***2009 Official OAKLAND RAIDERS Offseason Thread***

[justwinbaby]

Lorenzo Neal baby

 

[i3allistic]

i think raider might surprise alot of people this year ...is thomas howard and kirk morrison on there final year of there contract? i actually like those twoLinebackers ..those two play well together

..and good signing by theraider w/ lorenzo neal

 

[justwinbaby]

Originally Posted by i3allistic

i think raider might surprise alot of people this year ...is thomas howard and kirk morrison on there final year of there contract? i actually like those two Linebackers ..those two play well together

..and good signing by the raider w/ lorenzo neal

no doubt, dudes are monsters, and they're fast as hell too. u seen some of the int returns thees dudes have

 

[i3allistic]

Originally Posted by JustWinBaby

Originally Posted by i3allistic

i think raider might surprise alot of people this year ...is thomas howard and kirk morrison on there final year of there contract? i actually like those two Linebackers ..those two play well together

..and good signing by the raider w/ lorenzo neal

no doubt, dudes are monsters, and they're fast as hell too. u seen some of the int returns thees dudes have

yep ...that why i hope AL Davis resign both of them...but kirk and thomas seem loyal to the raider...and al davis respect players that are loyal

 

[mamaco]

Originally Posted by LA213ESPG

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4152424


[h2]Raiders to sign fullback Neal[/h2]

By Bill Williamson
ESPN.com



ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders have added some experience and toughness to their offense in the form of fullback Lorenzo Neal.

Neal

Neal had been discussing a contract with the Raiders and apparently a deal has been consummated. While the Raiders have yet to make an announcement, Neal was participating in the team's mandatory minicamp Friday morning wearing No. 41.

Oakland will be the 38-year-old Neal's eighth NFL team since he entered the league in 1993. Known as one of the best blocking fullbacks ever to play in the NFL, Neal spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens and the previous five with the San Diego Chargers.

Oakland did not have a settled fullback. Neal will now be the lead blocker for Oakland's talented threesome of running backs, Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush.

The Raiders also signed running back Gary Russell, who was most recently with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

One of my all time favorite players.

Originally Posted by JustWinBaby

Originally Posted by i3allistic

i think raider might surprise alot of people this year ...is thomas howard and kirk morrison on there final year of there contract? i actually like those two Linebackers ..those two play well together

..and good signing by the raider w/ lorenzo neal

no doubt, dudes are monsters, and they're fast as hell too. u seen some of the int returns thees dudes have

Kirk's actually a bit on the slow side. He makes up for it in other areas though he's a play maker no doubt. Thomas Howard on the other hands, goddamn son can move.

edit: and bruh edit that title, make that *#!@ actually look like an Official Thread.

 

[22stylez]

whos #99 that cable is holdin up? sapp?

 

[justwinbaby]

edit: and bruh edit that title, make that *#!@ actually look like an Official Thread.

I want my raiders back in LA

what can i say??

 

[la213espg]

Now it looks official

btw can anyone hook it up with a clean Raiders sig?

 

[smokey1212]

Javon Walker with the undercover surgury. %## is wrong with this dude?

 

[justwinbaby]

Originally Posted by LA213ESPG

Now it looks official

btw can anyone hook it up with a clean Raiders sig?

OAKLAND RAIDERS

OAKLAN RAIDERS

 

[la213espg]

^Good looking out

 

[swizzc]

Hey guys here is an interview about how DHB has been doing at minicamp. Looks like he's doing just fine. LETS GET THIS AFC WEST BABY!!! (someone embed thisif they can, i dont know how)

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-mini-camps/09000d5d81038203/Praise-for-Heyward-Bey

 

[justwinbaby]

FYI Raider fans, @ 3:00 PM pac time DHB interview/analysis on sportscenter today.

and check out some vids on raider mini camp
http://www.raiders.com/Mu...d=63232&categoryId=0

 

[tupac jordan]

3000 yards for McFadden this year!

