Raiders Add Another Piece on Defense Signing DE Spires

The Raiders have added another piece to the defense, as today they came to terms on a 1-year deal with DE Greg Spires. The veteran will compete for downs as pass rusher on the right side of the Raiders line. Spires became a free agent after he was released by Tampa Bay in a salary cap move in February. He has 39.5 sacks in his 10-year career, playing the past six seasons with the Buccaneers. He played only 10 games last year because of a calf injury. His best season came in 2004, when he had eight sacks.

Offensive sparks needed..

Having won only 19 games in the past 5 seasons, the Raiders are looking for a spark to their offense……

Hopefully that spark will be supplied by last years #1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell and this years #4 over-all pick in the draft Darren McFadden.

McFadden received his first taste of NFL football at the rookie mini-camp this past weekend. McFadden said that he noticed the difference between college ball when he was handed a highlighter and notebook along with his playbook. At Arkansas, McFadden fumbled 15 times last season - some of those came when he played QB in the “WildHog” formation and also as a returner, so ball security will be something that he will need to work on..

Coach Kiffin is cautious about putting too much pressure on him so early stating that McFadden is ” not here to save the franchise” and that he “just happens to be the first pick.” McFadden joins an already crowded backfield where he joins 1000 yard runner Justin Fargas, and former 1000 yard rusher LaMont Jordan.. Also in the mix is last years fourth round pick Michael Bush, who missed his rookie season with a broken leg. Bush admits being taking aback after the Raiders pick McFadden, but was told by RB coach Tom Rathman to “just hang in there, stay focused, and keep doing what your doing, and everything else will take care of itself.” Of the RB position, coach Kiffin has said “we’re excited that they’re all different. They are different players and bring different things and we’ve got to figure it out. Two of them, Darren and Michael catch the ball really well, so we have got to see how much we can do with that.” Lets hope that the offense can show some life this season with Russell & McFadden leading the way..

McFadden, Russell Team Up At Raiders Mini-Camp

Silver and Black Ink FA Linebacker Hartwell

The Raiders offseason of looking to upgrade their defense continued on Tuesday, as the team came to terms with free-agent linebacker Edgerton Hartwell.  The 30-year-old hasn’t been much of a factor, as he has been hurt most of the last three years, and didn’t play at all last season after being cut by the Bengals before the start of the season.

In 2005 and 2006 with the Falcons, he played in just a total of 13 games due to injuries to his knee and Achilles tendon.  If healthy, he will add some depth to the Raiders linebacker core of Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard.  Getting the Raiders defense has been a priority this offseason, as last year they allowed a league-worst 4.8 yards per carry.

Solid Draft Weekend for the Raiders Says Yahoo Sports

The Raiders deserve high marks for the weekend draft, as writer Jason Cole has handed them an “A-”.  Here is his breakdown:

Picks: RB Darren McFadden, CB Tyvon Branch, WR Arman Shields, DE Trevor Scott and WR Chaz Schilens
Positives: McFadden, McFadden and McFadden
Negatives: Branch and Shields
Bottom line: A-. The McFadden pick is a great gamble, although there’s a legit concern about whether the Raiders will give him the personal help he needs to succeed. Like the Jets (Gholston) and Atlanta (Matt Ryan), the Raiders took a player with huge boom and bust potential. However, McFadden has the biggest upside of all three. In fact, he has the biggest upside of any player in the draft and he could be a huge help to second-year QB JaMarcus Russell. Branch and Shields are desperate attempts to fill needs, but should make the team.

Rhodes Gone Two Days After Drafting of McFadden

Two years ago Dominic Rhodes rushed for over 100 yards vs the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl for the eventual champion Colts. Now, he’s out of a job.  After just one lackluster season in Oakland, the Raiders dumped Rhodes just two days after drafting Arkansas stud back Darren McFadden.

The Raiders are more than stacked at the RB spot, as they have McFadden, re-signed Justin Fargas, and often unhappy but still on the roster anyway LaMont Jordan.  Rhodes ran into trouble right away in Oakland after signing his free agent deal, as he was suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

He then didn’t do much once he was able to make it on the field, as he ran for just 302 yards in 10 games.  He did show a spark the last two games of the year though as he ran for 237 yards, but it was not enough to keep a roster spot with Oakland.  In 2001 with the Colts he had his best season, which was also his rookie year, rushing for 1,104 yards.

There are a couple of teams that are likely to take a look at Rhodes, such as the Bengals, Eagles, Lions, Jets and Cardinals.

