MODS PLEASE LOCK

[kayzeezay]

Crab

 

[raider5]

 

[raider5]

 

[njavier03]

I like it I like it

 

[raider5]

 

[HNL HI]

Derek needed Crab back

 

[raider5]

 

[kayzeezay]

Gruden saying all the right things so far

 

[ThePeoplesChamp_]

I bet we get a few MNF based off Gruden bench HC

 

[albooboo]

Here is a list of players the team has met with at the combine.

HB-K.Johnson-Auburn
HB-J.Kelly-Tennessee(RM & staff really like)
HB-R.Penny-SDST(another staffer liking)
OL-B.O'Neil-Pitt
OL-M.Rankins-Miss St
OL-C.Williams-Texas
OL-O.Brown-Oklahoma
OL-A.Cappa-Humboldt St
OL-I.Wynn
HB-S.Michel-UGA
LB-L.Vander Esch-BSU
DL-V.Vea-Washington(staff really starting to like him & as bumped)
DL-M.Davenport (down some)
LB-R.Smith-UGA
S-D.Elliott-Texas
S-A.Watts-Texas A&M
WR-R.Gaulden-UT
WR-DJ Chark-LSU
WR-D.Dawson-Florida
DL-D.Nnadi-FSU

 

[HNL HI]

I'm copping the Sony jersey if we get him

 

[village1600]

I'm loving all the RBs the team has met with so far. I have a feeling this might be one of our best drafts since the 2014 Draft.

 

[njavier03]

i just wanna know if Marshawn is coming back

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Is Jon Gruden anti-analytics? You can calm down, he was (mostly) just kidding around

By Vic Tafur 9 hours ago

12

INDIANAPOLIS — That sound you heard Wednesday was that of keyboards being slammed against desks around the country. Raiders coach Jon Gruden took a shot at analytics when he spoke with reporters at the podium at the NFL scouting combine, and the stat people weren’t laughing along.

Clearly, when they were taking their vitriol viral Wednesday afternoon, the analytics people forgot that Gruden was once a pioneer in the field 28 years ago. But we're getting ahead of ourselves …

Gruden was lobbed up a softball by a reporter who clearly knew what he was doing: What did Gruden think about analytical data and player tracking systems that are used by many teams.

His grin beat his answer to the punch.

“Are you talking about the analytics, the GPS, all the modern technology?” Gruden said to laughter. “Man, I’m trying to throw the game back to 1998.”

More laughs.

“You know, really, as a broadcaster I went around and observed every team,” Gruden said, “asked a lot of questions, took a look at the facilities, how they’re doing business. There’s a stack of analytical data, or ‘day-ta’, however you want to say that word, that people don’t even know how to read it.

“It’s one thing to have the data, or ‘day-ta’, it’s another thing to know how to read the damn thing. (More laughs) So, I’m not going to rely on GPSs and all the modern technology. I will certainly have some people that are professional that can help me from that regard, but I still think doing things the old-fashioned way is a good way. We’re going to try to lean … that way a little bit.”

Gruden was clearly having some fun at the expense of people who take themselves very seriously. Yes, he is a throwback, but he is not against finding an edge through the study of numbers of scientific data.

Later Wednesday, Gruden took another shot at the topic. Without the rim shots in the background.

“I like analytics,” Gruden said. “I just know a lot of guys, veteran coaches who have hired analytical staffs. And bought a lot of really cool equipment. I also know a lot of coaches who have this information and don’t know what to do with the data.

“Look, I like it. I was always looking for new technology. But then I realized I don’t want new technology, I want better technology.”

Gruden was actually on the cutting edge of technology 28 years ago when he was drawing up plays on the computer for the 49ers.

“I was the first quality control guy in the history of the world,” Gruden said. “I didn’t even know what I was. The 49ers said, ‘You’re a quality control guy.’ I go, ‘Hey Mom, I’m a quality control guy.’ What is that?

