Oakland Raiders' offseason roster

Oakland Raiders After a few fits and starts to begin free agency, Oakland Raiders the Raiders rebuilt their offensive and defensive lines and addressed the secondary and offensive backfield while adding veterans with championship pedigrees. Oakland Raiders  In the draft, Oakland scooped up the best player available in linebacker Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders who has been nothing short of impressive in the offseason workouts, Oakland Raiders while picking up the franchise's quarterback of the future in Derek Carr (who has been elevated to second string) and a potential starter at left guard in Gabe Jackson. Oakland Raiders  But if you think the Raiders are done tinkering with the 90-man roster, think again. General manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen have said all along they expect to make moves that, in their estimation, make the Raiders a better football team.   Plus, they have money to play with when entertaining such ideas. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Raiders still have more than $10.7 million in salary-cap space. But again, to paraphrase McKenzie's refrain, just because he has money in his pocket does not mean he's going to spend it on junk.   Sure, $10 million may sound like a lot, and the Raiders are far from a perfect unit Allen himself equated his roster situation to a kid sitting on Santa's lap and not getting everything he asked for but Oakland's cap surplus pales in comparison to the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have more than $27 million in cap space. Yet it's enough to make the New Orleans Saints and their relatively meager $1.9 million in cap space squint with jealousy.   Still, are there any free agents still out there who would put the Raiders coming off consecutive 4-12 seasons and with the NFL's toughest strength of schedule in 2014 over the top?  Yes, the Raiders could still use a true No. 1 receiver. They could also use some veteran help at tight end. And sure, Oakland Raiders with D.J. Hayden's injury, another tried and tested cornerback would seemingly fit the bill, Oakland Raiders which is why the Raiders non-pursuit of Brandon Flowers was a head-scratcher of sorts. Instead, Oakland Raiders Flowers went from one division rival (the Kansas City Chiefs) to another (the San Diego Chargers).  Oakland Raiders McKenzie has already made an assortment of minor roster moves this offseason, Oakland Raiders and with more than $10 million still at his disposal, Oakland Raiders what he decides to do with it will tell you all you need to know about how he feels about the current roster.  Oakland Raiders Should McKenzie stand pat, or are there players out there he should target? Oakland Raiders Would it be more prudent to possibly use that salary-cap space on camp cut, Oakland Raiders.

