 TARELL BROWN CB |
 TYVON BRANCH SS |
 CHARLES WOODSON FS |
 D.J. HAYDEN CB |
 KEVIN BURNETT ROLB |
 NICK ROACH ROLB |
 SIO MOORE ROLB |
 JUSTIN TUCK DE |
 ANTONIO SMITH DT |
 PAT SIMS DT |
 LAMARR WOODLEY DE |
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A lot of non-Raider fans and media want to see the Raiders' pride and winning ways restored. A lot of others seem to pity any fan who has hope that this will happen any time soon. The thing Raider fans must keep at heart is that, simply put, what goes up, must come down, and vice-versa. If you recall history, Oakland is a picture perfect example of this cycle at work.
When I first watched Oakland (L.A.), they had truly just come out of a very bad few post early 80's Super Bowl years. Tim Brown, and some other FA/drafted youngsters (see: Bo Jackson) helped turn them into a playoff team again. Unfortunately, another slight decline was to come, before the BruceAllen/JonGruden-inspired return to glory. Under Gruden, history repeated itself as another solid group of FA's over a few off-seasons would lead a resurrection, and the subsequent series of deep playoff runs that very few saw coming. While Oakland would stumble back to earth following their Super Bowl letdown-to-come, it's this group of early 2000's era FA's that I'd love to revisit and rank. They set the standard to which I compare all Oakland free agents. Here goes: THE TOP 10 |
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| #10 - Bill Romanowski - LB | |
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| Prior to his free agent signing with Oakland, what Raider fan didn't despise Bill Romanowski as much as they did John Elway back then? When he crossed over to the Black Hole in Free Agency, he brought with him the pedigree of a Super Bowl champion, the toughness of an all-around insane hitting linebacker, and a boulder-sized chip on his sholder against his former team - our divisional rivals, the Denver Broncos. He played intensely on every down, but especially when it came time to meet his former team. I can still feel the energy he added to an already pretty good Oakland defense. It was the surge that only a "BadAss" can bring, and it was what was necessary to intimidate opposing offensive players en route to building a championship defense.
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| #9 - Frank Middleton - G | |
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| Any non-Raider fan that cites Frank Middleton would impress the hell out of me. Heck, even a Raider fan that remembers his name goes to a new level in my mind. Frank was big, both literally, and in terms of how he played on the field. He was cog on a line that opened holes for Tyrone Wheatley, Napoleon Kaufman, and another back featured later on this list. He was also great in the pass blocking game, and truthfully dominated opposing defenders with a nasty demeanor like few Raiders of late have. We should all be hoping that the Raiders find another FA gem like Frank soon.
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| #8 - John Parella/Sam Addams - DT | |
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| These two are ranked together, because they worked so well as a pair. Up until the point at which these Monsters were signed, one of Oakland's glaring defensive issues was stopping the run, especially right down the middle. During a period in which the offense was on fire, this had to be put to a stop. Luckily for the front office of these Raiders, everyone wanted to come to Oakland at the time. This led to the very shrewd signings of Parella and Adams.
Instantly, as if the two worked overnight to build a brick wall, opposing backs found themselves, as the great Al Pacino so eloquently put it, "Going Nowhere!!!". This led to the Raiders quickly climbing up the defensive ranks, and eventually the Super Bowl. It's not every day that even a Super Bowl favorite team can pair two stalwart DT's like this. Let's hope history repeats for Oakland at some point. |
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| #7 - Tory James - CB | |
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| I can recall Tory James making a few plays against Oakland when he was a member of the rival Broncos, but also remember not being too impressed with his signing as an FA. I and many others underestimated what he would bring to the table. He had the unfortunate timing of arriving after Eric Allen, a much more polished corner back at the time. Tory however, lining up opposite against a young Charles Woodson would find himself tested often, and so many times, he answered the call.
