fit in under the salary cap.
Clayton added, "Before doing the deal, the Raiders had only $253,000 of room. Until the Raiders got a deal with Collins, they didn't pull Gannon into the loop that they were signing him for significant dollars. Collins signed a three-year $16 million deal that will pay him $8 million over the next two seasons."
Source(s): ESPN.com
Here's the skinny on WR Quentin McCord, quietly signed back in May when the Kerry Collins story was grabbing the headlines. (McCord's signing wasn't added to the Raiders.com transaction page until more than a week later.)
He's 5-10, weighs 188, attended Kentucky and has three years of NFL experience, all with Atlanta. He's caught 25 passes for 427 yards (an impressive 18.6 average) and last year had a 46-yard punt return. Would it shock you if I added he ran track in high school? You'll find a little more background info on NFLPlayers.com.
Filling in the blanks: KFFL.com reports that DE Bobby Hamilton's one-year contract was worth $660,000.
And, on a no-news day, this truly strange item: Oakland Tribune columnist Monte Poole writes in a grab bag-type column published today that several people have "insisted" to him that the Raiders have been sounding out retired RB Barry Sanders about returning to the NFL.
It's doubly strange to this observer because the last time Oakland saw Barry Sanders, the Raiders stopped him cold every time he touched the ball. I attended the Lions' visit to Oakland, in 1996, and remember it well. WR Herman Moore, still a threat in those days, toasted the Raiders secondary as Detroit scored 21 straight points in the third quarter before the Raiders eventually pulled away to win, 37-21. Sanders, however, was an utter non-factor in the game. One would never have known from his performance against the Silver and Black that he would be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Source(s): KFFL.com, Oakland Tribune
ESPN writer Len Pasquarelli reported that RB Amos Zereoue got the same deal as the other new Raiders tailback, Troy Hambrick: a base salary of $535,000 (the league minimum) plus a $25,000 signing bonus.
Source(as): ESPN.com, KFFL.com
Once a sleaze, always a sleaze: Remember when one-time Raider WR Andre Rison had a warrant out for him in Kansas City? He had paid for some gold jewelry with rubber checks . . .
Well, Thursday the Michigan Attorney General signed a new warrant for Rison based on $95,000 arrearages in child support. Hey, it's tough to pay support when you have coke and jewelry habits . . . First things first, after all.
Source(s): Associated Press
The Raiders rookie salary pool allotment for 2004 is $5,170,440.
Source(s): San Francisco Chronicle
In another money-related note, the Raiders cleared the cap room to sign Collins by restructuring the contracts of DT John Parrella and (again) T Lincoln Kennedy, each to approximately $1 million in salary.
Parrella was scheduled to earn the third highest salary on the roster after the franchise free-agent tender to Charles Woodson ($8.8 million) and Rich Gannon ($7 million). The restructuring reduces his salary by an undisclosed amount in return for bonus money up front, lowering the cap charge.
Kennedy accepted a salary reduction from $3 million to $1 million—indicating he is sticking to his plans to retire. In March, Kennedy agreed to a salary reduction from $5 million to $3 million.
Source(s): Oakland Tribune
It's gone largely unnoticed, but a solitary article in Tuesday's San Jose Mercury News quoted a "team source" as saying that the Raiders "plan to approach Rich Gannon soon about reworking his contract."
In the article, Raiders beat writer Dennis Georgatos added, "According to a team official, Gannon could be released unless he accepts a substantial cut in his $7 million salary and is willing to compete with [Kerry] Collins for a job he has held with distinction since 1999."
This is clearly very different than the public face the team is showing, claiming that Gannon is still the unquestioned starter and Collins is content to ride the pine. And it's the closest any reporter has come to saying explicitly what many are implying (and what a few columnists, notably the Press-Democrat's Bob Padecky, have said outright). Reading the local papers' interpretation of coach Norv Turner's remarks on the subject, it's clear that most of those who cover the team on a daily basis think Gannon is on the way out.
Leave it to ESPN, the ultimate rumor mill, to publish the details on QB Kerry Collins' three-year contract, which Len Pasquarelli says are based on "league documents" supplied to ESPN.
The contract, worth $16.82 million in all, is very cap-friendly—as is customary these days with the Raiders. That means a small hit initially and heavily backloaded. For 2004, Collins received a signing bonus of $1.64 million and a base salary of the league minimum, $660,000. That makes the 2004 cap charge just $1.206 million. (Remember, that signing bonus is prorated over three years.)
In 2005, Collins' cap hit jumps to $6.567 million, with a base salary of $4.7 million and a $1.32 million roster bonus, payable regardless of whether he's on the team. It is, in other words, guaranteed money, and guarantees he'll be a Raider next year since the team has to pay him anyway.
Then, in the final season, Collins has a cap hit of $10.796 million, which comes from a $6 million base salary and $2.5 million roster bonus. That's called restructuring time.
Source(s): ESPN.com, KFFL.com
This fan's dream came true yesterday when the Raiders signed strong-armed QB Kerry Collins to a reported three-year contract for $16 million.
