DRAFT REPORT: MARYLAND OT BRUCE CAMPBELL

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

By Paul Wexler
RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer

Many so-called draft experts are projecting the Oakland Raiders to draft Maryland offensive tackle Bruce Campbell with the eight overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Campbell did nothing in his college career to warrant being drafted within the first few rounds of the draft that begins April 22. He basically was a one-year starter who endured injury problems. He started only 17 games in his entire Maryland career.

But Bruce Campbell is a workout warrior, an athletic, 6-foot-7 and 314 pounder who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.75 seconds and has a 32-inch vertical leap.

Raiders managing general partner Al Davis long has coveted speed and size, but he has been burned by both in recent drafts. On film, Campbell grades out to the second round of the draft. Taking Campbell any higher than that would be based purely on his unrealized potential.
Campbell has elite measurables but still is a project. He isn’t ready to be a starting left tackle in the NFL today. He has to improve on his footwork and technique and there are questions about his toughness and intelligence.
Should the Raiders pass on Campbell, they should have several other much more polished players to choose from among offensive tackles at No. 8.

Depending upon how the draft plays out, Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung , Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga or Oklahoma’s Trent Williams could be available at No. 8. All three players have had more distinguished college careers and are expected to excel at the next level, whereas Campbell is a gamble.

Tags: 2010 NFL Draft, Bruce Campbell, Bryan Bulaga, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raidersbeat.com, Russell Okung, Trent Williams
Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments »

RAIDERS GAMES NO LONGER ON KSFO, MOVE TO KITS, KFRC

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Here is the press release announcing the Raiders signing on with a new radio station in the Bay Area after their relationship with KSFO 560-AM ended:

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CBS RADIO’S LIVE 105 (105.3 KITS-FM) TO SERVE AS OAKLAND RAIDERS FLAGSHIP RADIO PLAY-BY-PLAY OUTLET IN THE BAY AREA

KFRC-AM 1550 To Simulcast Coverage And Offer Listeners

Expanded Pre-Game And Post-Game Programming

The Oakland Raiders announced today a multi-year agreement for CBS RADIO San Francisco’s LIVE 105 (105.3 KITS-FM)to broadcast play-by-play coverage of the team’s pre-season, regular season and post-season games. Listeners can hear the games on-air and in HD quality through HD Radio receivers in the Bay Area.

In addition to LIVE 105’s coverage, CBS RADIO San Francisco’s KFRC-AM 1550 will simulcast the games. The station will offer listeners a wealth of Raiders related content, including extensive pre and post game programming designed to both entertain and engage the Raider Nation.

This exclusive agreement was negotiated by Compass Media Networks owner and syndicator of the broadcast rights for all Oakland Raiders English language broadcasts.

“The Raider Organization is delighted to announce an exciting new relationship with Compass Media Networks, pursuant to which Raider games will be broadcast in the Bay Area on KFRC 1550 AM and KITS Live 105 FM, as well as a broad affiliate network in California and beyond,” said Oakland Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask.

“The Oakland Raiders have a tremendous heritage and brand in our community,” said Doug Harvill, Senior Vice President & Market Manager for CBS RADIO San Francisco. “Adding the Oakland Raiders football games to our lineup is a natural fit and a powerful attraction to LIVE 105’s rock audience and KFRC’s oldies fans. We are thrilled to become even more local in our already successful effort to attract and entertain Bay Area listeners.”

“We are honored to work with the Oakland Raiders and CBS RADIO,” said Peter Kosann, Chief Executive Officer of Compass Media Networks. “Our goal is to significantly increase the number of stations carrying Raiders football. This announcement is just the beginning.”