Raiders Select RB Darren McFadden With The Fourth Pick

It’s McFadden - Raiders Take Arkansas RB with 4th Pick

Things just got a lot more interesting in Oakland.  The Raiders have spent a lot of money on defesne this offseason, and now will spend a lot on offense as they have gotten the back they wanted, running back Darren McFadden with the number 4 pick in the NFL Draft.  The pick was likley between McFadden and DT Glenn Dorsey, who was passed up at the number three pick by Atlanta for QB Matt Ryan.  Can McFadden turn the Raiders running game around with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush?  Great question, and one that we will find out about in the 2008 season.

Here is a scouting report on McFadden from NFLdraftcountdown.com

Strengths:
An outstanding natural athlete…Has very good size…Excellent timed speed with a burst…Has great vision and instincts…Big play threat who can take it the distance at any time..Elusive with nice feet..Quick and agile…Real strong…Tough and loves contact…Runs hard and does not go down easy…Has decent hands and can be a weapon in the passing game..Plays with a nasty demeanor..Extremely productive.

Weaknesses:
Has some off-the-field and character questions…Legs and lower body are a little thin….Might run too high and open himself up to big hits…Could still improve as a blocker…Does not have a ton of experience as a receiver…Did not really play in a conventional offense in college and shared the workload…Ball security is an issue.

Notes:
Burst onto the scene as a true freshman…The Heisman Trophy runner-up as both a sophomore and a junior…In the summer of ‘06 he dislocated his toe (which later required surgery) while trying to kick someone during a fight outside a night club at 4am…In January of 2008 was handcuffed during a disturbance outside of a bar shortly after midnight because according to the police report he was agitated and provoking aggressive behavior inciting the incident….Often worked as a shotgun quarterback in the Razorbacks “Wildcat” package and showed the ability to throw the ball…Pure football player with all the physical tools who is as good or perhaps an even better prospect than Adrian Peterson was coming out…A rare talent who should rank amongst the top running backs in the NFL very early in his pro career.

McFadden the #4 Pick Says a Report from ESPN

With the NFL Draft just over an hour away, the Raiders appear to have their heart set on the player they want with the #4 pick - RB Darren McFadden.  Michael Smith of ESPN reports that the Raiders will select the Arkansas running back with the fourth overall pick in the draft.  Reports say that Oakland was able to make their decision because the Fins have signed Jake Long, and it’s being widely reported that the Rams will take Chris Long and the Falcons will select Matt Ryan at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

Scouts Inc. Breaks Down Recent Raiders #1 Picks

CB Nnamdi Asomugha is the only first-round pick to really get excited about on the Raiders’ list. While the jury is obviously still out on QB JaMarcus Russell, the future of Oakland’s franchise is lying squarely on his shoulders. These selections explain why the Raiders have fallen on tough times of late.

Oakland Raiders
Year	Player	Pick	Verdict	Bottom Line
2007	JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU	1		Russell failed to live up to the expectations of a No. 1 pick thanks, in part, to his reporting to preseason camp late and not getting up to speed until the season had already started.
2006	Michael Huff, S, Texas	7		It is too early to write off Huff, but so far he has not been the difference-maker Oakland envisioned.
2005	Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska	23		Washington is a good young player who is better versus the pass than the run. He is still a talented player with good cover skills, but might be best suited as a No. 3 or No. 4 corner.
2004	Robert Gallery, OT, Iowa	2		Gallery could have easily been considered a monumental flop until the new staff came in and moved him to guard, where he seems more at home. But, he still hasn’t lived up to expectations.
2004	Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, California	31		Asomugha is one of the brightest spots on a team in disarray. He is one of the biggest corners in the league and if he can continue to develop his skills should be a force for years to come.
2003	Tyler Brayton, DE, Colorado	32		Brayton plays with a high motor and great durability, but isn’t flashy — just consistent. He was a solid defender in the Raiders’ defense but was recently signed by the Panthers.
2002	Phillip Buchanon, CB, Miami (Fla.)	32		Buchanon never developed into the shutdown corner the Raiders envisioned when they selected him in the first round.
2002	Napoleon Harris, LB, Northwestern	23		Harris is a big, physical inside linebacker who can take on blocks in the running game, while possessing the play speed to be on the field during third down.
2001	Derrick Gibson, S, Florida State	28		There isn’t much good to say about Gibson’s short stay in the NFL. He was viewed by many as a do-it-all prospect, but fizzled out abruptly.
2000	Sebastian Janikowski, K, Florida State	17		He has been a solid NFL kicker over his career. He has a big-time leg and if he didn’t attempt so many 50-plus-yard field goals his percentage would be better.