I doubt any readers don't know the background, as Collins has been front and center in the news almost from the minute the Giants released him. But to summarize—and fulfill my reportorial function—Collins was drafted by Carolina in 1995 out of Penn State and played there from 1995-1997, plus the start of the 1998 season. Traded to the Ain'ts, he finished 1998 in New Orleans, then went to New York for five years (1999-2003). He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1996 season, and to Super Bowl XXXV after the 2000 season.
Prior to the draft last April Collins expressed his opinion that the Giants should draft T Robert Gallery. After they traded for Eli Manning instead, Collins ensured his release by refusing to renegotiate his contract, saying he considers himself a starter and he wasn't willing to back up a rookie, no matter what his pedigree. One of many ironies in the current situation is that Collins will now have Gallery helping to protect his blind side.
The big deal about Collins is that he will enable new coach Norv Turner to run the kind of offense Turner espouses—an aggressive one. Power running to soften up defenses, then medium to long passes once opponents have to start stacking the box against the run.
It's also managing general partner Al Davis's preferred scheme, and there's a name for it: the vertical game!
Collins is big physically, 6-5 and 248 pounds. He has a much stronger arm than either Rich Gannon or Marques Tuiasosopo. He is also more inclined to turn the ball over than Gannon, but that is often the case with big-play QBs. Gannon generally looked very consistent because the entire Raiders offense was tailored to suit his abilities—accurate on short throws. The problem was that those short throws rarely got the Raiders out in front in games, and never overcame late-game deficits.
Filling in the details about the roster change . . . Turner went out of his way to use inclusive language yesterday about his quarterbacks. Nevertheless, it's hard to see where Gannon would fit now that Collins is aboard. Successful surgery or not, Gannon will be 39 in December and stunk it up last year before the labrum injury sent him to the injured reserve list. Then too, in the salary cap era a $7 million player has got to play like one. $7M is gamebreaker dough. Is Gannon a gamebreaker? Hardly. So although reporters claim the Raiders are still mulling over whether or not to keep Gannon, this observer sees him being released come June 1.
More ironies . . . most pundits think Chucky aka Jon Gruden would welcome Gannon in Tampa Bay. And quite possibly release incumbent starter QB Brad Johnson. Who would then find a home in Baltimore, where coach Brian Billick thinks highly of Johnson and needs QB help now that Anthony Wright will be having shoulder surgery. So the game of musical quart . . . er, chairs could work out well for all three of these teams.
Source(s): NFL.com, Associated Press, Sports Ticker
The following, purported direct quote appeared on the Raiderfans.net message board today:
"Was last year a fluke or did he hit a wall?" said a Raiders executive who requested anonymity. "If we knew we were getting the same Gannon who was healthy and could regain his top-notch form, his salary is not a big number. But this is not a young guy, he's coming off a shoulder injury and he did not play well before the injury. Given the situation, given what we know right now, his salary is too high. And he is not the kind of guy who would want to go and groom somebody else; he's a fighter who wants to play.""
With June 1 approaching, after which accelerated signing bonuses, etc., can in large part be deferred until next year, this is big time news, if it is true. This observer feels compelled to point out there is absolutely no way to confirm the report.
Source(s): Raiderfans.net message board
The Giants had a visit from UFA Dana Stubblefield but apparently won't try to sign him.
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
PewterReport.com reported that both New Orleans and Green Bay were interested in possibly signing free agent DT Dana Stubblefield.
Yesterday, the Boston Globe reported that free agent DL Bobby Hamilton (Patriots) had yet to sign, but the Oakland Raiders remained very interested in him. Hamilton signed with Oakland later in the day, of course. (See below.)
Of interest also was another, curious item reported by the Globe—that Raiders head coach Norv Turner would like to use RB J.R. Redmond as a pass-catching fullback.
This is both strange and interesting. First, the Contra Costa Times, ordinarily accurate about personnel stuff, reported some weeks back that Redmond had been released. So the initial question that's raised is whether Redmond is even still around.
Also odd is a reported plan to make a fullback out of a 215-lb. tailback . . . and even more curious, to do so when incumbent Chris Hetherington seems to have a reasonably good pair of hands. (He was an option quarterback at Yale.)
What with both Amos Zereoue and Troy Hambrick having been signed pretty recently, this observer is inclined to think the Boston paper, known for its editorials, is just plain wrong on this story, but when in doubt, this site's advice is always . . . take your pick.
Source(s): Boston Globe, KFFL.com
The Raiders announced it late in the day, so the story broke late, but the Raiders finally turned speculation into fact Wednesday with the signing of ex-Patsy Bobby Hamilton to a reported one-year contract. Reports about the Raiders' interest in Hamilton, 32, had circulated since his former teammate Ted Washington signed with the Raiders back in early March.
Despite having the seeming build of a pass rusher—6-5, 285 lbs.—Hamilton is primarily a run-stopper, and a good one. He receives a lot of credit for New England's tough run defense the past two years. In Oakland he will, of course, be re-united not only with Washington, but also with coach Rob Ryan. (Although technically Ryan coached linebackers with the Patsies, he's given a good share of credit for the overall schemes employed by New England's front seven, who have typically excelled the last several seasons at disguising their schemes at the line of scrimmage.)