Tags: KFRC-AM, KITS-FM, Raider Beat, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raiders radio, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments »

RAIDERS PRESS RELEASE ON EXHIBITION GAMES

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

THE OAKLAND RAIDERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 2010

RAIDERS KICK OFF 2010 PRESEASON AT DALLAS; FINAL TWO GAMES AT HOME

The Oakland Raiders, The Team of the Decades, kick off the franchise’s 51st season of professional football competition with four preseason games, including the final two contests at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Silver and Black open the preseason schedule versus the Cowboys at Dallas in Week 1 (August 12-16) action and travel to face the Chicago Bears (August 19-23) in Week 2. The Raiders begin the 2010 home schedule against the San Francisco 49ers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Week 3 (August 26-29) before wrapping up the preseason slate against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4 (September 2-3). The Raiders and the Cowboys have met 26 times in the preseason with the Silver and Black holding a 17-9-0 all-time mark against Dallas, including last year’s 31-10 Raider victory in Oakland. The Raiders will face the Bears in the preseason for the just the ninth time overall and the first time at Soldier Field since 1990. The Raiders last played the Bears in Chicago during the 2003 regular season. Oakland will meet San Francisco in the preseason for the 10th straight year and the 38th time overall, with the Silver and Black holding a 19-18-0 advantage in the all-time series. The teams last met in Oakland during the 2008 preseason, with the Raiders posting an 18-6 win. In the preseason finale, former AFC West foe Seattle will visit the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for the first time since the 2002 regular season opener. Dates and times for the remaining 2010 regular season games will be announced by the NFL in April. Preseason dates and times will also be announced at a later date. Oakland Raiders 2010 Season Tickets are on sale now. Fans may call 1-800-RAIDERS to speak with a sales representative or log on to www.raiders.com/tickets for more information.

RAIDERS 2010 REGULAR SEASON HOME OPPONENTS: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Seattle and St. Louis.

RAIDERS 2010 REGULAR SEASON AWAY OPPONENTS: Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Arizona, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Tennessee.

OAKLAND RAIDERS 2010 PRESEASON SCHEDULE: August 12-16 at Dallas Time TBA August 19-23 at Chicago Time TBA August 26-29 SAN FRANCISCO Time TBA September 2-3 SEATTLE Time TBA

Tags: 2010 exhibition schedule, Raider Beat, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raiders preseason schedule, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments »

BREAKOUT OF RAIDERS EXHIBITION GAMES

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Here is a quick look at the Raiders four exhibition games. The exact dates and times won’t be released until later this offseason:
Aug. 12-16 — Raiders at Dallas Cowboys
Aug. 19-23 — Raiders at Chicago Bears
Aug. 26-29 — San Francisco 49ers at Raiders
Sept. 2-3 — Seattle Seahawks at Raiders

Tags: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders exhibition games, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments »

RAIDERS EXHIBITION GAMES ANNOUNCED

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

65-GAME PRESEASON SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED;

NATIONAL TV GAMES FEATURE EVERY 2009 PLAYOFF TEAM

The NFL’s slate of 11 nationally televised preseason games will feature the entire 2009 playoff field, one of the highlights of the 65-game 2010 NFL preseason schedule announced today.

Two of those clubs – the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys – will kick off the preseason in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, August 8 (NBC, 8:00 PM ET) in Canton, Ohio.

The New Meadowlands Stadium will open in primetime on Monday, August 16 (ESPN, 8:00 PM ET), when the New York Jets host the New York Giants in the first game at the teams’ new stadium.

The Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints will be showcased on national TV when the club faces the AFC West champion San Diego Chargers at the Louisiana Superdome on Friday, August 27 (CBS, 8:00 PM ET).

Following is the complete 2010 NFL preseason national TV schedule:

The Raiders open with road games against the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears before returning to the Oakland Coliseum for games against the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawaks.

2010 NFL PRESEASON NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE

(All times Eastern)

DATE	GAME	NETWORK (TIME)

Sunday, August 8	Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, OH: Cincinnati vs. Dallas	NBC (8:00 PM)


Preseason Week 1 (August 12-16)

Thursday, August 12	Carolina at Baltimore	ESPN (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 16	NY Giants at NY Jets	ESPN (8:00 PM)


Preseason Week 2 (August 19-23)

Thursday, August 19	New England at Atlanta	FOX (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 20	Philadelphia at Cincinnati	FOX (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 22	Minnesota at San Francisco	NBC (8:00 PM)
Monday, August 23	Arizona at Tennessee	ESPN (8:00 PM)


Preseason Week 3 (August 26-29)

Thursday, August 26	Indianapolis at Green Bay	ESPN (8:00 PM)
Friday, August 27	San Diego at New Orleans	CBS (8:00 PM)
Saturday, August 28	Dallas at Houston	CBS (8:00 PM)
Sunday, August 29	Pittsburgh at Denver	FOX (8:00 PM)

