Angry Pope
All Raider
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- Feb 2, 2006
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The Raiders hope to have gotten younger and faster on defense in the offseason, although they lost considerable girth in the middle when they opted to part ways with defensive tackle Ted Washington.
On the defensive line, Washington's absence is the most notable change. He will likely be replaced by Tommy Kelly, who began playing more tackle than end last season.
Kelly figures to rotate with ex-Seahawk Rashad Moore and Terdell Sands, whose play late last season may have given the Raiders the impetus they needed to jettison the highly-paid Washington.
The Raiders will watch Warren Sapp, coming off rotator cuff surgery, very closely. Sapp, who was a non-factor in 2004, showed flashes of his Tampa Bay form last season before being injured.
Derrick Burgess, who led the NFL in sacks with 16, could get additional help outside from Lance Johnstone, a situational pass rusher. The Raiders also moved Tyler Brayton back to defensive end, where he is currently starting over veteran Bobby Hamilton.
The Raiders got an infusion of youth at linebacker with the drafting of Thomas Howard (second round) and Darnell Bing (fourth round), the latter a converted safety from Southern California. In case they don't develop as quickly as hoped, veteran Robert Thomas, a former first-round pick, was added as a free agent.
Also returning is outside linebacker Sam Williams, a third-round draft pick in 2003 whose career has been derailed by serious shoulder and knee injuries. Williams won the starting job in training camp last season before being injured.
The biggest change in the secondary is strong safety Michael Huff, who will immediately start alongside free safety Stuart Schweigert. But from down to down, Huff could be anywhere — covering the slot receiver as a corner, playing in the box against the run, or even blitzing on occasion.
His role will be similar to that of the departed Charles Woodson, who left as a free agent. The Raiders were gradually working Woodson into a jack-of-all-trades role, but got only 19 games out of him the past two years because of injury.
Third-year cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and second-year man Fabian Washington will start at cornerback, but the Raiders got depth and some help in extra defensive back situations with the addition of New England castoffs Duane Starks and Tyrone Poole. They will probably be happy if one of the two has enough gas left in the tank to lend a steadying hand in the backfield.
NOTES, QUOTES
—Quarterback Aaron Brooks professes no worries regarding his ability to satisfy three ultra-talented but moody receivers in Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry.
"My relationship with my receivers has always been a very tight, close-knit relationship," Brooks said. "I've never had problems with my receivers. They do what they're supposed to do and I try and get them the ball. I'm pretty good with players and wonderful with coaches."
—There has long been talk that Art Shell's first tenure as Raiders head coach was undermined by some assistants who had designs on getting him fired.
When Shell was let go, assistant Mike White took over. At a recent Raiders' charity event, Raiders defensive backs coach Willie Brown hinted Shell didn't get what he deserved the first time around.
"Art is coming back with a different attitude than he had," Brown said. "That was his first coaching job. I am not sure all the people around him worked hard enough for him."
—Kevin McMahan thoroughly enjoyed the festivities in his honor as the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2006 NFL Draft, earning gifts such as a $1,500 watch, a PlayStation portable and a laptop computer. His mother and grandmother also received gifts simply because McMahan was the final pick of the draft.
In complimenting Newport Beach, McMahan, a wide receiver from Maine and a native of Rochester, N.Y., also inadvertently took a shot at the home of his new team.
"Everybody is so nice," McMahan said. "It's almost weird being around so many nice people. California is a lot different than what I thought. All I had experienced of California was Oakland. That's not what California is like."
—Randy Moss has a new clothing line, and now Warren Sapp is hoping to set himself up for the future if his surgically repaired shoulder does not respond. It also appears Sapp has hired a P.R. form which can match him bluster for bluster.
Referring to a string of "HipHopSoda Shops" in Central Florida and Jacksonville, the H3 Enterprises release stated the shops would "combine the urban swell of the hip-hop music, Pro-Ball, healthy fast food, CyberSports, merchandising and pre-downloadable cash-cards into the hottest phenomena since the cultural revolution of Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe and Starbucks."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't know if people realize what it is like for a player to come in from another organization and be part of the Raider Nation. I'm just soaking it all in." — QB Aaron Brooks.