I'll always give he and Charles W. credit for playing on broken (surgically semi-repaired) legs in the Super Bowl to try to give Oakland a chance, but my greatest memory from Tory however is his 90 yard INT scamper on Miami's first drive during the first Raider playoff game I ever attended. Thanks Tory for setting the tone that day, and creating a lifetime memory for the entire Raider Nation. |
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| #6 - Zack Crockett - HB | |
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| There's so much that Zack Crockett meant to this Oakland team. It's easy to forget that he was pretty successful for the Indianapolis Colts before making his way to the Bay Area. His greatest impact can be summed up with the two words that Greg Papa always had loaded and ready to roll when Zack got the ball at the Goal Line: TOUCHDOWN RAIDERS!!! The game he had against Kansas City in a rain-soaked affair still holds as one of my favorite ground game performances by a Raider. He also scored the memorable touchdown to seal the AFC Championship game against Tennessee to send the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII
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| #5 - Rod Woodson - FS | |
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| Rod Woodson, like Sam Adams, had actually beaten the Raiders in the recent Championship run by their former team, the Baltimore Ravens. Like the Adams signing, Rod was an older star defensive player, cut for salary reasons, with something yet to prove. The Raider Nation essentially got an all-time FA steal here.
Like so many of the other moves on this list, Rod's pedigree raised the winning mentality of the team to another level. He instantly took over the "quarterbacking" duties on the defense, and his nose for the ball that had been so evident throughout his career was evident again this season. No play personified this more than his 98 yard reception on Monday Night Football that turned the Raiders season around. Other great performances included a multi-interception game against Steve McNair and the Tenesee Titans. If you never saw Rod Woodson play, think Ed Reed, but bigger, and IMHO badder. |
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| #4 - Charlie Garner - HB | |
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| The first of the top 4 Raiders on this list that took part in the first NFL game I ever attended - The 2000 "Battle of The Bay" game between the 49ers and Raiders - Charlie Garner's arrival would bring a new dimension to the Raiders ground game. His shiftiness, pure speed, and unexpected toughness for a player of his size made him a matchup nightmare. He was deadly on draw plays, quick catches out of the backfield, or going deep down the seam.
To this day, I feel that he was a precursor to the Darren sproles type role. Can you imagine Charlie working in an offense with Peyton Manning at the helm today? Luckily for Charlie, he also played with a QB to be revealed later in this list, that had an all-time great NFL season. Some memorable moments are Charlie's one man domination vs the heavily favored Steelers on the road, a pure-speed driven game-changing touchdown reception right through the heart of the Buffalo Bills on the road, and of course the divisional playoff game-clinching end-around 80 yard touchdown vs our then rival New York J-E-T-S Jets. |
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| #3 - Jerry Rice - WR | |
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| Where I grew up as a kid (Sanger #2 WR was a position that had been revived by Andre Rison for the Raiders, but mostly dominated (wait, there's gotta be a better word here) by James Jett. Very few however predicted the amazing impact and youthful display that Jerry would put on during this season. He and the Raiders QB were on the same page at all times, and time after time, he made defenses look like they were defending a 22 year old Pro Bowler instead of a player heading into his 40's. There's little point in trying to recall his memorable touchdowns, as so many of them were game-clinchers or key late-game scores. The nation will be forever indebted to Jerry for his contribution to the team's success, and for the sheer entertainment value of seeing he and Tim Brown dominate during this golden season. |
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| #2 - Lincoln Kennedy - T | |
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| Lincoln Kennedy? Higher than Jerry Rice you say? Wait. He was acquired by trade! This is true, but Lincoln was one of the external players to come in and play a dominant part in this run. Anyone who knows football knows that things start in trenches, and no offensive/defensive line player of this Raiders era made more of an impact than Lincoln. He set the tone as a tough mauling run-blocker and simply dominated pass rushers. How he luckily fell into the Raiders lap, I'll never know. What's clear is that so many of the Raiders' great moments during this era may not have happened if Lincoln wasn't there to stop some of the best NFL defenders of all time dead in their tracks. Despite not having a Super Bowl victory on his resume, I hope that Lincoln makes it into the hall of fame along, with many of the others on this list. If you were fantasy drafting from all time left tackles, he'd have to rank highly on your list. |