Doug Williams in Raider

Oakland Raiders I caught part of a replay of Super Bowl XXII the other day on NFL Network, Oakland Raiders and it was the start of the third quarter between the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos when announcer Al Michaels said something that caught my attention. Oakland Raiders It actually made me pause the DVR, hit rewind and play again so I could hear Michaels one more time. And then another. Oakland Raiders Sure, there had been rumors that Al Davis had been enamored with quarterback Doug Williams. Oakland Raiders But in the third quarter of that Super Bowl, Oakland Raiders after Williams had essentially won the game for Washington with an epic second quarter that featured five touchdowns, Michaels told the tale. He reported that Williams had been ticketed to the then-Los Angeles Raiders the Monday before the NFL’s 1987 regular season was to begin. Then-Washington coach Joe Gibbs had even told Williams he was on his way to the Raiders. But then, according to Michaels, the Raiders balked at Washington’s price   a first-round draft pick, or a very good player. Now, we’ve already heard the tales of John Elway coming so close to being a Raider, and how the Raiders should have drafted Dan Marino in that same 1983 draft after the purported draft-day trade to land Elway fell through. And while the Williams-to-the-Raiders story might not have that same intrigue as either Elway or Marino wearing Silver and Black, it is interesting nonetheless. Especially when you consider what Williams accomplished later that strike-torn season, and when you realize who the Raiders instead used that first-round pick on in the 1983 draft. Williams, who had been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting quarterback from 1978 through 1982 and had helped author three playoff appearances for them, was also a pioneer as an African American quarterback, following in the footsteps of James Harris and Joe Gilliam. And we know that Davis looked beyond skin tone when it came to players he believed could play  Davis selected QB Eldridge Dickey in the first round of the 1968 draft   and Williams had the big arm Davis was always in search of. But after a contract dispute ended his time in Tampa Bay, Williams played two seasons in the USFL before resurfacing in Washington in 1986 as Jay Schroeder's backup. Williams had not started an NFL game since Jan. 9, 1983, a playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys, so yeah, you could imagine the Raiders not wanting to give up a first-rounder for him less than a week before the 1987 season. Still, the Raiders were relatively unsettled under center entering that season as Jim Plunkett had retired and Marc Wilson and Rusty Hilger were the returners. But even as the Raiders got off to a 3-0 start, the wheels quickly fell off, thanks in part to the strike, which cancelled one week of games and led to three weeks of replacement player games. The Raiders finished 5-10, their worst record since going 1-13 in 1962, the year before Davis arrived in Oakland. And two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Flores resigned following the season. Would Williams have saved the season and steadied the Raiders' ship? Meanwhile, in Washington, Williams still had to bide his time. Sure, he relieved Schroeder a few times in 1987 and even started two regular-season games, but he did not become Washington’s starter for good until there was 6:51 remaining in the third quarter of its regular-season finale against Minnesota. Williams, a huge team favorite, led Washington on its playoff run, upsetting the Chicago Bears in the divisional round and then upending the Vikings in the NFC title game. Then came Super Sunday, in which he threw all four of his touchdown passes in the historic second quarter and passed for a then-Super Bowl record 340 yards in Washington’s 42-10 victory over Elway’s Broncos as Williams became the first African-American starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, a feat not matched until Russell Wilson did it with theSeattle Seahawks this past February. The trade that never happened between Oakland and Washington seemed to work out best for Washington, at least on the surface. But if the Raiders had given up their first-rounder in 1988, they probably would have missed out on Tim Brown, Oakland Raiders though the Raiders did do some wheeling and dealing later to acquire three first-rounders, which they used on Brown, Terry McDaniel and Scott Davis. So, with hindsight always being 20/20, Oakland Raiders do you essentially trade Doug Williams for Tim Brown if you’re the Raiders? Oakland Raiders Whatever your answer, remember this, Oakland Raiders the Raiders and Washington would get together for a trade in 1988, a deal that would haunt the Raiders as they sent offensive tackle Jim Lachey to Washington for… wait for it . Schroeder. Oakland Raiders Williams would only play 15 more games over the next two seasons before retiring, while Schroeder could not fully win over the hearts and minds of the Raiders' locker room in five seasons, Oakland Raiders.

A poker game and good food in the Raiders

Oakland Raiders When the Raiders are playing, this is a good excuse to make a night of it and invite your friends around for the whole evening. Oakland Raiders Make sure that you know what time the game will start and that you are able to watch it on your television. If you live outside of the United States, Oakland Raiders perhaps somewhere like France, Oakland Raiders then make sure that you will be able to watch the game, by subscribing to the right passes online or finding the right channels on your television. Also, take into account the time difference between where the Raiders are playing and where you are in France. Oakland Raiders Have everyone arrive a little earlier than the game begins, so that you can all catch up on each other’s lives before the action kicks off. Then get comfortable, make sure that everyone else has somewhere to sit, and enjoy supporting your team. Prepare some food that you can all eat either before or during the game and then have a plan for what to do once the game has finished. One thing that you could do to keep the evening going, is to start up a game of poker. This is always an entertaining game and you can vary it depending on the skill-level of the players. For example, if you are all used to playing the game on the here, then you will all know the rules and can play for higher stakes. However, if you or others in your group are new to the game of poker, then you can play for low stakes and take the game slowly. Whichever way you are playing, you will need some good quality, poker-sized playing cards and poker chips, as well as a good, comfortable table that everyone can sit around during play. With regards to the food that you will be serving on the night, there are many different things that you could choose from. If you are indeed in France, then why not take advantage of being there and delve into some great French food. French cheeses are great served with crackers and chutney and are easily eaten as finger food. Something that is both easy to prepare and easy to eat is ideal, Oakland Raiders as your guests will most likely want to focus on the other entertainment that is going on. You could also serve a variety of other nibbles, like chips and dip, Oakland Raiders cocktail sausages or chips. Finger food is the best choice, as you won’t want to be bothering with a sit-down meal. Oakland Raiders However, as long as you are eating before the game of poker, Oakland Raiders you could always order food like pizza or noodles, Oakland Raiders so that everyone can have what they want and you don’t have to prepare anything, Oakland Raiders.  

