Nice to see Al's charitable spirit hasn't dissipated. He's just lost his mind. http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=1492 Raiders signed DL William Joseph, formerly of the Giants. A typical Al Davis reclamation project. "Willie Jo" was the No. 25 overall pick out of Miami in 2003, but didn't have one good season in New York. He's only 28, so maybe Oakland can get something out of him. We'd bet against it. Source: Sacramento Bee
Lets see Raiders sign a veteran cheap Dlineman that stands 6'6 305 William Joseph, that has some upside. Nice rotational player. I love how Jets can sign a Washup Te Bubba Franks and its a great signing. Raiders take a shot on a cheap player who still could supprise.(cvould play DE or DT) Yet it's the worse deal.
who said Franks was the second coming Joe? and besides I doubt that if we do sign Franks we will get much out of him, just as little as you will get out of William Joeseph...
Franks isn't with us to be our starting TE, he's to block and to back up Baker... Joseph is on your team to try to start, because your D-Line blows. Franks made 3 Pro Bowls, and was an alternate for another... Joseph has done......?
No hes not. Raidershave their starting Dline. LDE Kevin Carter(if he signed this week/ Jay Richardson LDT Gerard warren 6'4 335/ BackupTerdel Sands 6'7 335 RDT Tom Kelly 6'6 305 RDE Derrick Burgess 6'2 266 IF Raiders dline blows than I don't know what you say about your Dline. franks is like Ronnie Lott signing. Once was a good player who clearly on downside of his career(sorta like Kris Jenkins been the last three years) BTW William Joseph inabilty to stay healthy has been as much to blame. Sounds like a De that used to play forpthen eagles with that same problem. That player turned out to be one of the best FA signings ever Derrick Burgess.
I just typed "Raiders Run Defense" into Google-- good christ, it got worse with the injuries which means its is just as bad as ours... we are settling in to our 3-4 finally. Without the leadership of Sapp, who is going to step up? And I the Kelly signing - good player, but why so much?? I feel for you there, because we have to deal with DRobs BS contract.
TOm Kelly is one of the best Dlineman in the game . Just alot of average NFl fans are not aware of this. (especially with Raiders record last five years) Raiders had to sign TOM kelly he is without a doubt there best Dlineman. Reward your best players. Raiders run defense problems were due to Three Factors. ONE Raiders had assortment of injuries on the dline. Never at any point had the starting Dline healthy. Lets see D Burgess wasn't healthy for most of the year. Tom Kelly was lost to acl injury, Gerard Warren when healthy was a monster- the problem he had assortment of injuries. SSLB Sam Williams 265 is the Raiders best run stuffer(he was lost for the season with kneckinjury) 2. Whenever you start a 266 pound D Burgess at LDE(against massive RT) and DT Warren Sapp (run defense was never his strength- made worse by the fact he lost 50 pounds from the previous season. You will always be giving something up in defending the run. Also DT T Sands didn't play as well he did in 2006 after getting a big fat contract. 3. Raiders didn't tackle as well as they could- safety Stuart Schweigert wasn't the only culprit but his gaffs were always a big part of sportscenter highlights. Here is what I think they have done to fix those problems. Raiders sign alot of guys LIke hopefully Kevin Carter 6'6 305 (hasn't signed yet) William Joseph 6'6 305, Re-sign Tom Kelly 6'6 305 that can play multiple positions on the defenseline. When you have that much versatility on Dline, your can absorb an injury alot easier. 2 This isn't in stone but I think Burgess going to play RDE on the run downs. He can hold up alot better there, and has the 265 pound SSlb Sam Williams backing him up. W Sapp retired and Tom Kelly a big time upgrade especially defending the run. 3. Raiders have madev alot of moves this offseason to get better tacklers. Let see there is a reason they paid alot of money to S Gibril Wilson(very reliable tackler and big upgrade from schweigert) The trade for deangelo hall- another very solid tackler. With N asomugha and Deangelo Hall you can put more players in the box. Its all about stopping the run in Oakland, because you don't want to get in known passing downs against the raiders. Not with the kind of coverage ability they can throw out there.
But if its all about stopping the run... .why were you 31st overall? Then you don't stop the run... at first i thought it was injuries- then i remembered that its been 5 years since you looked up at a win season and went "looks good, how do we get up there?" If your front 7 has problems tackling, then they are not good football players- i fear taking your word on these guys because i'd love to see them play myself, but the distance makes that nearly impossible- and i don't have NFL Sunday Ticket. Burgess and Sapp are the only guys who i would ever recognize from your D, but i know that there is no one of worth on my own teams D so thats not saying much. But the Jets aren't on trial here. Go get Sedrick Ellis or Glenn Dorsey to start fixing your problems. I feel its not entirely your players, you need a new regime- starting from the top down... i admire your allegiance... If Woody Johnson pulls this BS, I switch teams, but not stadiums :smile:... I couldnt take this kind of abuse from my beloved franchise. 5 seasons of not even being a bubble team to go 8-8. I'd become depressed, lost, incoherent, and not able to function in society-- I would need another team, for my own self-preservation and sanity. Al Davis' sole purpose before he dies is to get all Raider fans in the stadium and drink the cool-aid so there is no more franchise when he kicks the bucket.
1. He does explain that they're trying to get better overall and that injuries really hurt them last year. Can't really call bullshit either since just in '06 they ranked 12th against the run and 18th in PA. 2. The Raiders fan is an annoying poster, but I'm amazed at how ignorant much of this board is towards the Raiders. Their DL when healthy is pretty damn good, and if they draft Gholston or Long it could be absolutely nasty. Tommy Kelly is legitimately a very good DL-man in this league. Burgess has been a sick pass rusher for them. Sands can be a damn good run stuffer when he plays hard. They have two of the best young LBers in the game, a shutdown corner in Asomugha, and a FS dying to break out in Huff. The Raiders suck, no doubt about it. But that team isn't too far off, and a good draft could suddenly make them not so fun to play.
Again I believe I stated why Raiders were suspectible against the run. 1. Injuries last year 2 How they position there Dlineman and shotty tackling . Raiders never had their Dline healthy at any point last season . SSLB Sam Williams 6'5 265(best run stuffer -as Morrison and Howard excell more in pass coverage) was lost very early with neck injury. When ever you start a D Burgess at 266 pounds at Base DE(Giving up too much against massive RT in the running game) and Warren sapp( run defense was never his strength but was compounded by the fact he lost over 50 pounds from previous year) you will always be giving up something in defending the run. Sapp Gone and Replaced by the beast Tom kelly. Thats a big time upgrade. Clayton from Espn said if raiders didn't give Kelly that big contract, some other team would have.( Every personel men know just how good Kelly is-) Like I been saying. Without a doubt TOM Kelly was the Raiders best Dlineman/. Again Lets see How they line up there talent on defense better. First You could put a 6'5 280 Jay Richardson / W Joseph 6'6 305 at Base DE (match up alot better against massive RT) LDT Gerard warren 6'4 335 RDT Tom kelly 6'6 305 RDE D Burgess( matches up alot better against the lt in the running game) Has SSLB sam Williams 6'5 265pounds backing him up. Third thing is they wanted better tacklers. Gibril Wilson a sure handed tackler something Schweigert wasn't. Deangelo hall is another very sure handed tackler. Also when you have two premier CBs in N Asomugha(Very solid tackler) and Dengelo Hall you can put more defenders in the box to stop the run. Raiders run defense going to make a major leap this year. Raiders are one more pass rusher from being a team you don't want to get in known passing downs. Like I said Raiders defense should dominate. If it dosen't Rob Ryan should never get another job. Thats how loaded the Raiders are on defense.