Hamilton played four years in New England and served a four-year stint with the Jets before that (1996-99), where he was primarily a backup.
He broke in with Seattle in 1994 as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi, but after a serious knee injury in preseason went on IR for that entire season. Seattle cut him in camp in 1995 and he was out of football that year, so he's definitely a late bloomer.
He then played a season with the Amsterdam Admirals in the then-World League (now NFL Europe) before catching on with the Jets.
In 2000 he led all NFL defensive linemen with 79 tackles.
Source(s): Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, Associated Press, Sports Ticker
The Raiders signed two veterans today, each to a one-year contract for the league minimum of $535,000.
The higher profile player is RB Troy Hambrick, released by Dallas just last Thursday. The Cowpies felt Hambrick was underwhelming last year in replacing the departed Emmitt Smith as their featured back. Hambrick gained 972 yards, eighth in the NFC, but averaged only 3.5 yards per attempt. Coach Bill Parcells is reportedly impressed with this year's 2nd-round pick, former Notre Dame RB Julius Jones, making Hambrick expendable.
Hambrick also skipped some Pies offseason workouts this year in an apparent effort to get himself released.
At 6-1 and 235 pounds, Hambrick's a banger, much in the mold of Tyrone Wheatley. And while his agent waxed eloquent about Hambrick competing for the starting job (see below), this observer foresees a tailback-by-committee approach in 2004. As ESPN's Len Pasquarelli points out in a column published today, Norv Turner typically has his tailbacks carry the ball 300-325 times a season, considerably more than any Raiders running back in recent memory.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Hambrick's agent, Jordan Woy, said his client joining the Raiders was the "best situation" for him. He said the Raiders want Hambrick to come in and compete with Wheatley for the starting job. "They have a big, huge offensive line, and it fit perfectly for Troy and his skills," said Woy (rather redundantly 
).
Hambrick, an undrafted free agent who played collegiately at Savannah State, has been in the league four seasons, all of them with Dallas. He played some at fullback as well as tailback, and had the team's second highest total of tackles on special teams in 2001 with 17. In addition to the minimum salary for a four-year vet, Hambrick got a modest $50,000 signing bonus.
Also signed to a one-year deal was ex-Redskin FS David Terrell, also a four-year veteran. Terrell was a starter in 2001. A string bean for a safety at 6-0 and 190 pounds, he nevertheless led the Washington special teamers one year with 17 tackles. (Yes, he and Hambrick both had 17 for a season.)
Figure on Terrell as insurance in case Ron Woodson's comeback from knee surgery is unsuccessful. The Raiders have also acquired Ray Buchanan in the offseason—presumably to play free safety—and drafted FS Stuart Schweigert in the third round.
Source(s): KFFL.com, Dallas Morning News, ESPN.com, Raiders.com
The Sacramento Bee reported that if Raiders WR Jerry Rice were to become a roster casualty, the San Francisco Whiners' management has talked privately of bringing him back so he could retire with the organization. If Rice was open to the idea, the 49ers would use him as a reserve receiver to school their young receivers, and not as an every-down player.
Source(s): KFFL.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer has reported the past two days that Bresnahan is actively participating as a coach in the Bungles' current mini-camp practices. The Cincy front office, however, had no official comment Saturday about the position Bresnahan would have in its organization.
The paper says the 42-year-old Naval Academy graduate is expected to be the team's third-down defense specialist and work with the nickel pass-coverage package. Bresnahan has specialized in two areas in the past, defensive backs and linebackers.
He had one year remaining on his contract with Oakland and had been left hanging in limbo for months. The Enquirer says new Raiders head coach Norv Turner fired Bresnahan, and further that the Raiders will pay Bresnahan's salary this season. The Bengals, meanwhile, are "believed to be getting him for minimal cost," which is about what he's worth.
(In fairness to Bresnahan, a significant part of the atrocious run defense the Raiders exhibited last year was due to injuries, a factor over which he had no control. But he also chose to deploy his secondary in a lot of zone defenses when the Raiders make a point—year in and year out—to draft (and sign, in free agency) coverage corners. Thus his schemes were often ill-suited to the personnel he had available.)
Source(s): Cincinnati Enquirer
The Record, of Bergen County, NJ, ran a story yesterday reporting that the Raiders have made an offer to free agent QB Kerry Collins, released by the Giants when he declined to take a big pay cut following the draft of Eli Manning on April 24.
As sportswriters have been pointing out for days now, while new coach Norv Turner has spoken positively of QB Rich Gannon's progress in recovering from shoulder surgery, he has yet to state explicitly that Gannon will start. To those readers who dismiss such distinctions as nitpicking, or (gasp!) rumor-monging, this observer will point out that Jon Gruden never quite denied 100% the rumors that he would leave the Raiders, and leave he did.
As we all know, Gannon's salary this year would rise to approximately $7 million, and the fusspot has said more than once that while he might be open to restructuring in principle, he expects to see every penny of that seven mil. Meaning he'd be agreeable to converting salary to bonus, but that's as far as he'll go. And hell will freeze over before the Raiders pay Gannon—who'll turn 39 late this coming season, and who played atrociously last season before he was injured—$7 million at this stage of his career.