Oakland Raiders’s offseason

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders' offseason workouts began on April 22. Oakland Raiders They concluded Thursday with the end of a mandatory three-day minicamp. Oakland Raiders So what did Dennis Allen, entering his third season as the Raiders' head coach, glean from nearly two months of being around his team as it begins its reconstruction in earnest, especially with training camp about five weeks away? Oakland Raiders Consider Every Raiders draft pick is signed and every Raiders player under contract was in attendance for the minicamp. No contract haggling, squabbling or unnecessary drama. "I like the direction we're headed as a football team," Allen said. Oakland Raiders "I think we've got a group of guys that are committed to winning. I think they're committed to this organization, and I think we have a lot of guys who have a lot to prove. That's an exciting thing for a football coach. That's an exciting thing for these football players. "So I like our direction, I like our commitment and we've just got to keep working. Oakland Raiders " An infusion of veteran talent with past success, especially on the defensive side of the ball, such as Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Antonio Smith as well as Oakland taking linebacker Khalil Mack with the No. 5 overall draft pick  has given the team a new identity. And on offense, the Raiders have a seasoned, new quarterback in Matt Schaub and a hot prospect in second-round draft pick Derek Carr, who has overtaken Matt McGloin as Oakland's second-string signal-caller. Injury-wise, guard Lucas Nix (knee) is the only player Allen sees as potentially missing the start of training camp, even though cornerback D.J. Hayden (foot) participated in just one organized team activities (OTAs) session and linebacker Kevin Burnett (ankle) and Smith (undisclosed) missed them all while recovering from injuries. Allen was asked if there was a palpable feel on the practice field that this was, indeed, a better team than he had the previous two years. "I don't think there's any question you can feel that," Allen said. "You guys have been around here too, Oakland Raiders so I think you've seen these practices around here for a while. " Oakland Raiders I think we've had an outstanding offseason and I think our team from the day that we started the offseason program to where we're at now, we've improved tremendously. But we've still got to go out there and do it when we get to training camp and do it when we get to the regular season," Oakland Raiders the end.

JaMarcus Russe Top 1

A large number of people like the Auburn staff did with Jason Campbell, LSU coaches patiently waited for Russell to develop. Their patience paid off in 2005, as Russell wrested the starting job away from Matt Flynn. Most experts now regard Russell as the most physically gifted quarterback to wear the LSU uniform. The talented junior has what many believe is the strongest arm in college football. He can throw the ball the length of the field and put on an impressive performance prior to the 2006 Sugar Bowl. while seated on the turf, he threw the ball 40 yards. Under the guidance of offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, Russell developed a keen understanding of the game and clock management. He went on to compile a 25-4 record as a starter, the third-best record by a starting quarterback in school history. Russell and his favorite target, receiver Dwayne Bowe, combined to become the most prolific pass-catch scoring tandem in school history. The duo connected on 23 touchdowns. Russell leaves LSU as the school's second-ranked passer with a 61.86 completion percentage and 52 touchdown passes. He is just the third player in school history to throw for more than 6,000 yards in his career and the first to lead the team to at least 10 victories in consecutive seasons. Russell also proved to be a heroic passer; he rallied the team to eight victories after trailing in the fourth quarter or overtime. Russell was regarded as one of the nation's top-rated quarterbacks while playing at Williamson High School. He was a consensus top-five ranked, pro-style quarterback by every major recruiting publication and was named to the prestigious Parade All-American team. In 2002, he was rated the fourth-best quarterback prospect in the country by College Football News, named Alabama's Mr. Football and Super Prep Dixie Offensive Player of the Year. Russell was a member of SuperPrep's All-American team, FSN South's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" first-team, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Super Southern 100 and the Orlando Sentinel's All-Southern teams. The all-time leading passer in Alabama prep history, Russell threw for 10,744 yards during his career, eclipsing the record set by former Alabama and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle. The two-time Class 5A All-State selection also rewrote the state record books with 84 touchdown passes. He connected on 219 of 372 passes for 3,332 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, adding 400 yards and five rushing TDs in 2002. Russell passed for 1,850 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior. Russell also excelled on the school's basketball team as a small forward, averaging around 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game as a junior. Russell enrolled at Louisiana State in 2003, spending the season on the scout team. He played in 11 games and shared quarterback duties with Marcus Randall in 2004, earning five starts. He completed 73 of 144 passes for 1,053 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. But, despite his 4.7 speed, he was sacked 13 times and lost 41 yards on 26 carries, finishing with 1,012 yards in total offense. Russell became the full-time starter for the Tigers in 2005 and led the team to a 10-2 record in the Tigers' first 12 games. He suffered a left shoulder separation and ligament damage in his right wrist vs. Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, forcing him to miss the Peach Bowl and 2005 spring practice after undergoing wrist surgery. His '05 season totals -- 188-of-311 attempts for 2,443 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He scored twice on 61 carries, but lost 22 yards, as he was sacked 21 times and lost four fumbles. Russell changed his jersey number in 2006 -- he wore No. 4 during his first two seasons, but went to No. 2 as a junior. The first-team All-Southeastern Conference choice led the Tigers to an 11-3 record in his final campaign. He amassed 3,271 yards in total offense, gaining 3,129 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He completed 232-of-342 passes and rushed for 142 yards and a score on 52 carries. In 36 games at Louisiana State, Russell started 30 games and threw for 6,625 yards, 52 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He completed 493-of-797 passes and rushed 139 times for 79 yards with four scores. On 936 total plays, Russell piled up 6,704 yards in total offense, an average of 186.22 yards per game. This is a very good results.