2010 PRESEASON WEEK-BY-WEEK SCHEDULE

HALL OF FAME GAME – AUGUST 8

Cincinnati vs. Dallas (NBC)

WEEK 1 – AUGUST 12-16

Carolina at Baltimore (ESPN, 8/12)

NY Giants at NY Jets (ESPN, 8/16)

Buffalo at Washington

Chicago at San Diego

Cleveland at Green Bay

Denver at Cincinnati

Detroit at Pittsburgh

Houston at Arizona

Jacksonville at Philadelphia

Kansas City at Atlanta

Minnesota at St. Louis

New Orleans at New England

Oakland at Dallas

San Francisco at Indianapolis

Tennessee at Seattle

Tampa Bay at Miami

WEEK 2 – AUGUST 19-23

New England at Atlanta (FOX, 8/19)

Philadelphia at Cincinnati (FOX, 8/20)

Minnesota at San Francisco (NBC, 8/22)

Arizona at Tennessee (ESPN, 8/23)

Baltimore at Washington

Dallas at San Diego

Detroit at Denver

Green Bay at Seattle

Houston at New Orleans

Indianapolis at Buffalo (Toronto)

Kansas City at Tampa Bay

Miami at Jacksonville

NY Jets at Carolina

Oakland at Chicago

Pittsburgh at NY Giants

St. Louis at Cleveland

WEEK 3 – AUGUST 26-29

Indianapolis at Green Bay (ESPN, 8/26)

San Diego at New Orleans (CBS, 8/27)

Dallas at Houston (CBS, 8/28)

Pittsburgh at Denver (FOX, 8/29)

Arizona at Chicago

Atlanta at Miami

Cincinnati at Buffalo

Cleveland at Detroit

Jacksonville at Tampa Bay

NY Giants at Baltimore

Philadelphia at Kansas City

St. Louis at New England

San Francisco at Oakland

Seattle at Minnesota

Tennessee at Carolina

Washington at NY Jets

WEEK 4 – SEPTEMBER 2-3

Atlanta at Jacksonville

Baltimore at St. Louis

Buffalo at Detroit

Carolina at Pittsburgh

Chicago at Cleveland

Cincinnati at Indianapolis

Denver at Minnesota

Green Bay at Kansas City

Miami at Dallas

New England at NY Giants

New Orleans at Tennessee

NY Jets at Philadelphia

San Diego at San Francisco

Seattle at Oakland

Tampa Bay at Houston

Washington at Arizona

2010 PRESEASON TEAM-BY-TEAM SCHEDULE

AFC

Buffalo Miami New England NY Jets

at Washington Tampa Bay New Orleans NY Giants (ESPN)

Indianapolis (Toronto) at Jacksonville at Atlanta (FOX) at Carolina

Cincinnati Atlanta St. Louis Washington

at Detroit at Dallas at NY Giants at Philadelphia

Baltimore Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh

Carolina (ESPN) vs. Dallas* (NBC) at Green Bay Detroit

at Washington Denver St. Louis at NY Giants

NY Giants Philadelphia (FOX) at Detroit at Denver (FOX)

at St. Louis at Buffalo Chicago Carolina

at Indianapolis

Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Tennessee

at Arizona San Francisco at Philadelphia at Seattle

at New Orleans at Buffalo (Toronto) Miami Arizona (ESPN)

Dallas (CBS) at Green Bay (ESPN) at Tampa Bay at Carolina

Tampa Bay Cincinnati Atlanta New Orleans

Denver Kansas City Oakland San Diego

at Cincinnati at Atlanta at Dallas Chicago

Detroit at Tampa Bay at Chicago Dallas

Pittsburgh (FOX) Philadelphia San Francisco at New Orleans (CBS)

at Minnesota Green Bay Seattle at San Francisco

NFC

Dallas NY Giants Philadelphia Washington

vs. Cincinnati* (NBC) at NY Jets (ESPN) Jacksonville Buffalo

Oakland Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (FOX) Baltimore

at San Diego at Baltimore at Kansas City at NY Jets

at Houston (CBS) New England NY Jets at Arizona

Miami

Chicago Detroit Green Bay Minnesota

at San Diego at Pittsburgh Cleveland at St. Louis

Oakland at Denver at Seattle at San Francisco (NBC)