This cynic would also note that Norv Turner might well be the last to know if the Raiders front office is in fact negotiating to acquire a new starting quarterback. So fasten your chin straps, Raiders fans, and stay tuned, because just about anything could happen between now and the start of training camp on July 30.
Source(s): Bergen (NJ) Record, KFFL.com
Reader Bob Centurelli kindly passed along the URL to an article dated yesterday by CBS Sportsline writer Jay Glazer containing an important tidbit which I had missed—the final figure for what it will cost the Raiders to prohibit CB Charles Woodson from being able to negotiate with other clubs.
It's just sloppy reporting that most papers keep talking about a $6.801 tender, because it's very clear in the rules that adding the "exclusive" to the franchise tag changes the top five salaries for the position that get averaged from last year's to this year's. And this year's negotiating period (which includes not only unrestricted free agents, but also restricted ones) ran through April 16. A handful of writers had picked up on an interim figure of $7.385M, but the NFL announced the final, "adjusted" bill on May 4 and it's a whopping $8,782,400!
Is Woodson worth that? Not to this observer's way of thinking. But the rule means that in calculating the amount of the required tender, the league was required to look to the Antoine Winfields and Champ Baileys . . . the guys that got overpaid in this year's GM panic over free agent corners.
Source(s): CBS Sportsline
This observer missed this April 30 item when it first appeared last week in John Clayton's "Quick Hits"" column on ESPN.com. The Raiders and G Brad Badger restructured his contract in late April to give the team some additional cap room.
Recall that Badger re-signed early in free agency, getting a five-year, $10.55 million contract that included a $1.5 million signing bonus and a $1.2 million base. In the recent change, Badger took an additional $540,000 in bonus money and reduced his base salary to $660,000, freeing up $432,000 of cap room.
Source(s): ESPN.com
With the first of two mini-camps concluded, the team has now shifted into its so-called "OTA" mode. "Organized team activities" are structured drills little different from daily practices. The terminology avoids running afoul of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), which strictly limits how many offseason days of practice teams can require of their players.
"For coaches, they're 'practices,'" said new coach Norv Turner. "But we'll go back and start teaching details and start taking plays against different fronts, defenses against different plays, get very, very specific in our teaching. We wanted to give them a real overview of what we're going to try to get done."
The staff has made it clear that all players, absent scheduling conflicts, are expected to participate. Fired coach Bill Callahan cited poor offseason participation by veterans as one of the reasons for the team's poor performance in 2003.
The Raiders will hold their remaining mini-camp June 22-24. Training camp will open in Napa this year on July 30, with players checking in the evening before as in previous years.
In a departure from the Bill Callahan camps—derisively called "Camp Wuss" by a few veterans because of the minimal amount of hitting involved—Turner has made it clear he intends to make things plenty physical this year.
The Raiders officially announced the signing of four undrafted free agents on their official web site yesterday, including CB James Bethea of Cal. Bethea, who participated last weekend as a non-roster invitee, made the news by finishing first in all six of the required rookie sprints held at the end of the final practice.
The other three names had all been reported here previously: DL Tommy Kelly (Mississippi State), RB DeJuan Green (South Florida), and DB Ejiro Evero (Cal-Davis).
Also present at the mini-camp for a look-see were undrafted free agent quarterbacks R.J. Anderson (Syracuse) and Chris Lewis (Stanford), and punter Steve Baker of Southern Oregon. It's unclear whether any of them has been signed despite earlier reports that they had.
Source(s): Raiders.com
The Raiders made news again today with a fairly high profile but curious signing—RB Amos Zereoue, cut loose by Pittsburgh after a five-year stay there.
I say it's curious because Zereoue is relatively diminutive—5-8, 205 pounds—not at all what you'd expect from a team that says it's going to pound the ball hard on the ground. Indeed, the Tin Men, faced with having to choose between tailbacks, kept a Bus (Jerome Bettis) that's already seen its best days rather than the considerably younger, and quicker, Zereoue. But we shall see . . . At least he should still have some spring left in his step.
Source(s): Raiders.com, Sports Ticker, Sports Network
In other news, the Raiders continued preparing for the weekend mini-camp by signing up the bodies, er . . ., undrafted free agents who will fill out the drills. Signed yesterday were three players: South Florida RB DeJuan Green, DE Tommy Kelly (Mississippi State), and UC-Davis FS Ejiro Evero.
Signed today was the two-time NAIA champion punter, Steve Baker, of Southern Oregon. He'll never displace Shane Lechler, who's about to start a run of Pro Bowl appearances that will last a long time, nor will he even be given that opportunity. He's there to help punt one ball after another so the coaches can run everyone ragged.
Then why, you ask, would he even want to show up, knowing he has no chance to make the squad? Ah, for a good word from special teams coach Joe Avezzano, that's why. That could go a long way toward landing a job with some other NFL team that's short a punter.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times, Southern Oregon Athletic Dept.