“My job was to help reveal the tendencies that we had. We had computer printouts back then. We would say, ‘It’s a 46 percent blitz down. There is a 27 percent chance they’re bringing all-out heat in the red zone.’ Big deal. You still gotta use your human gut. You still have to look at the other sideline and you gotta say, ‘You know what, he’s blitzing right here.' You gotta make some gut reactions.”

Gruden’s neighbor in Tampa is former baseball manager Lou Piniella, and Gruden is friends with former A’s manager Tony La Russa. He appreciates the use of analytics.

“There’s guys that are getting computer printouts and moving their left fielder over eight feet,” Gruden said. “There’s guys that are putting their lineups together because they hit right-handed pitching better than left-handed pitching. And I believe there is some useful value.

“Like I said, we’ll get the data and I got a couple of guys that are going to help me trim the stack. And if there is something that can really help us, we’ll use it.”

General manager Reggie McKenzie won’t be in that meeting. He joked later Wednesday that he only likes analytical data that backs up his opinions.

I relayed to him how Gruden said he wants to take football back 20 years.

“I’m already back 20 years,” McKenzie said. “I’m a tape guy. I watch film. I do understand what analytics is all about, but there is a time and place when you can factor that in. Anything that we can do to upgrade our team I am all for, but I am not going to go away from my traditional values.”

That being, what he sees and what he feels.

“I’m old school,” McKenzie said.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Sources: Raiders make a long-term offer to Mack; McKenzie confirms Crabtree is in the team's plans

By Vic Tafur Feb 28, 2018

1

INDIANAPOLIS — The Raiders are wasting no time trying to get Khalil Mack locked up to a contract extension. The team has made an initial long-term proposal to the star pass rusher and his side is looking it over, league sources told The Athletic.

Mack, the fifth overall pick in 2014, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is due to make $13.85 million next season. He had 10.5 sacks last season, a year after he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award with 11 sacks, five forced fumbles and interception return for a touchdown.

Mack’s extension could potentially top the six-year, $114.5 million contract that Broncos linebacker Von Miller signed in 2016, currently the richest deal for a defensive player in league history.

The process to get Mack signed long-term could take a little while, and there is no huge rush. After all, quarterback Derek Carr didn’t sign his five-year, $125 million deal until last June.

Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie met with reporters on Wednesday and was asked about The Athletic's report that the team had made an offer to Mack.

“I’m not going to get into contracts, I never do,” McKenzie said. “But make no bones about it: We want Khalil to be a Raider. We’ll leave it at that. …

“I’m not going to confirm any report.”

McKenzie acknowledged that getting Mack’s deal done affects other moves the team can make this offseason.

“It’s not a minimum contract, so we’re going to have to figure out what we can do if we can’t get it worked out,” McKenzie said. “We have to spend the money elsewhere. …

“He wants to be here. If we can sign him or not, that’s another story. We’ll let it take its course.”

McKenzie did confirm Tuesday’s report in The Athletic that receiver Michael Crabtree is coming back for next season. Crabtree is due to make $7.5 million next season, but none of it is guaranteed.

“He is in our plans,” McKenzie said.

Crabtree, 30, had 58 catches for 618 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games last season. He only had two catches for 17 yards in the last two games and wasn’t on the field much.

“Mike didn’t finish well, but neither did we as a team,” McKenzie said. “Things did not go well. So we can point fingers at a lot of things, but we’re not going to dwell on what happened last year. We’re going to press forward.”

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Draft Film Room: Comparing the strengths and differences of DBs Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James

By Ted Nguyen Feb 27, 2018

16

The NFL has always been about finding and exposing matchups, but recently it seems that teams have put greater value on finding slot receivers, pass-catching tight ends and running backs who can cause headaches for defensive coordinators.

Defenses have responded by putting a premium on versatile safeties who can match up. In the Super Bowl last month, the Eagles used three safeties for most of the game to try to cover Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots' small army of matchup problems.

Last year, nine safeties were drafted in the first two days of the draft. This year, that trend should continue. Two of the draft's most coveted players are defensive backs: Minkah Fitzpatrick from Alabama and Derwin James from Florida State.