Arizona Cleveland Indianapolis (ESPN) Seattle

at Cleveland Buffalo at Kansas City Denver

Atlanta Carolina New Orleans Tampa Bay

Kansas City at Baltimore (ESPN) at New England at Miami

New England (FOX) NY Jets Houston Kansas City

at Miami Tennessee San Diego (CBS) Jacksonville

at Jacksonville at Pittsburgh at Tennessee at Houston

Arizona St. Louis San Francisco Seattle

Houston Minnesota at Indianapolis Tennessee

at Tennessee (ESPN) at Cleveland Minnesota (NBC) Green Bay

at Chicago at New England at Oakland at Minnesota

Washington Baltimore San Diego at Oakland

*Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Canton, OH

Tags: 2010 NFL exhibition games, Raider Beat, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments »

RUSSELL BACK IN LAS VEGAS FOR A LITTLE FUN

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Not sure what this means, but it’s worth viewing and filing away as the JaMarcus Russell sags plays out in Oakland. TMZ.com posted several hazy photos of Russell in Las Vegas, where he supposedly was at a Jay-Z concert just before playing some craps. None of those activities are illegal and a breach of Russell’s NFL contract.

And, remember, coach Tom Cable said Russell is doing what he’s supposed to be doing this offseason, so we shouldn’t be too critical. Russell also was spotted in Las Vegas two days after the season ended, even though Cable said he was excused from attending the team meeting the day after the season ended.

Here’s the link: http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/31/nfl-qb-jamarcus-russell-oakland-raiders-las-vegas-the-palms/

Tags: JaMarcus Russell, Las Vegas, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raidersbeat.com, TMZ.com, Tom Cable
Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments »

RAIDERS SHOULD PAUSE BEFORE TRADING FOR MCNABB

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

By Paul Wexler

RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer

Several sources, including ESPN, are reporting that the Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles are discussing a trade involving quarterback Donovan McNabb. The rationale goes, the veteran quarterback would come in and stabilize a position that has been in constant turmoil since Rich Gannon retired after the 2004 season.

McNabb, 33, is the Eagles all-time leader in wins, pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards and touchdowns. The Eagles are looking to the future with Kevin Kolb, and McNabb and his $11.2 million contract have become expendable.

McNabb is a giant step up in everything from Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, but so is Bruce Gradkowski and just about any other quarterback currently in the league. The argument is not whether Gradkowski is as good as McNabb. With all due respect, McNabb has guided the Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl.

The argument is that, behind the Raiders offensive line, McNabb would struggle to achieve much more than Gradkowski can.

The Raiders aren’t ready to just plug in a quarterback and reap the dividends. Besides, the argument can be made that the quarterback position is the easiest piece of the puzzle to fill. Every year, a top veteran is pushed aside to make way for the future.

Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, to name a few, became available in recent years for the same reason that McNabb is available now.

Left offensive tackles, on the other hand, rarely hit the open market. For this reason, the Raiders need to draft some tackles. They cannot continue to waste high-round draft picks on players that fail to produce. Once an offensive line is in place, then a talented quarterback has the time to read a defense and display his skills.

A solid offensive line also would allow the Raiders to judge running backs Darren McFadden and Michael Bush once and for all. It has been difficult to judge their effectiveness under the current circumstances. Poor offensive line play, combined with poor quarterback play, has led to most teams stacking the line of scrimmage against the run, thereby making it more difficult to find an opening.

Wide receiver is another position that has not improved for the Raiders since Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Jerry Porter left town. There is no reason to waste the money and a high draft pick if McNabb is going to be forced to throw to Darrius Heyward-Bey on a regular basis.

The Raiders may not have given up on Heyward-Bey because they used the No. 7 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft on him. The speedy receiver that can’t catch is going to make it very difficult for new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to get more scoring out of his offense as long as Heyward-Bey is on the field as a primary receiver.

If the Raiders can fix some of the problems on the line and at receiver, then trading for McNabb makes some sense. Maybe he comes in, like Gannon, and leads the team back to the playoffs, or at least to six wins. But if McNabb is all that changes on the offense, don’t waste the money and the pick. Gradkowski will get you just as far.