"Randy Lange, of The Bergen Record, reports the New York Jets tried to work out a trade with the Oakland Raiders for Jets RB LaMont Jordan during the early rounds of the NFL Draft, according to Raiders head coach Norv Turner. The Jets were seeking the Raiders' second-round pick (No. 45 overall), while the Raiders were offering their third-round pick (No. 67 overall) in return."
Source(s): KFFL.com
According to a CBS Sportsline teaser for a paid feature, The Record, of Bergen County, NJ, reported a few days back that the Jets did in fact attempt to trade RB LaMont Jordan to Oakland, but the Raiders refused to cough up a second-round pick for him. We can't tell you more since we don't subscribe!!
Source(s): CBS Sportsline
The Raiders have signed, as an undrafted free agent, the battery-mate of WR Johnnie Morant at Syracuse. That would be QB R.J. Anderson, 6-1 and 228 lbs. See the Personnel Changes section for a link to more info.
Source(s): The (Syracuse) Post-Standard, New Britain (CT) Herald
Lincoln Kennedy update: This from the Oval Office's agent, Scott Casterline: the 33-year-old Kennedy, who announced his retirement last year but has not filed the paperwork to make it official, will provide TV commentary for a couple of NFL Europe games overseas and then make a decision on his future upon returning to California, probably in late May.
Source(s): Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Where Are They Now Dept.: This observer was surprised to read that Mr. Irrelevant of 2003, WR Ryan Hoag of tiny Gustavus Adolphus, is actually still in the NFL, on the New York Giants roster.
The Raiders, of course, had the same honor this year of selecting the final draft pick, No. 255, and the 2004 Mr. Irrelevant is . . . <drum roll> DE Andre Sommersell. A 229-pound lineman, he will obviously be converted to OLB. Even there he'll be undersized and a longshot to make the team.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times
The Raiders began this morning with a classic Raiders pick. A huge reach, WR Carlos Francis of Texas Tech was projected as a mid-seventh round pick. He's only 5-9, runs crummy routes, and gets jammed off the line of scrimmage.
So why on earth did Oakland take him early in the fourth round? He runs the 40 in 4.33, that's why! And as long as Al Davis runs Da Raidahs, the team will make picks like this one. A speed merchant, but a big gamble all the same.
In the fifth round the Raiders took a big kid (6-4, 229) with pretty good speed, WR Johnnie Morant of Syracuse. Their initial sixth-round pick was another reach, a somewhat undersized pass rusher, DE Shawn Johnson of Delaware (projected as an undrafted free agent).
Then Oakland traded the first two of its four seventh-round picks to Dallas to move up to No. 17 in the sixth, and with that pick grabbed ILB Cody Spencer of North Texas. Finally the Raiders used their last two picks on TE Courtney Anderson of San Jose State and an undersized DE, Andre Sommersell of Colorado State, who'll be converted to an outside linebacker.
In a first day characterized by dozens of trades, the surprise as far as the Raiders were concerned was that the team didn't trade even once. Normally the Raiders are among the most active teams at trading on draft day.
You can track Oakland's picks here.
Amidst all the draft hooplah, Oakland was quietly negotiating with the Jets this past week for a power running back. RB LaMont Jordan backs up Curtis Martin, but the Jets argue he could start for a lot of teams. At 230 pounds he runs with authority. But . . . the Jets were reportedly asking for a second- or third-round pick, possibly even more, which had the Raiders balking. So the trade may not come to fruition.
Jordan, 25, is entering the final year of a four-year contract.
Source(s): New Jersey Star-Ledger
The Raiders cut RB J.R. Redmond, 27, yesterday. You may remember him as the guy who got some carries at the very end of last season when virtually every other tailback on the roster was injured or on IR.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times
Ever so briefly (because this observer is getting genuinely sick of talking about nothing but the draft), according to the AP, Cleveland seems to be calling most of the numbers in the continental United States in an effort to move up high enough to draft T Robert Gallery. Since the Browns expect the Raiders to take Gallery at No. 2, that means that they have had "preliminary trade conversations" with each of the six teams—San Diego, Oakland, Arizona, New York Giants, Washington and Detroit—that pick above them in the first round. The Browns have also taken calls from teams that draft below them that are trying to move up in the draft.
There's also a fresh rumor that the Giants, if they can't get Eli Manning, would now take QB Ben Roethlisberger at No. 4 even if Gallery were still available. The source for this one is the Rumor Mill column, which notes that this view is not unanimous among the NYG front office personnel.
Finally, Chicago Tribune writer David Haugh named Oakland yesterday as one of a handful of teams who would be interested in QB Kurt Warner if he is released after June 1 by the St. Louis Rams.
Source(s): KFFL.com, ProFootballTalk.com
Lawyers for Maurice Clarett asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency stay of the order issued yesterday by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. That order set aside Clarett's preliminary victory, finding that the NFL was likely to prevail on the merits at such time as a full hearing can be held.
This observer, a former attorney, will tell readers that the highest court of the land rarely steps into a dispute with an emergency stay unless the issues at stake are of the utmost and gravest importance—typically characterized as "irreparable harm." It would be quite a stretch to characterize plaintiff Clarett's desire to play professional football as rising to that level of urgency.