And in a very relevant part of this conversation, both the Raiders and 49ers have major needs in the secondary.

Fitzpatrick and James both have the ideal body type and athleticism to be stars in the NFL, but they played in different systems and have different skill sets. This article isn't meant to determine who will be better in NFL — that'd be pretty difficult to do with the two prospects as good as they are — but we'll distinguish how they are different and what defenses they would best fit.

Man-to-man skills
Because of the reasons listed above, the modern safety has to have the ability to play man-to-man coverage. How much man-to-man they need to play depends on the system, but if a safety struggles with this, offenses will find him. Both Fitzpatrick and James have the ability to play man coverage, but who's better?

Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick said he came to Alabama to play outside corner, but Alabama has been so loaded at that position that he had to move to the “star” position (the name for the nickel corner in Alabama's system). As the nickel, he played a mix of zone and man coverage. He was asked to cover the slot receiver or tight end man-to-man only if the receiver ran a vertical route; Fitzpatrick focused on staying on top of the receiver while pushing him closer to the free safety.


He wasn't asked to play true man-to-man coverage often. On the plays that he did play man coverage, he was fine if the route didn't involve hard cuts. He could easily run and glide with receivers on routes like fades or crossing routes.


However, Fitzpatrick struggled when he faced shifty receivers that could make hard cuts. He has a tendency to have too much weight on his heels and sometimes stumbled if he had to make sudden cuts forward or horizontally.

James: James excels at true man-to-man coverage. Florida State played a lot more Cover 1 and James matched up well on slot receivers or tight ends. He has excellent weight distribution, which allows to efficiently turn his hips and run deep or break on horizontal routes.


Here, James used “catch-man” technique. He got squared with the receiver and patiently waited for him. He has the physicality to bump him and the speed to run with him, so he didn't have to overreact to the receiver's stem. As the receiver made his in-cut, James was balanced and able to stay on his hip.


On this play, the Florida State defense was disguising its blitz. James started on the line of scrimmage, but as the ball was snapped, he had to get back and cover the No. 3 receiver.

He shuffled back and slowly closed the space between himself and the receiver. Because of this elite movement skill, James was able to get in good position without being out of control. James stayed stride for stride with the receiver as he made the outside cut, while playing a trail technique — keeping his eyes on the receiver the entire time. When the receiver got his hands up, James timed the break perfectly and was able to knock the ball away.

Summary: Fitzpatrick has the ability to improve on his man-to-man ability with more technical refinement. He played in a system that didn't ask him to play a lot of true man-to-man, but right now James is much more experienced, refined, and smoother in man coverage.

Zone instincts
Great zone instincts give you the ability to react to different route combinations properly by moving into the right position as they develop and knowing when to be aggressive and jump routes and when to sit back.

Fitzpatrick: As mentioned earlier, Fitzpatrick played a blend of man-to-man and zone coverage. He was asked to play everywhere in Alabama's defense and had an excellent understanding of the overall scheme, where his help was, and what offenses were trying to do.

Coach Nick Saban trusted him to play multiple positions and Fitzpatrick displayed an excellent understanding of zone coverages in each position.


On this play, Fitzpatrick was lined up as a deep safety in a Cover 2 zone. He was responsible for the entire deep half of the field. There were two receivers in his zone — a tight end running down the middle of the field and a receiver running a skinny post on the outside.

The tight end was the immediate threat, so Fitzpatrick moved inside and split the two receivers. He knew he had help from the backside safety, so he didn't jump the tight end too aggressively. Once the other safety got over to cover the tight end, he started moving outside to get in position to intersect the post.

This may seem like a simple task, but there are NFL safeties who don't have this grasp of zone leverage.

James: James wasn't asked to play as much zone as Fitzpatrick and when he did he played mostly in deep center field as a Cover 1 free safety. He relied on his speed and didn't show great instincts.


Here, the quarterback stared down the fade to the single-receiver side, but James continued to move towards the middle of the field. He can't jump the route too early, but with the quarterback telegraphing the play like this, he should position himself to make a break on the ball.