 

[awon23]

Man I hope McFadden can pull off a 1500 season granted that he's healthy. As for DHB I actually think there's a good chance of him making an impact.He's got speed, work ethic, and they're saying he had good hands during mini camp. And with the help of Asomugha defending him I'm sure he'llhelp him out a lot.

DMAC JRUSS & DHB

Edit: Lorenzo Neal. Done Deal.

 

[mamaco]

Good lookks with the mini camp info

 

[i3allistic]

Originally Posted by awon23

Man I hope McFadden can pull off a 1500 season granted that he's healthy. As for DHB I actually think there's a good chance of him making an impact. He's got speed, work ethic, and they're saying he had good hands during mini camp. And with the help of Asomugha defending him I'm sure he'll help him out a lot.

DMAC JRUSS & DHB

Edit: Lorenzo Neal. Done Deal.

was reading about that this morning .. i really hope he does well so he can prove all doubter wrong especially ESPN ..same goes to Michael Mitchell

 

[justwinbaby]

mini camp photos

http://www.raiders.com/co...enter.aspx?albumId=63552

This thread seems to be struggling quite a bit

Btw what did yall think of jamarcus's lack of performance this weekend???? herd he wasn't as polished as cable would've lked

Im hoping he can perform, cuz when he's hot, he's hot
�

on a sidenote anyone see that laker game, just finished watching it & the TNT post game show

 

[awon23]

nice video. shows flashes of what could be. what will be. JRUSS

 

[justwinbaby]

wut up raider nation, been MIA for a while

.
But here's an article i found on NFL.com that looked interesting

[h1]Raiders' commitment to (running) excellence[/h1] [table][tr][td]

[/td] [td]�[/td] [td]By Bucky Brooks��|��NFL.com
Analyst
[/td] [/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Andy Lyons / Getty Images[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Second-year pro Darren McFadden is the home-run hitter in Oakland's three-headed ground attack.[/td] [/tr][/table]
Al Davis has long been noted for his preference for the long ball, but this year's version of the Raiders' offense might force the owner to appreciate the mantra "three yards and a cloud of dust."

Under the direction of new coach Tom Cable, the Raiders are relying on a talented stable of backs and a rebuilt offensive line to anchor a smash-mouth attack that will attempt to bludgeon opponents with the run.

Even though the Raiders have a 9-23 record over the past two years, the team has ranked in the top 10 in rushing both seasons and shown promise as one of the NFL's top rushing attacks. Led by a three-headed monster at running back, the Raiders are capable of attacking defenses with a diverse ground game that features a balanced mixture of inside and outside runs.

Darren McFadden, the team's top draft pick a year ago, serves as the home-run hitter in the lineup and excels at running on the perimeter. As an upright runner with a sprinter's speed, McFadden takes the majority of his carries on outside zone plays or delayed draws. His outstanding burst allows him to quickly reach the second level, and he flashes nifty cutback ability in space.

Justin Fargas, who led the Raiders with 853 rushing yards in 2008, is a gritty, between-the-tackles runner. Though he lacks exceptional size, he is a tough, hard-nosed runner with deceptive strength and power. Fargas rarely goes down on first contact and often surprises defenders with his pop.

The wild card of the bunch is Michael Bush. The third-year pro missed all of his rookie season while recovering from a broken leg suffered in college, but he burst onto the scene last season with an eye-popping performance to close the year. Bush rushed for 177 yards and two scores against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17, displaying the smooth, gliding running style that made him a highly regarded prospect heading into his senior season at Louisville.

With three running backs capable of 100-yard games, the Raiders are wise to build their offense around the running game. This offseason, the team has added pieces around the trio, which should allow the Raiders to punish defenses at will with the ground attack.

First, the Raiders started retooling an offensive line that struggled with its consistency in the zone-based scheme last season. The Raiders jettisoned Kwame Harris and Jake Grove during the offseason and added Khalif Barnes and Samson Satele in their place.

