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Yes we need another WR. Unless of course the new passing coach can work in over 250 yards of passing per game for Russell.

I'm all for a couple of younger OL's, (with mentoring for one from Gallery), and maybe a smarter veteran safety.

We'll see what the new coaching staff, and the new draft and trades bring to the team.

I agree that Schilens and Higgins looked good when finally given the chance. There are also Shields, Watkins and Holland in the mix. Shields is apparently an explosive deep threat and Watkins impressed in camp last year as did Holland the year before that. Like always these kids won't do anything if never given the opportunity. Hopefully they can come back from the injuries. Maybe it's time to drop the old and injured and unproductive (and over paid!) and go with the youth.

We should draft a WR if there is a can't miss available at some point in the draft or if it appears that the injuries to the young WRs are serious enough that they won't be back, but otherwise I wouldn't make it a priority; I'd prefer to rebuild the D.

QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 08:26 AM ET  02.15 by xville

Yes we need another WR. Unless of course the new passing coach can work in over 250 yards of passing per game for Russell.I'm all for a couple of younger OL's, (with mentoring for one from Gallery), and maybe a smarter veteran safety.We'll see what the new coaching staff, and the new draft and trades bring to the team.

I really hope Rashad Baker is re-signed for our starting FS. I think the biggest need on D is a runstuffing NT to start longside Tommy Kelly. Another LB wouldn't hurt either.

I don't think Lelie will be brought back and Curry may be cut or traded. I'll bet if Higgins and Schilens get the work in with the 1st team in camp, then Russell can pass for 250 yards per game. Our biggest problem in the passing game has been WRs dropping passes, but that was one thing Schilens didn't do. Higgins came alive when he became the vet or our WR corps last year and I think that if our young guys can pick up where they left off last year, then we'll have a hell of a team this year.

You need one, but you won't get one. At least not from the draft. All the mocks keep putting Maclin to the Raiders at #7, but it's been 20 years since Al Davis has taken a receiver in the first round. Expect them to go OT, or if Jenkins is still there, CB to replace the free agent loss.

I honestly see the Raiders trying to make a deal for Housh in the off-season. I bet they wish they had a top pick, because I guarantee they would go for Crabtree.

another wr,i wasnt aware the raiders even had one!

sorry guys coudl help it. seriously, i didnt watch the raiders that much but jl higgins looked good at the end of the season. houshmanzada i think will be overpaid by someone and underperform next season

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 07:24 PM ET  02.15 by smartestmanalive

another wr,i wasnt aware the raiders even had one! sorry guys coudl help it. seriously, i didnt watch the raiders that much but jl higgins looked good at the end of the season. houshmanzada i think will be overpaid by someone and underperform next season

Probably, but I don't see him getting paid a lot and then playing like crap like Bernard Berrian.

Wide Receiver! Oh hell no.Unless Crabtree or one of the very good tackles are a dt or a linebacker should be the pick.I think there will be an early run on tackles so maybe Crabtree falls but anybody that saw him play knows that won't happen,Maclin is fast but not a 7th pick with all the good linebackers on the board the defense is just a few players away from being very good.Ok forget that, I forgot Big Al is still in charge, Maclin is the pick.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 07:24 PM ET  02.15 by smartestmanalive

another wr,i wasnt aware the raiders even had one! sorry guys coudl help it. seriously, i didnt watch the raiders that much but jl higgins looked good at the end of the season. houshmanzada i think will be overpaid by someone and underperform next season

Crabtree would help.

Higgins huh?

I guess I just didn't see it. He seems more of a runback threat, because he obviously has deep field vision.

Not all of those returners are Tim Browns, and I'd hate to see us wear out a proven weapon because he doesn't understand he's more valuable where he's at.

It's a delicate matter, because he may pan out, or he may get worn out, like Sanders did in Dallas.

Al will want somebody who can get under those deep balls with some speed.

Maclin.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 06:42 AM ET  02.16 by xville

Al will want somebody who can get under those deep balls with some speed.Maclin.

If he did want Maclin, and he doesn't, he should trade down in the round to get an extra pick, and still get Maclin, but at a better price. But again, that's trying to put logic in a place that defies logic--Al Davis' mind.

Yes. Yes they do. Of course, that doesn't mean reaching for one in the draft, or drafting WR at the expense of other needy positions. But from an outsiders perspective neither Schilens nor Higgins would start on any other team in the NFL. Oakland needs WR's bad. Walker will never be the same as he was in Green Bay, Lelie had one good year in Denver but is a total bum, and Curry was given every opportunity to succed, and flopped. It's a unit in serious need of an upgrade.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 10:02 AM ET  02.16 by The Ram

But from an outsiders perspective neither Schilens nor Higgins would start on any other team in the NFL.