He didn't and took a questionable angle towards the ball. Luckily for James, the ball was overthrown and the receiver couldn't hang on to the pass.

Summary: The sample size for James playing zone defense is small, so it's unfair to make a conclusion. But Fitzpatrick is so exceptional in this part of his game that the advantage has to go to him.

Run defense
Fitzpatrick: One of Fitzpatrick's best attributes is his ability to diagnose plays based on film study. He's going to be one of those players that offenses hate because he'll be able to call out their plays based on tells that they show. Though he could do a better job of tackling by wrapping up more, he constantly disrupted run plays with his smarts and physicality.


In this play, Fitzpatrick had the tight end in man-to-man coverage, but likely recognized the formation and knew that the outside receiver (No. 83) was coming to “crack” the defensive end for a toss.

Fitzpatrick quickly “crack replaced” and flew into the backfield. Though he didn't make the tackle, he took two blocks and forced the running back to slow down, which gave his teammates an opportunity to stuff the run.

James: James did play close to the line of scrimmage at times and even lined up as a hybrid linebacker in some of Florida State's personnel packages.

But his run defense is most notable as the last line of defense. He is an excellent open-field tackler — when runs break into the second or third level, he used his remarkable athleticism to keep plays from turning explosive.


The North Carolina State offense had a perfect play call with a speed option to the weak side. The offense had both perimeter defenders well blocked by receivers and the running back looked to have more than enough room outside to get into the end zone. However, James was able to scrape over from center field and somehow make the violent tackle to limit the play.

Summary: James is a bigger hitter and better overall tackler than Fitzpatrick. The ways that they impact run defense are different. Fitzpatrick plays similarly to another linebacker and could make stops at the line of scrimmage or force a play back inside towards help, while James is an extremely reliable last line of defense.

Blitz
Both Fitzpatrick and James were asked to blitz from the perimeter a lot. Safety blitzing is about disguising and timing. Both players do it well, but who does it better?

Fitzpatrick: Fitzpatrick relies completely on disguising, timing, and speed to get a sack. If the offense properly identifies the blitz and gets a blocker on him, he'll usually be ineffective, which is fine. There aren't a lot of safeties who have real pass rush ability.


James: On the other hand, he has some nuance to his pass rush game. He beat blocks with hand-fighting techniques and can bend like a defensive end.




Ted Nguyen@FB_FilmAnalysis

James is a freaky athlete. Check out this bend and closing speed.

12:21 PM - Feb 25, 2018

• 
  91
• 
  33 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy




Though James wasn't blocked in this example, you can see his closing speed and his ability to turn the corner and bend so low that he was almost touching the ground. That sort of flexibility is reminiscent of a great pass rushing end and is very uncommon for a defensive back.

Conclusion
Both prospects are elite and deserve the top-10 talk they are getting. Though some people think that Fitzpatrick could make the move to outside corner like Jalen Ramsey, I don't think he is the freak athlete that Ramsey is.

Fitzpatrick would make the biggest impact as a versatile safety who can play in the box, cover tight ends, and play deep. He needs to improve his overall man-to-man skills but will be an instant playmaker in a zone-heavy scheme where he could use his smarts and instincts.

James might have the athletic ability to transition to corner if that's what his team wants him to do; but if he stays at safety, he should play in an aggressive man-heavy scheme or quarters scheme like the Vikings. How high each player is on teams' draft boards will depend on the teams' schemes.

The 49ers' Cover 3 scheme is similar to what Saban ran at Alabama —drafting Fitzpatrick would be ideal for general manager John Lynch and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and a transition to the 49ers defense should be easy for Fitzpatrick.

Though the Raiders have former first-round draft pick Karl Joseph and will have last year's second-round draft pick Obi Melifonwu returning from injury, the secondary needs an influx of talent and new coordinator Paul Guenther will ask his safeties to play a lot of man-to-man coverage. James could do that and maybe even provide cornerback depth.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Middlekauff: Who are the top-10 NFL Draft prospects and where do they fit for the 49ers or Raiders?