Barnes, who spent the past four seasons starting at left tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, gives the Raiders an athletic edge blocker. He excels in the running game and potentially could team up with Robert Gallery to give the Raiders a dominant side to direct their rushing attack.

Satele, acquired in a trade with the Miami�Dolphins, gives the Raiders a more physical presence at the pivot. Satele mauls defenders at the point and has the strength to create a consistent push up the middle. With the Raiders intent on running the ball between the tackles, Satele's ability to control the line of scrimmage becomes critical to their success.

Warren Sapp chat

In a live chat Thursday on NFL.com, former Raiders DT Warren Sapp touched on several topics about the team, including JaMarcus Russell, Al Davis and who would win a hot-dog eating contest between himself and coach Tom Cable. Sapp also had this to say about the Raiders' notorious Black Hole: "One of the legendary places in the NFL. I thought it was as crazy as it was insane and as insane as it was lovely." More ...

The Raiders also signed Erik Pears during free agency to compete with Cornell Green at right tackle. Pears, who started 26 games for the Denver Broncos over the past three seasons, understands the nuances of the zone-based scheme and should be a better fit athletically on the edge. If Pears eventually unseats Green for the position, the Raiders will sport a more physical and athletic unit in 2009.

However, the final piece to the puzzle comes in the form of hammerhead blocking fullback Lorenzo Neal. The 16-year pro has paved the way for numerous 1,000-yard backs throughout his career, and he is lauded for his ability to lead runners through small creases in the middle of the defense. With the Raiders intent on relentlessly running the ball between the tackles, the decision to add Neal to the lineup could wind up as the team's best offseason move.

Now that the Raiders sport a beefed-up running game with outstanding potential, the team might finally see the best of quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2009. The third-year pro has superior arm strength and is at his best when allowed to throw the ball down the field. With defenses forced to play eight-man fronts against the Raiders' formidable rushing attack, Russell will have plenty of opportunities to take deep shots against one-on-one coverage on the outside.

This is part of the reason why Oakland opted for Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick in the draft. Heyward-Bey gives the Raiders a legitimate deep threat on the outside.

In addition, the threat of the run brings linebackers and safeties closer to the line of scrimmage and creates bigger windows for Russell to hit tight ends and receivers over the middle. Zach Miller led the Raiders in receptions (56) last season, and he could be an even bigger factor in 2009 with the team incorporating more play-action passing.

The Raiders are by no means ready to compete with the ranks of the elite, but a renewed commitment to the run has them back on the road to respectability.

http://www.nfl.com/news/s...th-comments&confirm=true

 

[justwinbaby]

did anyone see this

Im kind of disappointed but i dnt know who to be disappointed at Al for being a !%%% or Tim for being a liar

Nonetheless Tim is the GOAT Receiver to ever play the game.
Yes i said it Brown > Rice because Tim never had montana or young to throw him the ball

http://sports.yahoo.com/n...s-from-No?urn=nfl,162888
[h4]http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...s-hates-black-athletes-from-No?urn=nfl,162888[/h4]

[h4]Tim Brown: Al Davis hates black athletes from Notre Dame[/h4]
By MJD

We'll go ahead and file that one under "headlines I didn't anticipate typing today."

It's a bizarre statement. It's a bizarre subset of people to hate, even if you insist on hating a group of people. And it's a bizarre thing to say to an African-American athlete from Notre Dame when meeting him for the first time.

But according to Tim Brown(notes), that's exactly what Al Davis did. Brown was interviewed on WCNN in Atlanta, and here's what he had to say about the first time he met Al. From SportsRadioInterviews.com (audio is available at the link):

"Meeting Al [Davis] was pretty unique. I found out five or ten minutes after my first practice there that he hated African-American athletes from Notre Dame. And they literally told me that. They literally told me that because we're known for using our education more than our athletic ability that he thought that I would be one of these guys that would basically take the money and run. I don't know if that was a ploy to get me amped up, but it certainly worked."