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| #1 - Rich Gannon - QB | |
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| Following the season before Rich's arrival, as teenager playing high school football, I remember thinking that the Raiders were about to turn the corner thanks to this young guy named Gruden and some good free agents (some of whom would later just miss the 2002 season). When news broke that we were picking up Rich Gannon from the rival Kansas City Chiefs, I said two things to myself. One: I guess this Gruden guy and the front office don't know what they're doing after all, and two: We already have Jeff George! (SMH in disgust right now :))
Today, I fondly recall Rich as my 2nd favorite Raider of all time(to #1 Tim Brown), and little did I know that a few seasons later in 2002, Rich would epitomize everything that's great about what can happen in Football. Rich brought journeyman toughness to the team, and coming from Kansas City, he was able to point out what had made the Raider underachievers. He led the team by example, working hard to help others, putting in the effort to up his own game, and preparing for every opponent as if it were the super bowl. This started to rub off in the right way on his teammates, and slowly but steady, confidence eschewed from the team and fan base. Over time the Raiders played better and beter as a team, leading up to the pinnacle super bowl year, where the offense would become a well-oiled machine. Like Lincoln Kennedy, and Tim Brown, much of Rich's Hall of Fame homes may hinge on not winning a Super Bowl -- instead emphatically losing one, but there's so much more to the story. One game that sticks out as the moment I realized that Rich was "my guy" was the comeback win vs the then heavily favored Indianapolis Colts on the road (led by a young Peyton Manning). Seeing Rich's determination to make positive plays in any way, shape ,or form, while avoiding mistakes en route to a win, was just something I had never personally witnessed by a Raiders QB. He was the type of player I had wanted us to find so badly. Essentially Tim Brown as a QB (as I saw it in those days). Little did I know at the time how much better Rich would actually get. For those of you who can't recall, he was the Drew Brees before there was a Drew Brees. In the Super Bowl season, if the threw a pass, as long as the receiver's hands were functioning, it was going to be a completion. Rich paired very well with Tim Brown and Jerry Rice running their precise routes. He and Charlie Garner (and other backs) revived/revolutionized using quick passes and shuffle passes to the HB as an alternative to direct hand-offs. He took things to a high level in many respects, like beating out quality quarterbacks like John Elway head-to-head in style, and there was no one else at this time you wanted to QB your team if the game was on the line. To have this said about you as a player, in any NFL season, is of historic significance. The Super Bowl was complicated as we all know. Sadly, there was probably a Gannon-style bounce-back period to come in the following season(s), but an injury that pained the entire Raider organization and fan base put an end to this hope. The next time a QB ranks this high on a Raiders Free Agent list is basically the moment that everyone in the Raider Nation is waiting for. Hopefully, just like Rich, an unheralded FA walks through the door to make Silver and Black magic happen once again. P.S. As a personal note, Rich will always have a special place in my heart for throwing this pass to Timmy B to win that Battle of the Bay game, and giving me the best feeling I had as a fan to that point: the thrill of a last minute overtime bomb on the road at your local rival's stadium in the first game you ever attended live. My friends and I went insane with joy, and I hope my son can live through this same type of Raider moment one day. |
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HONORABLE MENTIONS Not all of these players were on the Super Bowl teams, but they each helped turn the franchise around, and on to the playoffs. Each one also made a playoff impact play or two Jon Gruden - Not an actual player, but it goes without saying what hiring/signing him did for the franchise Tyrone Wheatley Roland Williams Trace Armstrong Eric Allen Andre Rison Randy Jordan William Thomas Regan Upshaw Darrien Gordon Terry Kirby | |
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After the Saffold debacle/confusion/events (depends who you ask), Reggie M. and the @oaklandraiders have made some nice bounce-back pickups.