By John Middlekauff Feb 23, 2018

17

People have been asking if and when I will do a mock draft. If it happens, it won't be until a couple weeks before the draft, because anytime before that you are just guessing. This is especially true when we look at the eight picks before the 49ers and Raiders. We have some idea who will go in those eight picks, but by no means is it concrete. We will have a much better idea of the order after the NFL scouting combine next week in Indianapolis.

Last Friday, I touched what is currently happening in NFL front offices. One thing that is definitely taking place is the ranking of each front office's top prospects. For The Athletic, I am only going to do my top-10 prospects, but I'd imagine most teams are doing at least a top-50 player ranking heading into the combine. These rankings will change as they interview prospects, gather medical information, and record individual testing numbers.

For this list I am just factoring in playing ability and what I've seen on tape. I know some character information from my NFL sources, but that information will not be factored into this list. In creating the list, I'm acting like I'm in a courtroom when the judge tells the jury to disregard what was said. This is strictly based on talent, which is how most NFL draft boards begin. I will change this list, and factor in what I am hearing about character closer to the draft when we rehash how it may fall for the two Bay Area teams.

And now, my top-10 NFL Draft prospects:

1. Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: He is the most talented player at the most important position in the 2018 draft. He has everything you look for in a quarterback from the size to accuracy. Rosen has a quick release, and the high-end arm talent every evaluator dreams about. His supporting cast in college was terrible, and his defense was even worse, but he gave UCLA a chance to win each week. Rosen could go as high as one or as low as six, but he will not be on the board long once the draft starts. Just based on talent, he has the best chance of this quarterback class to become a star.

49ers/Raiders fit: Obviously neither team needs Rosen, though I was salivating over his fit with Kyle Shanahan pre-Jimmy Garoppolo, but both teams can count on him pushing down a player in the first round.

2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: Arguably the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson, the Penn State product is basically viewed around the league as a can't-miss. I think he is a plug and play, Pro Bowl-level player from Day 2. Similar to Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas, Barkley changes the dynamics of any offense immediately. He is the complete package, is excellent in the passing game, and is a dominant special teams player. Many view it as crazy to take a running back high, but as I wrote in October, I would take him with the first overall pick. He is that good.

49ers/Raiders fit: I'd be stunned if he fell to nine, but we have seen crazier things happen. If four quarterbacks go, it would make it a possibility. I think either team, especially the Raiders, could easily justify taking him. Can you imagine Barkley behind the Raiders offensive line and Jon Gruden calling plays? I can, and it's glorious.

3. Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame: People I have talked with around the NFL believe Nelson is the best prospect in the entire draft. The only problem is that he plays guard. If he was a tackle, Nelson would be a lock top-3 pick, but since he's inside he might not be in the top 10. Just the way the market works. That being said, Nelson is incredible. He dominates in the run game, and stone-walls defenders in pass protection. He is a plug and play starter, and could be a Pro Bowl-level player very early in his career.

49ers/Raiders fit: No team needs interior linemen more than the 49ers. But is Nelson a scheme fit? Notre Dame ran a power offense in which he excelled. Shanahan obviously runs a zone scheme that asks his offensive linemen to be more movement oriented than actual road graders. The combine will help determine if Nelson's movements in space and lateral agility are a fit with the 49ers. If he excels in the drills, I think he might be the 49ers pick.

4. Sam Darnold, QB, USC: I just don't see how Darnold fails. He doesn't have the upside of Rosen, but his floor is much higher. At worst, I see Alex Smith, but at 20 years old, Darnold's ceiling is clearly pretty high. He elevated a very average Trojan team to 21 wins over the last two years, and singlehandedly won multiple games, as any top quarterback prospect should do. He'll need to work on decision-making at the next level, but that should improve with age and experience. His arm is not viewed as great around league circles, but because he is so young, it would not shock me if it improves as he physically matures. Darnold might be my fourth-ranked prospect, but he is one of my favorite college players in years.