Source(s): Associated Press
Running back Maurice Clarett was barred from entering this weekend's NFL draft by a federal appeals court that blocked a lower court ruling Monday.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New York, said the NFL had shown it could win its argument that Clarett and other athletes like Southern California's Mike Williams should not be allowed to enter the league until they have been out of high school for at least three years.
The court added in its two-page order that any potential harm to Clarett would be lessened by the NFL's agreement to stage a supplemental draft if the appeals court later ruled in his favor.
Source(s): Associated Press
Bungles malcontent RB Corey Dillon was traded to New England today for a 2nd-round draft pick (No. 56).
Source(s): Associated Press
The Rumor Mill column today came out with v4.0 of its mock draft, projecting a trade which it claims is partially substantiated by the highly regarded publication Pro Football Weekly. (Read the item.)
According to the report, Jacksonville is considering trading up to No. 2 to be sure of getting WR Larry Fitzgerald. The Jags would be offering Oakland their No. 9 pick, disgruntled SS Donovin Darius, and their third-round pick, in return for Oaktown's No. 2.
Again paraphrasing the column, PFW opines the Raiders would take WR Roy Williams at No. 9. Mike Florio, Rumor Mill writer, disagrees and suggests RB Steven Jackson.
The timing is everything in this one, if it's true, and it likely wouldn't occur until draft day. Here's the scenario posited by writer Mike Florio:For the Jags, there's no guarantee that Fitzgerald will be available, if they pull the trigger too soon. Our guess is that the Cardinals will move immediately to No. 1 via a trade with the Chargers if/when word of a trade between the Jags and the Raiders breaks. So if we were running the show in Jacksonville . . . we'd make the trade only after the No. 1 pick is burned on someone other than Fitzgerald.
This observer can't help but be amazed at the mental cartwheels the pundits go through in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, especially in a banner year like 2004 figures to be.
Just a few weeks ago, everyone said Detroit (No. 6) was a lock to take Jackson. Now he'll presumably be available at No. 9 for the Raiders.
Then there's Williams, who's moved way up the boards since turning in a spectacular Pro Day performance. This observer thinks Williams will be long gone before No. 9.
A third example: QB Philip Rivers was a lock for Pittsburgh at No. 11. Now there's talk the Dolts want him, the only question being how far down they can trade and still be assured of getting him.
Expect plenty of action during the first round or two next Saturday.
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
ESPN.com's John Clayton wrote yesterday in his "Quick Hits" column that new Raider CB Denard Walker was signed to be the Raiders third corner (meaning Ray Buchanan will in fact be shifted to safety).
Walker got a 5-year, $12 million deal. He can void the final four years by playing a minimum of 10% of the downs—making it in essence a one-year contract for $2 million.
Clayton notes that Walker could get a lot of playing time during training camp if Charles Woodson, the team's unsigned franchise player, holds out. Walker was released by the Vikings at the end of March after refusing to take a pay cut.
Source(s): ESPN.com, KFFL.com
Detroit on Friday, nowhere on Saturday: The Rumor Mill column at ProFootballTalk.com reported Friday that Detroit was close to swinging a deal for OL Larry Allen, ready to cough up a second-round pick to Dallas.
Today chief writer Mike Florio has backed off and quotes the proverbial "league source" as saying no deal with Detroit is imminent.
Which is why they have the word "Rumor" in their title . . .
The column also published yesterday what are purportedly the Wonderlic scores for everyone who participated at the Combine. It goes without saying that there's absolutely no way to know if this stuff is genuine, but if it's true, Eli Manning (with a 39 score out of 50 multiple-choice questions) could have gotten himself a first-rate education (while still playing ball in a major program) at Stanford or Cal rather than "quaint" Ole Miss. By way of contrast, Kellen Winslow, Jr., who scored 12, might have to work overtime studying the playbook of whatever team drafts him.
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
Here's additional background on new acquisition CB Jacoby Shepherd from a pair of Detroit web sites, including the Lions' official site, courtesy of Raidernews.com. Take it with some salt, since it reads a lot like the bloated press releases the Raiders issue about their draft picks.
The Lions' official site described him as a "[h]ard-hitting, hard-nosed tackler with good leaping ability. An exceptional all-around athlete who adjusts well to the ball in the air and is at his best playing physical, bump-and-run coverage." Shepherd was signed by the Lions last year at the end of October and finished 2003 with them. He had played the first four games of 2003 with the New York Jets.
Shepherd was originally a second-round pick by St. Louis in 2000 and played there in 2000-2001. He missed the last five weeks of the 2001 season on IR with a groin injury, and was out of the league essentially all of 2002.
So . . . with his size and speed—did I mention he lettered in track in college? — he obviously has an upside, but as a one-time 2nd-rounder who's been signed by five different teams at one time or another, one would have to say he's been a disappointment to date. Another typical Raiders project!
Of the Raiders' allocated players in Europe, DE Bobby Setzer of Boise State is definitely making the biggest splash. In two games, he has eight tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
Source(s): Raiders.com
The Charlotte Observer reported that free agent CB Terrance Shaw visited the Panthers.