I have no idea how to respond to that.

First, I guess I should note Al Davis's history in racial hiring practices. He hired Tom Flores, the NFL's first Latino head coach. He hired Art Shell, the first African-American head coach in the NFL's modern era. He drafted Eldridge Dickey, the first African-American quarterback taken in the first round by any NFL or AFL team. Al Davis is pretty well-respected across the board when it comes to making racial progress in the NFL. So I am not saying that Al Davis is a racist. I am not saying that the only thing missing from the picture above is the white hood.

But hating black people from Notre Dame? What? Why? Who else does Al hate, left-handed cornerbacks from Wyoming? Green-eyed atheist centers from the MAC?

Notre Dame is known for having higher academic standards for their athletes than most other major football universities, and maybe Al thinks that it's the place of African-Americans to pursue athletic interests, as opposed to scholarly ones.

Or maybe Tim Brown's right, and Al just wanted to fire him up with some good old-fashioned race-baiting. I couldn't tell you. All I can tell you is that I don't think Al Davis is the kind of guy who has any tiny bit of racially-motivated malice in his heart, but that is a weird, weird quote.

 

[justwinbaby]

,

I'm sitting in my room watching this, and I just saw the� marcus allen run highlight, and I needed to post it

 

[beatjunkie5]

Originally Posted by JustWinBaby

mini camp photos

http//www.raiders.com/co...enter.aspx?albumId=63552

This thread seems to be struggling quite a bit

Btw what did yall think of jamarcus's lack of performance this weekend???? herd he wasn't as polished as cable would've lked

Im hoping he can perform, cuz when he's hot, he's hot
�

on a sidenote anyone see that laker game, just finished watching it & the TNT post game show

Video is nice, Chad Schillens actually made some pretty nice catches throughout the season

�

If Russell can be a little more consistent, if he can atleast throw for 150-200 yards a game we'll be so much better with our running game...

On another note, I hope the Raiders make a push at�Plaxico Burress..Imagine Plaxico as our 1, DHB as our 2 and Johnnie Lee in the slot

�Plus Zach Miller at TE and Lorenzo Neal at FB

��

 

[smokey1212]

[h1]Ten wide receivers poised to make a Breaston-like jump in '09[/h1] [table][tr][td]

[/td] [td]�[/td] [td]By Pat Kirwan��|��NFL.com
Senior Analyst
[/td] [/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Chris McGrath / Getty Images[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Wide receiver Steve Breaston emerged as a threat for the Cardinals in his second season, catching 77 passes.[/td] [/tr][/table]
I talked to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Steve Breaston this week and he spoke like a polished receiver coming off a sophomore season in which he increased his receptions total by 69 (8 in 2007; 77 in 200.

Granted, the injuries to Anquan Boldin provided some of the impetus for Breaston's meteoric rise, but talent and readiness were also part of his big improvement. Breaston credited his quantum leap to really learning the playbook last spring and, most importantly, taking advantage of the time to work on his routes and hands with Kurt Warner in the offseason.

Steve Breaston, WR
Arizona Cardinals

2008 Statistics
Catches: 77
Yards: 1,006
TDs: 3

»Video: Breaston highlights

Not many saw Breaston's 69-reception improvement coming. In fact, when NFL.com had its spring fantasy football draft for the magazine, no one picked him. Imagine if fantasy players saw his production on the horizon? What a steal in a fantasy draft -- or, more importantly, what a steal for the Arizona Cardinals, who were hoping he might come through if needed.

Let's look for the next receiver to make a jump in 2009, much like Breaston did during the '08 season. Here's my list of receivers who have a year or two of limited production but may be on the verge of something significant in 2009. First is a list of five wide receivers ready to make the jump from 20-32 catches to 60-80 receptions. The second group is a list of wide receivers ready to take the leap from 10-15 receptions to 50-60 receptions.