Tags: Bruce Gradkowski, Darren McFadden, Donovan McNabb, Hue Jackson, JaMarcus Russell, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raidersbeat, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 28 Comments »

EAGLES OFFICIAL DENIES RAIDERS BEING ‘LEADER’ FOR MCNABB

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

One day after an ESPN report said the Raiders are the “leader” in the Donovan McNabb Sweepstakes, another ESPN report quoted an unnamed Philadelphia Eagles senior official as saying no team has emerged as the clear-cut favorite for the veteran quarterback.

“There is no so-called front-runner,” the senior team official told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio. “We continue to engage in conversations with multiple teams that initially contacted us. Some of the offers involve draft picks, some involve a player, some involve many players. We are evaluating the offers. But if some team had totally blown us away, we would probably have made a deal already.”

It was ESPN’s Adam Schefter who painted a picture of the Raiders being the leading candidate in a potential trade for McNabb. This just goes to show that no one really knows what is going on in regard to the Eagles and their supposed desire to dump McNabb and his $11.2 million contract for 2010.

The Oakland Tribune has reported several times that Raiders employees say the team has not even contacted the Eagles about McNabb. The Raiders aren’t allowed to comment on the record about McNabb or any other player under contract to another team.

Paolantonio added that the discussions about trading McNabb are ongoing and that the talks might last until the NFL Draft begins April 22. The Eagles also reportedly are receiving numerous inquiries about trading backup quarterback Kevin Kolb, but aren’t listening to any proposals for No. 3 quarterback Michael Vick.

Tags: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, Raider Beat, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raidersbeat, Raidersbeat.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

SAFETY EUGENE SIGNS TENDER

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

By Paul Wexler

RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer

Safety Hiram Eugene signed his restricted free agent tender Tuesday. This leaves only linebackers Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard and cornerback Stanford Routt as the restricted free agents offered one-year tenders who have yet to sign.

Eugene, an undrafted free agent from Louisiana Tech, signed with the Raiders in 2006. He played in 14 games in 2009, starting four, recording 38 solo tackles and one interception.

Tags: Hiram Eugene, Kirk Morrison, Paul Wexler, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, safety, Stanford Routt, tender, Thomas Howard, Wex
Posted in Uncategorized | 22 Comments »

PFT.COM MAKES COMPELLING CASE FOR RAIDERS TARGETING MCNABB

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

ProFootballTalk.com stepped back from its fast-and-furious pace of posting any and everything that pertains to NFL teams and produced an interesting 3-minute segment about the possible root of the Raiders interest in acquiring Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

PFT.com founder Mike Florio opines that the Raiders are in this current mess where they might feel compelled to trade for McNabb because of their past three drafts, when they used their first-round picks on quarterback JaMarcus Russell, running back Darren McFadden and wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Florio reasons that the Raiders hoped to secure their version of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith, or Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Edgerrin James by drafting Russell, McFadden and Heyward-Bey. The fact the Raiders offensive trio hasn’t come close to matching the production of the Colts and Cowboys trio has forced the Raiders to look elsewhere for a quarterback.

Here’s the link, it’s worth watching: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/30/pft-daily-anti-triplets-force-raiders-to-pursue-mcnabb/

Tags: Darren McFadden, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Donovan McNabb, JaMarcus Russell, Peyton Manning, PFT.com, Raider Beat, Raider beat.com, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat.com, Raidersbeat
Posted in Uncategorized | 38 Comments »

RAIDERS CONTEMPLATE TRADE FOR NO. 8 DRAFT PICK

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

A blog post on the San Francisco Chronicle says another team has offered the Raiders a second-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft and a first-rounder in the 2011 NFL Draft in exchange for the Raiders first-round draft pick this year, the No. 8 selection overall.

The post doesn’t mention the team in question. It might be a moot point anyway because Raiders managing general partner Al Davis covets his first-round picks the way Brett Favre covets media speculation surrounding his NFL future.

The Raiders traded away their 2011 first-round pick to the New England Patriots for defensive lineman Richard Seymour just before last season. Davis also traded away his first-round pick in 2005 so that he could acquire wide receive Randy Moss from the Minnesota Vikings.