Source(s): KFFL.com
The NFL, amid lots of fluff and fanfare, will announce the 2004 regular season schedule tomorrow on its own network beginning at 2:00 p.m. Pacific. We'll have it here later in the afternoon (it's a two-hour broadcast).
Source(s): NFL.com
The Raiders' official web site shows a new free agent signing as of yesterday. He's CB Jacoby Shepherd, 24, a two-year NFL vet who spent time with both the Jets and Detroit last year after being on the St. Louis roster in 2000. He was apparently out of football in 2001-02.
Shepherd, from Oklahoma State, has great size for a corner—he's listed as 6-2 and 204 lbs.
Source(s): Raiders.com, SI.com
Saturday's major story was the signing—and return to Silver and Black—of tough blocking TE Roland Williams, 28.
Williams, 6-5 and 265 pounds, missed nearly all of 2003 while recovering from a plethora of injuries to one leg and foot. He had also been in contract discussions with his home town team, Buffalo. But when the Jills indicated they wouldn't be extending an actual offer until after the draft, Williams committed to re-joining Oakland for a three-year term. ESPN.com reported that the contract came to $2.85 million.
Fellow Syracuse alumnus Al Davis was reported to have gotten personally involved in persuading Williams.
New coach Norv Turner makes use of double tight end sets and generally expects serious blocking out of his tight end/H back. Williams will provide that. Not coincidentally, there's a new rumor which started today that the Raiders might be interested in trading down and drafting former Oregon State RB Steven Jackson, a 240-lb. power runner who's every scout's consensus top RB in this year's draft.
Source(s): Associated Press, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, ProFootballTalk.com, ESPN.com
In other news, the Raiders released defensive tackle Ron Moore, an undrafted free agent from Northwest Oklahoma State. They also brought in free agent CB Emmanuel McDaniel for a tryout. McDaniel has kicked around, playing for four teams in his seven NFL seasons (including two stints with Carolina); he appeared in 11 games with Arizona in 2003.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times, NFL.com
The Associated Press reports that Cleveland remains interested in trading up from No. 7 and is talking to the Raiders. The Browns, believed to covet a franchise-type offensive lineman, would presumably use the No. 2 pick to select T Robert Gallery of Iowa.
Source(s): KFFL.com
And in a similar vein, the worst kept secret in the NFL has been the New York Giants' desire to move up from their current No. 4 position. Until now, fueled in part by the comments of incumbent QB Kerry Collins, who's convinced his team is planning to draft his replacement, everyone has assumed the Giants would take QB Eli Manning.
ProFootballTalk.com's Rumor Mill column, however, quotes the proverbial anonymous "league source" today as speculating that the Giants might be plotting the move in order to secure Gallery, whom they (and a growing contingent of league insiders) believe will be taken by the Raiders at No. 2.
"There is a lot of gamesmanship going on now," the source continued. "A lot of lies are being told."
Melodramatic stuff, eh, Frenchy?
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
The Contra Costa Times reports NFL draft prospect T Kevin Sampson (Syracuse) visited Alameda yesterday.
Source(s): KFFL.com
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction Dept.: NFLdraftscout.com, a rumor mill affiliated with the always entertaining "Rumor Mill" column at ProFootballTalk.com, reports that QB washout Akili Smith, last cut by Green Bay, recently had a private workout with the Raiders as part of a comeback effort by the one-time first-round pick out of Oregon. Of 40 passes thrown, says the report, 36 were on target.
Smith has been training with—get this!—none other than Shredderman, former Raiders QB Jay Schroeder. Shredder was the guy that got Al Davis so google-eyed that he traded T Jim Lachey to get him. Lachey had an impressive career with Washington, while Shredder (playing in La-La Land) made Raiders fans long for the return of Marc Wilson.
Oh, stop it, please!! My sides are aching from all this laughing . . .
(Real nerds will e-mail me to accuse me of playing loose with the facts, pointing out that Lachey never agreed to actually play for the Raiders, and suited up in silver and black for only one game while the trade was consummated, then moved East to his preordained destination with the 'Skins. All that is true. Lachey's family lived on the East Coast and he'd made it clear he would only accept a trade (from San Diego) to an East Coast team. Nevertheless, no one can deny that Big Al really did think Shredder had talent.
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
KFFL.com reports that DT Warren Sapp's seven-year deal with the Raiders has base salaries of $660,000 (2004), $2 million (2005), $4.5 million (2006), $4.8 million (2007), $5.15 million (2008), $5 million (2009) and $6 million (2010).
The web site gave no source for its report.
Source(s): KFFL.com
The Raiders signed free agent WR Chris Cole today. In three seasons with the Donkeys, Cole caught only 12 balls but returned 89 kickoffs, so this is a special teams guy—another recruit for Joe Avezzano.
Cole was drafted out of Texas A&M by Denver in the third round in 2000. He was apparently out of football in 2002. He stands 6-0 and weighs 195.
Source(s): Raiders.com
Yesterday the Raiders made official the signing of ex-Falcons corner Ray Buchanan—meaning they restructured a contract (reportedly that of T Barry Sims) to free up enough cap room to put the deal on the books.
