Training Camp: Preveiw

[CedarRunRaider]

Notable Offseason Moves : Remember every fall when you returned to school and were forced to deliver that "What I Did Last Summer" speech, where you talked about spending a week at your grandma's farm or going to your first big-league baseball game with your dad or going swimming with your cousins out at the old watering hole? And then some punk kid would get up and prattle on and on about spending a week at DisneyWorld, touring Michael Jackson's ranch, running with the bulls in Pamplona… remember how you hated that kid?

This summer, the Raiders were that kid.

While other teams were cutting veterans to get under the salary cap, saving their soup labels so they could afford to fill that one key need, or wondering how much to pay the baby-sitters necessary for their rookie class, the Raiders went out and got the best receiver in football—and for good measure, they nabbed a feature back as well.

Randy Moss arrived via a trade from the Vikings, costing Al Davis only a pair of draft picks (okay, one was the seventh overall, but still) and linebacker Napoleon Harris. The deal came shortly after Oakland had locked up potential free agent wideout Jerry Porter with a five-year contract, giving the Raiders two of the biggest guns in the free-firing AFC West.

And before Moss had an opportunity to drop trou… uh, set up shop in Oakland, Davis added free agent running back LaMont Jordan to the mix for a cool $27.5 million over five years.

That right there would be enough to keep most clubs happy for the better part of a decade, but the Raiders weren't finished. With so much invested in their wideouts, and Courtney Anderson developing at tight end, the Raiders shipped Doug Jolley and a second-round pick to the Jets to get back into the first round, where they snagged super-speedy cornerback Fabian Washington. The need for a corner was predicated by Oakland sending Philip Buchanon to the Texans for second- and third-round picks. The Raiders franchised their other corner, Charles Woodson, which in retrospect probably didn't turn out as they had hoped because Woodson immediately signed the tender and will receive $10.5 million this season.

As for the defense, which finished 31st in the league in points allowed, the Raiders cut safety Ray Buchanan, signed free agent end Derrick Burgess, tackle Kenny Smith, linebacker Jay Foreman, and cornerback Renaldo Hill while retaining ends Bobby Hamilton and DeLawrence Grant, linebacker Tim Johnson, and safety Marques Anderson. Yeah, that should do it.

Position Battles : Outside of tight end, where Anderson has the inside track on converted wideout and former Stanford star Teyo Johnson, the Raiders' starting offense is more or less set.

The neck injury that ended Rich Gannon's season last year will also likely end his career, leaving Kerry Collins to reap the benefits of throwing downfield to either Moss or Porter. Ronald Curry, who was having a breakout season last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, should be the third receiver ahead of Doug Gabriel, though after Moss and Porter get done there won't be much in the way of leftovers.

With the expected upturn in point production, it barely matters who the Raiders trot out on defense. One difference will be the alignment, as Oakland scraps the 3-4 and returns to a 4-3 scheme full-time. Few if any defenders played well enough last season to have a lock on their job heading into camp, so Oakland fans can expect to need a program to recognize their defense—preferably one with a pronunciation guide, if Nnamdi Asomugha moves into the starting lineup as expected.

Keep an Eye On : Collins has never thrown for more than 22 touchdowns in a season, but in the wide-open AFC West Moss may match that number all by himself. The Raiders have traditionally been a vertical team, and one of the reasons Collins was signed last year was his ability to throw the deep ball. With Moss and Porter on either side, the Raiders' offense should strike fear into the heart of cornerbacks around the league.

Of course, Collins has also struggled with turnovers, and Norv Turner likes to get his running game involved as well, especially with so much money invested in Jordan. LaMont certainly wasn't shy last year in New York about letting the coaching staff know he wanted more carries, and Moss has from time to time indicated in his own inimitable way he'd like a little more attention. Porter is getting paid as well, and he probably figured—for all of a week, at least—that the No. 1 receiver baton was being passed to him. Will there be enough balls in Oakland to keep everyone happy?



coutesy of AOL SPORTS. I'm Pumped

[TiltRaider]

two things where they are wrong. we will not be running a 4-3 full time, hardly! i'd still bet that we run more 3-4 then 4-3, but we still will run a hybrid. also, to say that after moss and porter t here wont be much to go around, wrong again. we just re signed curry because we have big expectations for him and will run a lot of 3 wr sets with a single back.

another thing im sick of is people keep trying to stir stuff up saying there wont be enough balls to go around and all this stuff, norv will find a way.

[CedarRunRaider]

I thought it was a good read

[TiltRaider]

ya it hought it was really good, but then the media ignorance just shines though, but it was really good though.

[Twin84AirRaid]

Good read. Thanks a lot for the post, I love reading about the possiblilites, let's make them a reality!

[CedarRunRaider]

Time for Training camp to start

[Raiders40]

Good read bro.

[KerryCollinsRulez]

two things where they are wrong. we will not be running a 4-3 full time, hardly! i'd still bet that we run more 3-4 then 4-3, but we still will run a hybrid. also, to say that after moss and porter t here wont be much to go around, wrong again. we just re signed curry because we have big expectations for him and will run a lot of 3 wr sets with a single back.

another thing im sick of is people keep trying to stir stuff up saying there wont be enough balls to go around and all this stuff, norv will find a way.

The thing that most people forget about is those players usually only complain when they are loseing and it is usually because they're not getting the ball. example when moss got into with culpeper, moss is open and culpeper isn't throwing his way.

aslong as they are winning I don't see much of an argument.

Lamont jordan just complained because he is a talented running back that was producing when he did play and they didn't play him more.. there is a difference between only getting like 10 carries a game and only playin when another player is injured.. lamont will be happy for a couple of season if he isn't played a lot aslong as he is being productive and is the starter.

[MANDINGO]

nice read bro dont agree with certain points but still yet ,nice read.

[live4slvr&blk]

I think it was overall fair... remember guys, on paper we look good.. but last I check this game is played on a field.. not on paper. All I care about right now is preseaon and see how the 1st stringers have chemistry

[UC]

There were a few inaccuracies (is that even a word?) in the article but it was still an okay read.

[G-MoNeY]

another thing im sick of is people keep trying to stir stuff up saying there wont be enough balls to go around and all this stuff, norv will find a way.

i hope he can find a way cuz i just want both moss and porter and even curry and the rest of the team happy

[TheWis76]

I read this article earlier on raidernews and I don't get it. All these media guys keep pushing that the Raiders are gonna switch to the 4-3 and completely trash the 3-4. They are on crack!! The Raiders have done nothing but acquire players that have "hybrid" qualities. Not to mention, every damn Raider coach says they are sticking with the hubrid schemes. Where do these guys get this stuff?

[DakotaRaider]

One of the differences this year will be the 4-3.
Roles are more defined and players will be more adjusted to the system.
Burgess will help out alot too.

[TheWis76]

I think you are missing my point.... this article (as do many others) clearly states that the Raiders are abandoning the 3-4. I am saying that is totally inaccurate.