Still, this doesn’t make sense because of two primary reasons: Davis wants to win right now, and he doesn’t put much stock in the future; and this year is considered a strong draft, and Davis wants in on the action.

Overall, the Raiders have eight picks in this year’s draft — a first, a second, a third, a fourth, two fifths and two sevenths. Any trades Davis makes likely would involve the Raiders moving up in the first, second or third round and down in the latter rounds.

The Chronicle also said that another unnamed team has offered to swap spots in the first round with the Raiders. It doesn’t say if the Raiders would be moving up or down, but Davis has a long history of moving up in the first round, not down.

Tags: 2010 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Draft, Al Davis, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders beat, Raidersbeat, Randy Moss
Posted in Uncategorized | 28 Comments »

ESPN SAYS RAIDERS ‘LEADER’ IN MCNABB SWEEPSTAKES

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

The reporter the Raiders once referred to as a rumor-mongerer said Monday that the Raiders are the leader in the supposed race to take quarterback Donovan McNabb off the Philadelphia Eagles hands.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that league sources confided in him that the Raiders have surged to the head of the pack in the quest to snare McNabb because of their willingness to pony up the compensation desired by the Eagles, their comfort level in taking on a player due $11.2 million next season and their lack of hesitation in trading for a player with only one year left on his contract.

No official word from the Raiders on whether they actually are interested in McNabb or if the Eagles simply are using gullible reporters such as Schefter to create a false market for a player they have little interest in keeping around for a 12th season.

The Oakland Tribune reported that two Raiders employees said their team hasn’t even contacted the Eagles about McNabb. It’s no secret that the McNabb is a more-talented quarterback than JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye, the quarterbacks on the Raiders roster.

The question is, do the Raiders feel as if committing a high-round draft pick and more than $11 million is worth the gamble? If they did so, they also would have to deal with the fallout from making yet another move that signals their lack of confidence in Russell, a player they guaranteed $32 million and used the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NFL Draft on.

It’s possible the Raiders are letting the reports pile up as a means of further stoking the flames under Russell’s backside. It’s also conceivable that the Raiders will wait awhile longer and hope the asking price for McNabb drops even further than a second-rounder, the reported asking price as of now.

An interesting sidenote is that the Raiders beat the McNabb-led Eagles at the Oakland Coliseum early last season, with Russell as the starting quarterback. In that game, the Raiders sacked McNabb six times and held him to a less than half completion percentage.

Tags: Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye, Donovan McNabb, JaMarcus Russell, Philadelphia Eagles, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raiders trade, Raidersbeat
Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments »

YET ANOTHER QB CATCHES RAIDERS EYE

Monday, March 29th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

University of Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton has scheduled a visit with the Raiders in the coming days, Crompton said.

The Raiders already worked out University of Oregon quarterback Sean Canfield in advance of the NFL Draft April 22-24. Canfield is projected as a late-round draftee. Crompton is projected to go after the first round but no later than the fifth round.

More and more, it appears as if the Raiders are going to select a quarterback with one of their eight draft picks next month. Crompton completed 53.8 percent of his passes last season in former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin’s offense. He also had 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Raiders haven’t enjoyed much success with quarterbacks they drafted in recent years. Marques Tuiasosopo turned into a career backup, with only two starts. JaMarcus Russell lost his starting job midway through last season to journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. Andrew Walter failed to develop into a reliable starter before he was cut last training camp.

Crompton also is schueduled to visit the Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tags: Andrew Walter, JaMarcus Russell, Jonathan Crompton, Marques Tuiasosopo, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raidersbeat
Posted in Uncategorized | 28 Comments »

RAIDERS ATTEND QB BRADFORD’S WORKOUT

Monday, March 29th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

Raiders representatives were in Norman, Okla., on Monday to watch Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and other Sooners prospects at their Pro Day.

Judging by the reaction of those who watched Bradford work out, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing for the Raiders to forget about JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye, Donovan McNabb, Sage Rosenfels and whomever else is mentioned as the Raiders quarterback next season and the future.

Long-time NFL executive Gil Brandt said Bradford’s workout “almost left me speechless. And that’s saying something.”

Brandt and the Raiders reps were there in person, along with reps from every team in the NFL. Bradford attempted 63 passes, 50 of which were scripted. None was “uncatchable,” Brandt said.