"We're very pleased to add a player the caliber of Ray Buchanan who is both versatile and productive," said Raiders head coach Norv Turner, in yet another less than inspirational canned statement for the press.
As reported here last weekend, ESPN's John Clayton, who broke the story, says that Buchanan, while able to work as the team's third corner, will play free safety for the Raiders.
Source(s): Raiders.com, KFFL.com, ESPN.com
The New York Giants signed unrestricted free agent DE Lorenzo Bromell Monday. Terms were not announced.
Source(s): Giants.com, Associated Press
Fourteen former players and coaches were selected to the College Football Hall of Fame today. Among them were two great former Raiders, punter Ray Guy of Southern Mississippi and free safety Jack Tatum of Ohio State. Both deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall as well; it's a travesty that they are not.
Source(s): Associated Press
According to a report on ESPN.com, free agent DB Ray Buchanan has agreed to a five-year deal worth $12 million. The 32-year-old Buchanan—he'll turn 33 on Sept. 29—was released by Atlanta last month after spending seven seasons with the Falcons. He has been a cornerback throughout his career but did see some playing time at safety last season.
The Raiders can't officially sign Buchanan until they clear some cap space. At the moment, following the Warren Sapp signing they are reportedly only $125,000 under the cap.
Most of the meat of the ESPN.com story came from Buchanan himself, who calls himself "Big Play Ray." "I walked out of the building wearing a Raider hat with the shield on it," said Buchanan. "It's a great feeling."
ESPN claims the Raiders project Buchanan as a free safety and may also use him in his traditional cornerback role as well. "I have a goal and my goal is to get double-digit sacks for a team," Buchanan said. "I think that could happen at free safety."
Added "Big Play Ray," "I give them a lot of flexibility because I can play safety, but if they need me, I can go out on the edge and play corner, too. They can use me in the slot to cover. My hands are not tied."
Yet, this cynic will point out, he is only 5-9 and 186 pounds—a relative flea in a league where safeties typically weigh 200 to 220. I know, George Atkinson was a great strong safety playing at 185 pounds, but that was also some decades ago. Knowing the Raiders, of course, Buchanan will be listed on the roster as 190 or even 195. (For you newbie Raiders fans, shrimps always gain weight when they join the team, and fatsos always drop some pounds. It happens by magic. ;-)
Buchanan was a third-round pick out of Louisville by Indianapolis in 1993. After four years in Indy, he spent the past seven years in Atlanta but lost his starting job in 2003. Career-wise he has 46 interceptions—that's a yearly average of 4.18 compared to Charles Woodson's 2.5—and a trip to the Pro Bowl (1998), but his most compelling stat is an impressive 170 passes defensed. His stats did slip dramatically the past two years, obviously leading the Falcons to conclude he's past his prime.
As the Contra Costa Times put it, if Buchanan's play is only solid instead of phenomenal, he can still help the Raiders, especially if Ron Woodson—38 years old and coming off knee surgery—doesn't return.
Look for the team to announce the signing this coming week.
Source(s): ESPN.com, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune, Sports Network, KFFL.com
The lawsuit by descendants of Raiders co-founder (and former one-third owner) Edward W. McGah was pretty well gutted Thursday by a ruling in Alameda County Superior Court. Contrary to many headlines, however, not to mention the characterizations of blowhard Raiders spokesman Artie Gigantino, the judge did not rule on the merits of the case in any way.
Rather, Superior Court Judge Judith Ford held that the two plaintiffs, Sherratt Reicher of Orinda and Barbara McGah of Alamo (the great-grandson and daughter-in-law of Ed McGah), lacked standing to sue without the consent of the remaining eight to ten minority interests in the Raiders partnership. Since getting the unanimous support of all the interests for the lawsuit against managing general partner Al Davis is a practical impossibility, according to attorneys involved in the litigation, the ruling effectively killed most of the case without ever deciding its merit.
Standing is a technical concept designed to prevent lawsuits by persons who are not directly aggrieved. It has to do with who can sue, not whether a lawsuit is meritorious or not.
The Contra Costa Times article covered the complex litigation quite well.
Source(s): Contra Costa Times
One of the less publicized developments coming out of the owners' meetings was the decision to allow receivers to wear jersey numbers from 10 to 19 again, in addition to the usual 80 to 89 range.
In past years, receivers would often pick up a number in the teens during training camp, when the glut of wideouts, defensive linemen, and (in most cities) retired numbers ate up the ten available selections in the 80s. Until 1998, the player could keep that number once the regular season began. This allowed Keyshawn Johnson, for instance, to maintain number 19.
But in 1998 the NFL began requiring a player to pick up one of the available jerseys in the 80 to 89 range after the roster cut to 53 players. This tweak resulted in Randy Moss changing from 18 to 84 in 1998.
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
Thursday, April 1, 2004Matt Millen homecoming: I fell for it myself, initially . . . I knew what day it is, but it's brilliantly written, and the quotes do sound precisely like things Matt Millen would say.
Happy April Fool's Day!!!
Source(s): ProFootballTalk.com