The moves continued today with the aquisition of former Green Bay Packer James Jones, a player I highlighted as just missing the cut for my personal top 5 FA wish list. It seems that both Reggie M. and I have the same hope: that James will come in and work hard, leading a strong group of young WR's into becoming stars. It's easy now to think every Raider move is bad. After so many years of seeing bad signings compared to glory day moves, I feel secure in saying that James coming into the fold looks a lot more like adding Andre Rison or Willie Gault, then adding Javon Walker. Oakland also added a solid chess piece to the O-Line puzzle by signing former Raider Kevin Boothe. Sadly, Kevin isn't the first recent Raider draft pick or UDFA that was slow to develop, only to catch on and fully hit their stride with another team. Pleasantly, he's one of the first that Oakland has been able to bring back while still somewhat in their prime. I think this is going to be great for the O-line and the team in general. Picking up a Super Bowl team (of a few years ago) starting LG who can also play center is a coup. I don't know what Reggie M. pictured his O-line would look like going into the draft, but as of today, the visions of big holes for Darren McFadden and the other Oakland backs are easier to see. Bringing in yet another player who can let the young Oakland draft picks know that they too can dream of a Super Bowl run (at some point) right here in Oakland doesn't hurt. |
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According to a report by Paul Guiterrez (@PGutierrezESPN) of ESPN, Oakland's top two quarterback targets are Mark Sanchez and Matt Schaub. As of his article, and this writing, both playersare yet to become free agents, although the proverbial writing is on the wall. Let me go on record by stating that every free agent QB out there scares me in some way when it comes to the Raiders hitching up their wagon for the long-haul. Unfortunately, the draft is just as much a crapshoot this year, and when you're as bad as the Raiders have been recently, the question "Is this guy better than what you got?" has to be asked. With both of these players, the answer might just be yes, at least for 2014. With that said, let's break these players down head to head.
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Tale of the Tape
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The Raiders still need to add as much free agent help as they can. Of course, this should be with contracts that don't hurt them in the future. If a player is coming in to compete, and there's any chance that he may not make the final roster, their contract should be structured to make cutting them pain free. With all this said, there's some guys out there that I'd like to see us make a run at before someone else does. This list doesn't really take into account what said players want, or any other realities -- just what I want as a fan. With the cap space we have. No one should be able to outbid the Raiders if they really want to get their man. Unfortunately, my Top 5 list has already taken a hit in the past 48 hours, but as of right now here's how it looks (in order of my preferred priorities):
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Alex Mack - C
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We all know that Wiz II is a great center, but the truth is that he was a pretty kick-a$$ guard too. When he played with Veldheer on the left side, I thought McFadden saw a lot of clean holes to run though. I say we get the no-doubt best available Center, plug him in, and kick Wiz back over to LG. Now, we're looking at an opening day lineup of Menelik Watson (or 1st Round LT), Wiz, Mack, Khalif Barnes, Austin Howard. Have we had a better line that this since Oakland's Super Bowl run? D-Mac and Marcell Reese would be salivating over this move. Not to mention our TBD QB
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Jared Allen - DE
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Yeah, we've got some DE's now with the recent FA pickups, but did you see what Seattle did last year when they had the money. They loaded up at the position with several of the top FA DE's. This gave them depth during times of injury, and helped them fortify a nearly unstoppable front four pass rush when every one was good to go. Message to Oakland Raiders Top Brass - follow this blueprint!
P.S. The fact that Denver and other teams didn't sign him will only add to the chip that Jared has always carried on his shoulder, and used to his advantage, all the way back to his K.C. days. |
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Henry Melton - DT
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The truth is that Oakland should have drafted one of the Stud DT's available to them in many of the recent drafts, but never did. Picking up a solid player in his prime like Henry Melton would ease the pain. Pancaked in between two premier DE's and a run-stopping DT, he'd give us the up-the-middle, in-your-face(Peyton Manning) pressure to collapse the pocket.
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Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - CB ***UPDATE - Signed with New York Giants***
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Just like with the DE's, let's add all the quality secondary firepower we can. I personally want to see D.J. Hayden morph into a young C-Wood this year, but until then, I wouldn't be hurt to see him at #2 on the depth chart, with D.R.C. at #1. Along with pass rushing, pass defending is key in beating the other AFC west teams. Throw a little revenge motivation and knowledge of Peyton M's practice habits, and this move seems like a dream waiting to happen -- at least based on the available corners right now.