“He moved around well, including throwing on the run out of the pocket, and went through the entire route tree,” Brandt said on NFL.com. “The scripted workout included three-, five- and seven-step drops, shotgun, and play-action plays, plus sprints and rollouts to both sides.

“It really was a treat to watch, and I think everyone here was in awe of Bradford’s performance. In fact, he put on the best quarterback workout by a draft prospect that I’ve seen since I watched a private workout Troy Aikman put on for us with the Cowboys in California.”

Bradford measured 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds. He also showed no lingering effects from the shoulder injury he sustained early last year in his final collegiate season.

The Raiders hold the No. 8 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Bradford might go as high as No. 1 and likely won’t be around at No. 8.

Tags: Gil Brandt, JaMarcus Russell, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raidersbeat, Sam Bradford
Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments »

RAIDERS WORK OUT PAC-10 QUARTERBACK IN PRIVATE

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Statt Report

The Raiders worked out Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield in private earlier this week, Canfield confirmed.

He is projected as a late-round pick in next month’s NFL Draft. The Raiders just might take a flier on someone such as Canfield in hopes of striking late-round gold, with little risk of winding up holding the bag the way they are with JaMarcus Russell right now.

Canfield, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, has admirable size and talent. He also benefits from playing in a strong conference.

The Raiders have two fifth-round picks, as well as two seventh-rounders.

Canfield’s collegiate passing stats:

YEAR	TEAM	CMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	INT	RAT
2006	ORST	28	45	62.2	335	7.4	2	67	2	130.53
2007	ORST	165	286	57.7	1661	5.8	9	48	15	106.37
2008	ORST	56	84	66.7	703	8.4	6	75	2	155.78
2009	ORST	303	446	67.9	3271	7.3	21	87	7	141.94

YEAR	TEAM	CMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	INT	RAT
2006	ORST	28	45	62.2	335	7.4	2	67	2	130.53
2007	ORST	165	286	57.7	1661	5.8	9	48	15	106.37
2008	ORST	56	84	66.7	703	8.4	6	75	2	155.78
2009	ORST	303	446	67.9	3271	7.3	21	87	7	141.94

YEAR TEAM CMP ATT PCT YDS AVG TD LNG INT RAT
2006 ORST 28 45 62.2 335 7.4 2 67 2 130.53
2007 ORST 165 286 57.7 1661 5.8 9 48 15 106.37
2008 ORST 56 84 66.7 703 8.4 6 75 2 155.78
2009 ORST 303 446 67.9 3271 7.3 21 87 7 141.94

YEAR	TEAM	CMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	AVG	TD	LNG	INT	RAT
2006	ORST	28	45	62.2	335	7.4	2	67	2	130.53
2007	ORST	165	286	57.7	1661	5.8	9	48	15	106.37
2008	ORST	56	84	66.7	703	8.4	6	75	2	155.78
2009	ORST	303	446	67.9	3271	7.3	21	87	7	141.94

Tags: Oregon State, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders, Raidersbeat, Sean Canfield
Posted in Uncategorized | 39 Comments »

RAIDERS INTERESTED IN QB ROSENFELS

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

RaiderBeat.com Staff Report

Occasionally, Mike Lombardi taps into whatever is left of his ties to a Raiders organization that employed him for numerous years and fired him after the 2006 season for some useful, accurate information.

Occasionally, we stress. We’re not sold that his latest attempt to provide Raiders insight, on Sunday saying the Raiders are interested in Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels.

This makes no sense for a Raiders team that already has two journeyman-type quartebacks in Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye who also happen to be younger.

Still, it’s worth mentioning because the Raiders quarterback situation is anything but firm as long as JaMarcus Russell is part of the equation and not showing any signs of making good on his No. 1 selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. When Russell struggles and performs the way he has his first three seasons, even Rosenfels seems likes an upgrade.

Rosenfels, 32, spent all of last season watching the Brett Favre Comeback Season in Minnesota. He last played in 2008 as a member of the Houston Texans. He also has played for the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. He has started 12 games since he joined the NFL in 2001.

Tags: JaMarcus Russell, Raider Beat, RaiderBeat.com, Raiders beat, Raidersbeat, Sage Rosenfels
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