49ers/Raiders fit: Darnold is basically a lock for quarterback-needy team in the top eight, just like Rosen, which means the 49ers and Raiders can narrow down more easily the group of potential prospects that will be available for them to select.

5. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama: The most complete defensive player in the 2018 draft. He's been described to me as the modern-day defensive back for the ever-changing NFL. He can cover outside, play the slot, while also lining up at safety. The comparison I like is a bigger version of a pre-ACL tear Tyrann Mathieu, aka the Honey Badger. Fitzpatrick is a do-it-all player. He was a major high school recruit who started from the moment he arrived at Alabama. I don't see why anything would change at the next level.

49ers/Raiders fit: Both teams would love Fitzpatrick, but he'll be long gone by pick nine. Like Rosen and Darnold, you can chalk three players off the board if you are John Lynch or Reggie McKenzie. It makes the process easier knowing who won't be there as much as who will.

6. Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State: Chubb is the top defensive lineman in the draft. He absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage during his senior year. I think he's a better prospect than Solomon Thomas, who went third last season. Like Thomas, Chubb's motor never stops, and he plays with incredible effort. That typically translates across levels. Guys like this don't stay on the board long come April.

49ers/Raiders fit: I think Chubb would be an ideal fit for either team. The 49ers could put him at Leo, and the Raiders would be thrilled to insert him in Paul Guenther's aggressive scheme. Problem is he should be gone by pick nine, so neither team should get their hopes up.

7. Roquan Smith, MLB, Georgia: Smith is a tackling machine who led one of the best defenses in the country to the national championship game. His draft stock will be highly monitored at next week's combine as there are yet-to-be answered questions about his height and weight. The NFL scouts are not sure how big he is, but we'll have our answer very soon. I think he is the ideal inside linebacker for today's NFL. His range, athleticism and ability to check running backs in coverage make him a potential star for my money. I don't care what his measurables say, Smith will be a stud in the NFL.

49ers/Raiders fit: No team in the NFL needs a young linebacker worse than the Raiders. It's also why the coin toss at the combine is so important. The 49ers star rookie, Reuben Foster, is already in serious legal trouble. Lynch taking Smith can't be discounted. A quarter could determine what jersey Smith wears in 2018.

8. Denzel Ward, CB. Ohio State: Ward might be the best pound-for-pound athlete in this draft, and people in the league expect him to destroy the combine drills. He was only a one-year starter at Ohio State, but that was because he had two 2017 first-round corners ahead of him in Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore in 2016. Ward is a true outside corner, who has experience playing the slot, and he possesses the upside of a star.

49ers/Raiders fit: Ward is the most realistic 49ers target. He could be there when they draft, and his talent warrants the pick. They desperately need a No. 1 corner in 2018. With the Raiders drafting Conley last year, right or wrong, they don't have a pressing need for a corner in Round 1.

9. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma: No player helped his stock more during the 2017 season than Mayfield. He started the season as a mid-round prospect and is now in the mix to go in the top-10 picks. I once compared him to Russell Wilson, but even the most bullish fans would admit that is a tad bold. If he peaks, he'll probably be somewhere in between Wilson and the Case Keenum we saw this year in Minnesota. One thing is certain, some team will fall in love and make him their franchise signal caller.

49ers/Raiders fit: Mayfield's presence in the draft impacts both teams in potentially two different ways. Mayfield either goes in the top eight, pushing a player down to whoever wins the coin flip at nine. Or, he falls to the ninth slot, and makes the coin flip winner a major trade target for a quarterback-needy team. Either way the Mayfield hype should be a positive for the Bay Area despite neither team having interest.

10. Vita Vea, DL, Washington: Think Haloti Ngata but with a bigger motor. Vea is an absolute monster who can really fit any type of defense. He'll never be a great pass rusher, but he'll be good enough to justify taking him high. He excels in the run game and has physical traits that equal upside at the next level. Vea should be an immediate starter for any team that drafts him.

