MODS PLEASE LOCK

[sohi 23]

Roquan
Edmunds
Vea

3 most likely?

I would say Minkah but I don't think he falls.

 

[raider5]

 

[willie mcfly22]

Welp, Aldon officially released. SMH...Hope he figures it out

 

[ThePeoplesChamp_]

He never will. He’s too stupid.

 

[njavier03]

He never will. He’s too stupid.

At this point, I agree. It’s sad to watch someone waste their talent, but they need to be accountable for themselves.

 

[ThePeoplesChamp_]

It’s not even about football, he needs to get his life together. He’s gonna end up dead going down this road.

 

[HNL HI]

Roquan
Edmunds
Vea

3 most likely?

I would say Minkah but I don't think he falls.

what about the Alabama linebacker

 

[Deleted member 185039]

I think we get another corner too. Do it Reggie.

 

[albooboo]

Roquan
Edmunds
Vea

3 most likely?

I would say Minkah but I don't think he falls.

If we stay at 10. I think Davenport, Edmunds and Smith are in play. I think 10 would be too high for Vea.

 

[albooboo]

I think we get another corner too. Do it Reggie.

I think we'll draft one in the 3rd or 4th round. I like JC Jackson from Maryland.

 

[Deleted member 185039]

Can we kill a bunch of birds with one stone in this draft and possibly have the best draft from this organization of the last decade?

 

[albooboo]

 

[sohi 23]

Eifert is nice but it feels like bruh is always injured

 

[raider5]

I feel like they always prioritize TE and wanting to get more athletic at that position.

I thought Cook was serviceable. Hell, might have been our best receiving option at certain points of the season.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Clive failed me. Smfh.

 

[sohi 23]

Clive failed me. Smfh.

I had high hopes but that ATV accident ****** it up.

That TE from Penn St. is stupid athletic.

 

[njavier03]

Cook was our best TE in a while. Isn’t he still under contract? Clive is a bust.

 

[Deleted member 185039]

Where do we go from here?

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

The Raiders' great spot at No. 10, Marshawn Lynch's situation and other combine thoughts, plus one on Aldon Smith

By Vic Tafur Mar 6, 2018

12

If the NFL ever moves the scouting combine from Indianapolis, they're crazy. Or greedy. (So, yeah, I expect it to move in 2-3 years.)

It's the perfect setting for team executives, coaches, agents, reporters and college players to gather. The players are stressed, obviously, but everyone else is relaxed thanks to a downtown area where everything is walkable and where residents are hospitable and low-key. There are two or three spots where all the heavy-hitters hang out, and I have never seen fans bug a coach or former player for an autograph or selfie yet.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden, in his words, “got a hall pass” to go out one night and most coaches went ahead and got the week pass. Mine was good for five nights and I learned more “off the record” after 10 p.m. than I did during the days. Not even close.

Here are my 10 takeaways from the combine, plus one more after the Raiders waived Aldon Smith on Monday:

1. It’s going to be hard for the Raiders to screw his one up
They lost the televised coin toss — people, what have we come to? — to the 49ers and will pick 10th overall, instead of ninth. It’s possible the 49ers will draft the guy the Raiders really wanted, but we’ll never know because agents and teams lie before and after the draft.

It sure looks like four quarterbacks are going among the first eight picks, which is crazy since Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield really is the next Johnny Manziel — physically. That hurts the Raiders chances to trade down to grab an offensive tackle or running back and an additional pick.

The Raiders should have a choice between Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea, Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith and Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward. There is a very slim chance that Alabama cornerback/safety Minkah Fitzpatrick falls to No. 10, at which point the Raiders take him.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those four.

2. I even like the wild-cards at the No. 10 spot
Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst would also be good picks, in my opinion. Edmunds probably has more upside than Smith, who will make a bigger impact his first season; and I enjoyed Hurst’s explosive college tape, but the heart condition that forced him to leave the combine scares me.

I know, Hurst played through the condition in college, but I don’t care. It’s the first (and pivotal) year of the Gruden-Reggie McKenzie marriage and I don’t see them the rolling the dice much in the first couple of rounds. No red flags, impactful players only. Who love football, of course.

UT San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport is interesting, but too raw for me at No. 10.

3. The Raiders look to shore up their cornerback needs in free agency
I know there is a report out there that there is going to be bidding between the Raiders and 49ers for free-agent Rams corner Trumaine Johnson, but that smells like an agent bought someone a round of cocktails.

