03-03-2008, 04:24 PM
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The Don
is NotInToo
Hall of Famer
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sec. 138 Row 43
Posts: 2,667
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Free Agent Lull (Jmac)...
Apparently, Jerry Mac Doesn't mind the Jerry Jones tradedown idea either, TKO8...
Quote:
Free agent lull
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm in Oakland Raiders.
A few better-late-than-never notes on a Sunday night:
– Wide receiver Drew Carter, in town to visit the Raiders, carries the classic silver and black pedigree. He has classic size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and athletic skill, but has never quite fulfilled his promise either in college at Ohio State or in the NFL.
Carter is coming off a career-best season _ 38 receptions for 517 yards and three touchdowns, after catching 28 passes for 347 yards and three scores in 2006.
Those numbers could make him no less than a solid No. 2 receiver in Oakland. If you’re someone like Carter, looking to break out, there are worse ways to go than hitching your star to JaMarcus Russell.
Ronald Curry (174 receptions, 2,166 yards, 11 touchdowns) the best career numbers on a team which in recent years had the staggering career totals of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss in silver and black.
After Curry, the remainder of the receiving corps currently under contract _ Johnnie Lee Higgins, Will Buchanon, Drisan James and Todd Watkins _ has seven catches for 56 yards. Higgins had six of those last year for 47 yards, Buchanon had a single 9-yard reception in 2006.
– Free agent tackle Kwame Harris left Oakland Friday, traveled to Jacksonville, and may next visit Denver. Word is he has yet to solicit a serious offer and wants to closely examine each situation. He hopes to have something wrapped up this week.
Harris had many of the same problems in San Francisco that Robert Gallery had as a tackle in Oakland. If Harris is as smart as his Stanford education suggests, a year or two under Tom Cable might be the best thing for his career.
– Former Raiders personnel executive Mike Lombardi had this to say about Tommy Kelly’s gargantuan contract while serving as an analyst on free agency for the NFL Network:
“Let me just say I’m really happy I didn’t negotiate that contract because they’re going to have to live with that one for a long time.”
You could infer a couple of things from that statement: 1) Lombardi doesn’t think Kelly is anywhere near worth that kind of money; and 2) If Kelly doesn’t ascend beyond above average, then Al Davis is going to hold negotiators Marc Badain and Mark Jackson responsible.
– With Atlanta signing Michael Turner to contract with $15 million in guaranteed money, these numbers bear repeating.
In four years as the backup for LaDainian Tomlinson, Turner (5-10, 237 pounds) carried 228 times for 1,257 yards, averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored six touchdowns. He never carried more than 80 times in a season.
In four years as the backup for Curtis Martin with the New York Jets, LaMont Jordan gained 1,277 yards on 262 carries, averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and scored 10 touchdowns. He never carried more than 93 times in a season.
You simply don’t know if a running back can take the pounding until he takes the pounding.
Turner’s signing probably puts the Falcons out of the running in terms of running back Darren McFadden at No. 3 overall.
If McFadden is around when the Raiders pick at No. 4, Dallas owner Jerry Jones could come bearing gifts. Yes, the Raiders don’t trade down. But remember the Davis mantra “I’d rather be right than consistent.”
Dallas doesn’t pick until No. 28, but the Raiders make a deal with the Cowboys and still trade back up to get someone they wanted.
Getting back to the first item regarding receivers, the consensus at the combine seemed to be that Cal’s DeSean Jackson and Oklahoma’s Malcolm Kelly were the top two available.
While Kelly would seem to be more of a Raider-type pick, Jackson _ especially with his return skills _ has more than a little Tim Brown in his game.
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