The Raiders Beat Philadelphia Eagles 13-9

the Raiders Stun Football Nation; Beat Philadelphia Eagles 13-9 After an extremely disappointing 3-game stretch where the Raiders were outscored 96 to 16, where Jamarcus Russell had failed to show any inkling of being an NFL quarterback, the Raiders were the easy target and prey of sports writers and broadcasters everywhere. Coming into Week 6, Mike Ditka threw Jamarcus Russell in his dog house on ESPN’s NFL preview show. 

Fantasy sports writers ranked Jamarcus Russell as 129th when rating the top 32 fantasy starters. Hell, Raider Nation even booed Russell as he trotted on the field to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. And despite everything, what happened? Jamarcus Russell came out and showed a glimpse of what much of the Raider faithful had hoped the former #1 pick would be. Russell found an open Zach Miller down the middle for an 86-yard touchdown (thanks to key blocks from rookie receiver Louis Murphy). And in the final minutes of the game, converted a big 3rd and long play to FB Gary Russell. Numbers wise, Russell finished the game with his 6th sub-100 QB-rating. But in terms of showing a few flashes of some caliber plays? This was the biggest game of the season for Russell. Although much due respect goes to the defense, after losing Asomugha early in the game, the Raiders held the then 3rd highest scoring offense in the NFL to three field goals while sacking McNabb six times. For once, after all that seemed to be lost for the 2009 Raiders’ Season, the Raiders came out and surprised football nation. …I’m sorry for ever doubting you. Silver and Black for life! thanks Raiders.

Oakland Raiders sign Jones to extension

    

Oakland Raiders special teams ace Taiwan Jones, who has made the transition from running back to cornerback and back again, signed a three-year contract extension to keep him with the Raiders through 2017, the team announced Monday.

Jones

Jones, a Raiders fourth-round pick (No. 125 overall) in 2011 out of Eastern Washington, went to Deer Valley High in nearby Antioch.

“I was excited when they came to me about the extension,” Jones said in the release. “It is definitely a blessing for a local kid to be part of the Raiders’ turnaround. I’ve been an underdog all my life, so I think it’s very fitting for me to remain here. I’m definitely excited about it.”

Jones was being promoted for the Pro Bowl by the Raiders last year as a “gunner” and, after making the switch to cornerback last year, went back to running back when Darren McFadden, Rashad Jennings and Jeremy Stewart were all injured.

In his career, Jones has 117 yards rushing on 27 carries with six catches for 91 yards and 810 yards on 36 kickoff returns. He also has 32 special teams tackles and has recovered two fumbles.

“It’s rare to see and to know that my local team wants me to stay home, and it’s just a blessing,” Jones added. “I’m glad to be a part of it, happy to remain here and there are big things coming that I am happy to be part of it. I feel good about next year. Obviously, I was able to do a lot of good things on special teams last year. Unfortunately, I didn't make the Pro Bowl last year, but that is something I’m shooting for this year.”