On the defensive line, Washington's absence is the most notable change. He will likely be replaced by Tommy Kelly, who began playing more tackle than end last season.
Kelly figures to rotate with ex-Seahawk Rashad Moore and Terdell Sands, whose play late last season may have given the Raiders the impetus they needed to jettison the highly-paid Washington.
The Raiders will watch Warren Sapp, coming off rotator cuff surgery, very closely. Sapp, who was a non-factor in 2004, showed flashes of his Tampa Bay form last season before being injured.
Derrick Burgess, who led the NFL in sacks with 16, could get additional help outside from Lance Johnstone, a situational pass rusher. The Raiders also moved Tyler Brayton back to defensive end, where he is currently starting over veteran Bobby Hamilton.
The Raiders got an infusion of youth at linebacker with the drafting of Thomas Howard (second round) and Darnell Bing (fourth round), the latter a converted safety from Southern California. In case they don't develop as quickly as hoped, veteran Robert Thomas, a former first-round pick, was added as a free agent.
Also returning is outside linebacker Sam Williams, a third-round draft pick in 2003 whose career has been derailed by serious shoulder and knee injuries. Williams won the starting job in training camp last season before being injured.
The biggest change in the secondary is strong safety Michael Huff, who will immediately start alongside free safety Stuart Schweigert. But from down to down, Huff could be anywhere — covering the slot receiver as a corner, playing in the box against the run, or even blitzing on occasion.
His role will be similar to that of the departed Charles Woodson, who left as a free agent. The Raiders were gradually working Woodson into a jack-of-all-trades role, but got only 19 games out of him the past two years because of injury.
Third-year cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and second-year man Fabian Washington will start at cornerback, but the Raiders got depth and some help in extra defensive back situations with the addition of New England castoffs Duane Starks and Tyrone Poole. They will probably be happy if one of the two has enough gas left in the tank to lend a steadying hand in the backfield.
NOTES, QUOTES
—Quarterback Aaron Brooks professes no worries regarding his ability to satisfy three ultra-talented but moody receivers in Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry.
"My relationship with my receivers has always been a very tight, close-knit relationship," Brooks said. "I've never had problems with my receivers. They do what they're supposed to do and I try and get them the ball. I'm pretty good with players and wonderful with coaches."
—There has long been talk that Art Shell's first tenure as Raiders head coach was undermined by some assistants who had designs on getting him fired.
When Shell was let go, assistant Mike White took over. At a recent Raiders' charity event, Raiders defensive backs coach Willie Brown hinted Shell didn't get what he deserved the first time around.
"Art is coming back with a different attitude than he had," Brown said. "That was his first coaching job. I am not sure all the people around him worked hard enough for him."
—Kevin McMahan thoroughly enjoyed the festivities in his honor as the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2006 NFL Draft, earning gifts such as a $1,500 watch, a PlayStation portable and a laptop computer. His mother and grandmother also received gifts simply because McMahan was the final pick of the draft.
In complimenting Newport Beach, McMahan, a wide receiver from Maine and a native of Rochester, N.Y., also inadvertently took a shot at the home of his new team.
"Everybody is so nice," McMahan said. "It's almost weird being around so many nice people. California is a lot different than what I thought. All I had experienced of California was Oakland. That's not what California is like."
—Randy Moss has a new clothing line, and now Warren Sapp is hoping to set himself up for the future if his surgically repaired shoulder does not respond. It also appears Sapp has hired a P.R. form which can match him bluster for bluster.
Referring to a string of "HipHopSoda Shops" in Central Florida and Jacksonville, the H3 Enterprises release stated the shops would "combine the urban swell of the hip-hop music, Pro-Ball, healthy fast food, CyberSports, merchandising and pre-downloadable cash-cards into the hottest phenomena since the cultural revolution of Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe and Starbucks."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't know if people realize what it is like for a player to come in from another organization and be part of the Raider Nation. I'm just soaking it all in." — QB Aaron Brooks.
