gst8 said:
This TEAM is 2 or 3 years from being competitive IMO so I have no problem with that. I'd rather take a guy now and hope that his maturation process coincides with our team getting back to where it needs to be.
Of course... there's always the bust factor but Raider fans should be getting desensitized to that by now.
I actually think we can be competitive this year. Playoffs is asking too much, but I think 500 won't be a stretch of the talent already on the team (well, maybe the talent we had last year - losing Big Ted strikes me as the biggest loss).
With the additions we've made and the return of some injured players we should be better talent-wise.
Bringing in Art and the OL specialists, we should be better on offense.
The new secondary coach should give us some punch we've lacked in the secondary for a while.
We've got lots of talent on DL, just a little thin at NT, other than that we should be alright.
So where are we lacking? SS (definitely starter we've got plenty of depth

), OLB (starter - would be nice, depth - definitely), OL (starter - would be nice, depth - definitely), RB (depth - definitely).
I really think we could be a playoff team in 2007 if we draft well this year and next, and make some good acquisitions next off-season. SuperBowl? Well, that's 3-4 years off at the earliest. Couls Leinart be ready then? Sure, but so could Walter.
And yet I keep dreaming about Mario. Yep! Not a critical need. Not even depth needed. But he is such a huge talent with multi-year terror potential that I'd like to have him on our side. Period. I think Walter can do everything that Leinart can. Maybe not as smart (maybe just a little less, maybe) but with a stronger arm. Why am I going to doubt the kid?
Hawk also has the huge talent and terror potential, I just value DL more.
Huff has the talent, not necessarily the terror, but maybe, and I think he's a more immediate impact than Ngata or Bunkley.
Davis? Vern? Dude, we've got guys that can do what the offense needs a TE to do. Davis wouldn't have as large an impact as the others.
An OT or OG? I see what we've got as being good enough right now. Any kid would be a minor impact this year. Sims will be out soon, so he needs replacing. If we wind up with Slaughter or Walker or Garmon starting, they are relatively young and will still be solid in 4-5 years. So depth and future starters are needed. It doesn't mean I think we're great, I just don't see that drafting a kid will make much impact over the next 2 seasons.