The Raiders can’t be throwing too much money around, as they are trying to lock up defensive end Khalil Mack long-term and gave Derek Carr a $125 million deal last year.

I see them targeting second-tier free-agent cornerbacks like Patrick Robinson, Prince Amukamara or Darqueze Dennard, who was with new Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther in Cincinnati. They can still bring back TJ Carrie and draft one or two more corners.

4. The Raiders do not feel like this roster is close to competing for a championship
Which probably means 2016’s 12-4 record was a bit of a fluke.

5. The Marshawn Lynch situation is a perfect storm
The Raiders would like him back — McKenzie even wore a “Beast Mode” shirt to the defensive line workouts on Sunday — but probably not at Lynch's current $6 million price tag.

But how do you tell Lynch that you want him to carry the load, but for less money? I guess you point to an extremely deep class of running backs in this draft, and then mention a couple of the stop-gap free agents as well.

Lynch, who ran hard and well the last half of last season, is a savvy businessman, and he has to realize how much more his “Beast Mode” stores, merchandise and other sponsors made with him playing in Oakland last season. We’ll see what happens in the next two weeks

6. Last year’s players do not get a clean slate
You always hear of players “getting a clean slate” with a new regime, but it’s not true with the Raiders. This new staff of coaches not only watched every game from last season but also practice film from the last three weeks to see who was getting after it when the team’s chances were slim to none. Not many.

7. The Raiders wouldn’t mind bringing back free-agent defensive tackle Justin Ellis
But his lack of push on passing downs doesn’t make it a priority. McKenzie also mentioned he would like to re-sign Denico Autry, but I think Autry gets a better offer elsewhere.

8. Throw away Orlando Brown's combine results
The offensive tackle from Oklahoma had a horrible week, only able to do 14 bench-press reps of 225 pounds and then running a 5.85 40-yard dash. I could care less. The 6-foot-7, 345-pound Brown ate up defensive players in college, and impressed me with his talk of watching film and dominating matchups. His late father played in the NFL, he grew up around it, and I think Brown is made for the trenches, not the combine workouts.

If he falls to the second round, the Raiders have their starter at right tackle next season, and their starter at left tackle in 2019, when Donald Penn is gone.

9. One name to file away for the draft is Penn State inside linebacker Jason Cabinda
I heard the Raiders loved him when they met with him. The 6-1. 239-pound Cabinda was a hard hitter and leader at “Linebacker U,” and his coverage skills and blitz ability will get him drafted on Day 3.

He had a medical exemption at the combine and only participated in the bench press (his 19 reps ranked 14th among linebackers). He will do everything else at his pro day. Cabinda’s tackling needs work, but teams loved his smarts and his stories of picking Jack Ham’s brain at college.

Just in case Reggie doesn’t pick a linebacker high again …

10. Mark Davis is all-in
Sorry to use a Vegas gambling term, Oakland readers, but the Raiders owner didn’t throw all of his money at Gruden. He made a point to tell assistant coaches recently that he wants “to win championships and tell me whatever you need.”

Extra: The Raiders waiving Aldon Smith is the best thing for Aldon Smith
His fiancé told TMZ Monday morning that he is back in rehab after he attacked her Saturday night and fled the scene. The Raiders didn’t need to hear any more, and waived him hours later, ending a two-plus year relationship that saw Smith play nine games and spend most of that time suspended by the league for substance abuse.

Former Raiders coach Jack Del Rio and many fans tweeted out Monday that they don’t like the league rules that prohibit teams from working with and offering help to suspended players. But that never stopped Smith from getting in trouble before. Maybe if we remove the NFL carrot and just have Smith try to get better for the sake of getting better and living a happy life, it can work this time.

Here’s to Smith finding a new support system that works, and turning his life around. He’s only 28. His passrushing skills are irrelevant, and should have been for some time.

 

[njavier03]

I wouldn't mind giving Sherman a 1 year deal. Same with Demarco, if Marshawn doesn't come back.

 

[raider5]

Sherman ain't coming this way.

I wonder if he and Crabtree still got beef

 

[HNL HI]

hopefully Sherman don't end up in Denver

 

[albooboo]

 

[sickr8r]

Muscle hamster is trash

 

[kayzeezay]

No thanks to Doug Martin, I'd rather be stuck and derailed on the Tay-Train if thats the case