By Paul Wexler
RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer
An unexpected turning point in the history of the Raiders occurred over the past three days during the course of the 2010 NFL Draft.
If you blinked and missed it here are the highlights …
The Raiders handled the draft with skill and finesse. They picked quality players at areas of need without reaching for them, even trading down to gain additional picks.
The Raiders likely will start three new linebackers next season. They used their first-round pick on Alabama middle linebacker Rolando McClain, who will start at middle linebacker. McClain will be joined by new strong-side linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, acquired prior to the draft via a trade with the Cleveland Browns for a third-round pick, and third-year player Trevor Scott on the weak-side.
Raiders veteran middle linebacker Kirk Morrison was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars despite leading the team in tackles for the last five seasons. Morrison just didn’t fit into the Raiders plans after the they acquired McClain in the first round. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis phoned Morrison soon after the trade and thanked him for all he had done during his time with the Raiders.
The offensive line was addressed with not one but two tackles – Hillsdale (Mich.) left tackle Jared Veldheer in the third round and Maryland left tackle Bruce Campbell in the fourth. Many “so-called” experts had the Raiders using the No. 8 pick on Campbell based upon his combine workouts and his potential to become an elite left tackle, but the Raiders were patient and Campbell was available in the fourth round, where he was a solid pick at a fraction of the cost.
Then the stunner: the Raiders traded a 2012 fourth-round pick to the Washington Redskins for new starting quarterback Jason Campbell. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell is as good as gone. No other team is going to take a 290-pound quarterback who is making $9.45 million this season so that he can compete for a backup job he has almost no chance of winning. Russell can be cut for the paltry sum of $3 million. That is a lot of comfort food.
All of a sudden, the Raiders have a fighting chance.
Let’s face facts, four days ago it looked like another 4-12 season on the horizon. It felt as if Davis was going to force another year of Russell upon the fans. Russell has been so bad in his three seasons that the fans are staying away from games in droves. He lost more than the fans last season. He lost coach Tom Cable, his teammates and his strongest ally, Davis. Another season with him behind center and there would have been more people one the field than in the stands come game days at the Oakland Coliseum.
Past draft history had the Raiders reaching for skill players and worshiping speed over the ability to play football. There was little reason to believe this year was going to be any different.
The only move of any consequence this offseason was to bring in a pass rushing defensive end/linebacker, Wimbley. Quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive tackle all had been ignored, for the most part.
Now, there is hope.
Start with the major upgrade at quarterback. Jason Campbell threw for 20 touchdowns last season, Russell three in nine starts and 12 games. Campbell’s 86.4 passer rating was much higher than Russell’s 50.0, the lowest in the league in 11 years.
The run defense has been addressed on both the defensive line, with Lamarr Houston, the linebackers, and especially the addition of McClain.
Rookie tackles do not usually come in and dominate, but the addition of two very talented tackles can be seen only as the start of something great for Raiders offensive line.
The offensive line has been a patchwork group of has-beens, never-weres and Robert Gallery. But now, through the draft the Raiders have pumped some fresh, young talent into the line. For once, the offensive line could get better as the year grinds on and the rookies get acclimated to life in the NFL.
Just so you don’t think aliens have come down and taken over Davis, the Raiders did take wide receiver Jacoby Ford in the fourth round.
Ford may not catch the ball very well, but he is fast. He may be the fastest Raider on the team, and that is saying something. In high school, Ford reportedly ran a 4.12 40-yard dash. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran the fastest time of anyone in 4.28. Oddly, the scouting reports say the speed does not translate from the track to the football field.
Every year at this time, Raiders fans have hope, but most of the time it is based upon lack of information or just blind loyalty. This year is different. The Raiders have made the right moves to get better and improve their foundation. They have stopped sitting around hoping players would magically turn into Hall of Famers and started demanding production. This could be the weekend the Raiders turned the corner. It certainly was their best effort in years.
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