The circumstances have to be right, but these guys are poised for a big season. You might want to consider them somewhere in your fantasy draft while everyone else is thinking about the more obvious veterans or last spring's first-round picks.
[h3]Leaving sub-35 receptions for 60-80 catches[/h3]
1. Josh Morgan, San Francisco 49ers: Morgan was one of the most impressive rookies I saw last summer on my camp tour, but he struggled to stay healthy and missed four games during his rookie season. The arrival of Michael Crabtree may suggest a reduced role, but Morgan is capable of delivering a solid season and may get some good looks due to coverage focused on Crabtree.

2. Mark Bradley, Kansas City Chiefs: The arrival of Matt Cassel will expand the passing game and the departure of Tony Gonzalez will raise the opportunities for other Chiefs receivers. Teams will roll their coverage to Dwayne Bowe, and Bradley should see a spike in his production as a result.

3. Jason Avant, Philadelphia Eagles: Unless you talk with an Eagles coach or Donovan McNabb, you might not realize how much this franchise likes Avant. One Eagles executive called him the best slot receiver in the NFL. With all of the attention focused on DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin, Avant should have a very productive year. He has improved his receptions totals in each of his three NFL seasons, from 7 to 23 to 32 last year.

4. Chansi Stuckey, New York Jets: Laveranues Coles is gone and the Jets didn't trade for or draft a receiver in the offseason. Stuckey caught 32 balls for 359 yards and three touchdowns last year, and the path is clear for him to start. He has just two career starts, so this is his chance to shine.

5. Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons: Douglas is another slot receiver who could easily explode as fellow second-year teammate Matt Ryan develops. Douglas didn't start a game in 2007, but he did grab 23 passes for 320 yards and one touchdown. With so many teams working the three-wide receiver packages and developing their own versions of what New England does with slot receiver Wes Welker, the opportunities will grow for Douglas. Keep in mind, Breaston saw plenty of passes while on the field at the same time as Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
[h3]Leaving sub-15 receptions for 50-60 catches[/h3]
1. Limas Sweed, Pittsburgh Steelers: Sweed caught six balls for 64 yards and no touchdowns during the regular season in 2007, but the departure of Nate Washington and the Steelers' desire to grow the passing game open the door for Sweed to make a Breaston-like jump.

2. Jerome Simpson, Cincinnati Bengals: Simpson caught one pass in 2007, but the return of Palmer from injury and the fact that the pair has been working closely all spring while Chad Ochocinco sits on the wayside only fosters the positive relationship. Simpson seems poised for a Breaston-type season.

3. Dwayne Jarrett, Carolina Panthers: Jarrett will not be the starter in Carolina, but he should get the call when the team goes to three or four wideouts. He only caught 10 passes for 119 yards and no touchdowns last season, but I expect a very solid year from Jarrett and the Panthers' new-look offense.

4. Miles Austin, Dallas Cowboys: With Terrell Owens gone, the Cowboys had enough faith in their young receivers (Austin and Patrick Crayton) not to sign any big free agents or draft a receiver before the seventh round. Austin should benefit greatly from the decision and could be on the verge of a breakout season.

5. Chaz Schilens, Oakland Raiders: Schilens had 15 receptions for 226 yards and two touchdowns last season, and he is the best-looking receiver in Raiders camp right now. Schilens caught six of those balls in the last two games of the year (both Raiders wins), and it appears he is on the verge of being a favorite target of quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

When talent, preparation, confidence and opportunity come together, production is the end result. It would be a shame if you didn't see it coming. I ran this list of 10 receivers by a pro personnel director who I respect and he said all 10 had an arrow pointing up next to their names. As he said, "I'd like to have any one of them on my team."

Chaz will be sick

� Dudes got nice hands and speed.

 

[awon23]

nice to see chaz on that list. i'm hoping for at least 8 wins this season.. that way we can shut those haters up!