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Julius Peppers - DE ***UPDATE - Signed with Green Bay Packers***
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See my note about Jared Allen (even if we already picked up Jared too!). He's not the young #1 overall pick anymore, but honestly, would you rather have him on your team, or lining up against you on opening day? That's right. Sign him up. If we don't, someone else surely will. Being used to playing with your new DT Henry Melton surely won't hurt. Have I touched yet on how having these DE's work our young tackles in practice can only help those younglings get better. #Up-vote!
Honorable Mentions: WR Emmanuel Sanders - Promising young player who's had success - bonus return game player WR James Jones - Would be best Oakland WR since Timmy Brown and Jerry Rice walked out the door, and would definitely lead talented young Oakland WR corps by example on field WR Miles Austin - Same as above, but only if we get Austin of two + years ago DT Pat Sims - Solid player to bring back, and push with a talented DT draft pick (to come in two months) G Travelle Wharton - Stockpile O-Line and let the best man win C Brian De La Puente - Ditto RB Maurice Jones-Drew - See O-line stockpiling idea, apply to running backs RB Knowshon Moreno - See Above DT Kevin Williams - Remember when Oakland added Sam Adams. Run D took a huge leap forward. |
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The defensive makeover is in full-swing. Today Oakland announce that they had signed not Terell Thomas, but Tarell Brown from the cross-town local rival 49ers. Brown is a solid corner who should be able to hold down the starting corner spot opposite D.J. Hayden. That's not to say that an additional top corner, ala Dominique Rogers-Cromartie wouldn't help. If Hayden can come out as a strong sophomore, this could be the Raiders best corner tandem in years -- which sadly, is not saying much.
Oakland has also signed Antonio Smith. He should be a key contributor in both the 4-3 and 3-4 looks. Adding some stud youngsters to Oakland's newly-formed defensive front group might just be able to result in a sleeper defense, but hey, let's not hold our breath just yet. Fingers crossed. |
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| Today, the Raiders are reportedly considering a few additional Big name players who might still have something to prove. Still trying to fill out their O-Line depth, it's been reported that they are talking to Donald Penn (recently released by the Buc's) and may even be able to reel in the ultimate (right) Blind Side protector in Michael Oher (wink-nod). On the defensive side, rumored targets are Terell Thomas @ DB and Antonio Smith, DE from the Texans. If the Raiders can pull in three of these four, I'd already call that a win for the day. Cross your fingers Raider Nation. |
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Today's been a busy blogging day. The Raiders have kept me on their toes by quickly following up their signing of Justin Tuck with another Super Bowl winning player in LaMarr Woodley. While this move probably rules out my dream move for Jared Allen, are there any Raider fans out there not taking this upgrade? ... Didn't think so. I can recall LaMarr Woodley dominating at Michigan, and specifically recall during the draft asking myself "Why do the Steelers luckily always get these studs?". It's a day (..err years) and a Super Bowl or two short, but LaMarr should offer the Raiders the type of presence opposite Justin Tuck on passing downs that they will so desperately need. The NFL, and AFC West in particular, are dominated by quarterback vs pass rush defense right now. It's great to see Oakland bumping up their defensive portion of this battle against their divisional rivals. Now, about that QB... |
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Today, Oakland started 2014 Free Agency Face-Saving Part 1, by shoring up one of their Defensive End positions. The team has added Two-Time Super Bowl winning DE Justin Tuck on a 2 year contract. While there are still a few holes to fill on the defensive front, this is undoubtedly a good move. The potential to both rush the passer and play stoutly against the run is what any team covets. If Oakland can find three other guys to do this, they'll be golden. Some facts on Justin, in case you've been in a hole the past few years: -Drafted out of the University of Notre Dame by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. -In 2007, Tuck enjoyed his best season to date, recording 65 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles during the regular season. -In Super Bowl XLII Tuck repeatedly pressured New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, recording two sacks and a forced fumble. Many folks still suggest that he should have won Super Bowl MVP honors. -In 2013, recorded 64 tackles with 11 sacks - a return to form? I think this is a good start to day 2 of free agency, and look forward to pairing J.T. with some other solid FA DE and DT's. Can you say Jared Allen, BJ Raji, Henry Melton??? Come on Mark/Reggie!... Start reading my blog! |
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