49ers/Raiders fit: The 49ers have an abundance of defensive tackles and their best defensive player is DeForest Buckner. The Raiders, however, are desperate for interior help, and need a powerful force to play next to Khalil Mack. Regardless of who wins the coin flip, I expect Vea to be in heavy consideration for the Raiders.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Jon Gruden says he's 'counting on' Marshawn Lynch, underlines the importance of Gareon Conley

By Vic Tafur Feb 28, 2018

3

INDIANAPOLIS — Jon Gruden has April 9 circled on his calendar. And highlighted. With a big star drawn over it. That’s when the new Raiders coach can start officially working with players, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

And Gruden can’t wait to start working with running back Marshawn Lynch. Though it’s still not a slam dunk that Lynch is back next season, Gruden made his strongest comments yet that he wants “Beast Mode” in his life.

“Looking at the film, and the game that I broadcast on Christmas night, there’s no question he’s still a beast that’s hard to bring down,” Gruden said Wednesday morning at the NFL scouting combine.

“And one of the reasons I'm excited to be with the Raiders is to join forces with Lynch.”

Lynch ran for 625 yards and five touchdowns in the Raiders’ last eight games in 2017. Depending on who you ask, the 31-year-old Lynch was not in great shape or had trouble fitting into the offense the first half of the season.

Lynch is due to make $6 million next season. It’s not guaranteed, and the team would love to see that number come down a little bit.

“We’ll see what happens,” Gruden said. “Obviously, we have to take a look at the entire roster. But I'm counting on him. I'm counting on him being a big part of our football team.”

Gruden would love to give the ball to Lynch with fullback Jamize Olawale blocking in front of him.

“I like Jamize,” Gruden said. “I mean, he didn't play much last year. He had some injuries. I think that hurt the offense as well. He gives the offense some deception because he can run. He's a fullback with speed.

“I would like to have a fullback. They're a dying breed in football, but I think it does give your running game a lot of deception. And if Marshawn Lynch is the feature back, I think it would be nice if we serviced him with a fullback.”

Not to mention a cherry on top.

“And you need a blocking tight end if you're going to slam the ball with a beast,” Gruden said. ”So those are two things that I'm looking for.”

(Later Wednesday, general manager Reggie McKenzie said he would would like to re-sign free-agent tight end Lee Smith, as well as defensive tackle Justin Ellis, defensive lineman Denico Autry and cornerback TJ Carrie.)

Meanwhile, Gruden said there are some obvious needs on the roster.

“Obviously, defensively, there are some glaring needs at this time,” Gruden said. “Free agency hasn’t started yet, but our linebacking corps, we have a lot of unknowns there. NaVorro Bowman is a free agent, looking for an inside pass rusher to step up. Our secondary, we have to clean that up.

“I think most importantly with the Raiders, just looking at our last three drafts, we need some young people to emerge and start playing – a lot – for this football team.”

The Raiders got nothing out of their two top draft picks last season, cornerback Gareon Conley and safety Obi Melifonwu. Gruden said Conley is doing well after shin surgery.

“He’s going to be ready to start the offseason program,” Gruden said. “I just talked to him briefly. We’re not allowed to have contact with players. I have bumped into a couple of the players that have been in and out of the facility for various reasons.

“But he’s our first-round draft choice. Everybody liked Conley at Ohio State. He had an excellent training camp. When I studied the training camp film he was inside playing the nickel position. When the season started he was out at right corner. …

“We’re counting on him and Obi Melifonwu to play — and we need them to — but we’re really excited to start with them.”

 

[Deleted member 185039]

Could this have to do with coaching and player development?
IMO Gruden was right in that Reggie McKenzie simply has been throwing new paint on the wall since he got here to right this ship without any sort of consistency in scheme.

 

[njavier03]

We can’t even win a coin toss smh

 

[mr jordan04]

i just wanna know if Marshawn is coming back

 

[kayzeezay]

I don't care if LeastMode is coming back or not, I'd still love of these RB's with the top pick

 

[laker4lifeman]

Won't know until April that's when Jon can talk to him.

 

[albooboo]

We will know ML fate by March 18th. He has a $1 million dollar roster bonus due.

 

[raider5]