That's not entirely fair seeing that Schilens didn't start for us either until the very late in the season. How do you judge a receiver that has barely had a chance? Certainly not by the fact that the QB either doesn't have time to throw or misses when he does all too often.

I tend to agree with lurker,Schilens looked good in his limited playing time and johnny lee was coming on in the end.That being said a quality OT,DT or LB should be the 1st pick unless Crabtree is there.With MIller,Schilens,Johnny Lee and Macfadden being pretty fair receivers offensive line should 1st priority .If The Raiders can control the ball and keep the defense off the field long enough to catch it's collective breath this would be at least 8-8 team when you think about the AFC west.

Whats with all the wr talk? Does anyone remember the run d? Holy **** man! Change the d scheme to a 3-4 draft an OLB, Slap Nnamb.... Cuz you know they will..(franchise tag).. See If they cant get a big DT free agent..(Probably not likely) Cut thier loses with Sands, Kelly and on offense LT Harris.. (Who was straight garbage by the way) And then work on the WR core.

Think about all the really good, consistent WR that came out of the draft late..or undrafted. There can be value in the late round picks.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 02:08 PM ET  02.17 by Lawfirm5253

Whats with all the wr talk? Does anyone remember the run d? Holy **** man! Change the d scheme to a 3-4 draft an OLB, Slap Nnamb.... Cuz you know they will..(franchise tag).. See If they cant get a big DT free agent..(Probably not likely) Cut thier loses with Sands, Kelly and on offense LT Harris.. (Who was straight garbage by the way) And then work on the WR core.

That is why I asked all of you if we really needed another WR. I am insisting that we should focus on the OL and DL unless Crabtree is available to us (which I doubt). This draft is full of good OL and DL so I think it would be wise to grab some of them. Some say that it is deep at WR too, but OL and DL are bigger issues for us right now. Most of our young WRs still have potential; they just haven't been given a chance.
We **** up on D in 2004 when we brought in Warren Sapp (a 4-3 DT) at an overpaid price the same year we brought in Rob Ryan (who initially implemented a 3-4) scheme. Sapp sucked in it, but Tommy Kelly (who was an undrafted rookie that lead us in sacks that year) Ted Washington, Bobby Hamilton, played well in it as our front 3. Tyler Brayton played well as an OLB in that scheme and Danny Clark and Napolean Harris did well as the ILBs; leaving a a void at the other OLB. Then in 2005 we **** up again by trading Harris AND #7 overall for Randy Moss. Moss refused to play well for us and now we had 2 voids in the LB core and only filled 1 (by drafting Morrison to replace the traded Harris). We could've used the #7 overall on a future all pro named Demarcus Ware (who went to the Cowboys) or another one named Shawn Merriman (who went to the Chargers) both who currently suceed in 3-4 schemes at OLB. Al Davis fell in love with Ryan because Ryan switched to a 4-3 and so that Sapp would play better rather than saying Sapp needs to go because he doesn't fit the scheme, but we really sucked against the run. Had we stuck to the 3-4 and not made the mistakes with Warren Sapp and Randy Moss, I don't think we would be in the defensive pickle we are in. Now we might as well stick to a 4-3 but we either need a solid runstuffing NT to start long side Kelly and rotate Warren in on passing downs, or get a bigger (Greg Biekert type) MLB and move Morrison to the SLB and start both Kelly and Warren in 3 techniques.

QUOTE(#17):

Originally posted 02:10 PM ET  02.17 by Lawfirm5253

Think about all the really good, consistent WR that came out of the draft late..or undrafted. There can be value in the late round picks.

That is what I was seeing in Chaz Schilens at the end of the season. I'm still having a hard time figuring out what our biggest issue in the passing game was the line not giving Russell enough time or the WRs not getting open. When Schilens and Higgins became the starting WRs I noticed that they were getting open quicker and Russell was able to get them the ball. At the same time on the OL Henderson replaced Harris at LT and was never penalized for anything and seemed to hold his blocks longer. Green was still an issue at RT for both penalties and performance and Carlisle was slowing down at RG. Pretty much what I saw was that when the youth came in, we had a vastly better football team, so I say replace Green and Carlisle with youth and bring in a youthful solid runstuffing DT to start long side Kelly. Trade Fargas and Burgess for more picks if you can. Burgess is not the all pro he once was and Fargas has McFadden and Bush in his shadow waiting to emerge; plus both are serious injury risks now.

QUOTE(#19):

Originally posted 05:30 PM ET  02.17 by TexasRaider

I'm still having a hard time figuring out what our biggest issue in the passing game was the line not giving Russell enough time or the WRs not getting open.

Both of those, plus JR being terribly innaccurate all to often even when he did have time and receivers were open. I certainly hope he improves that part of his game by a big margin, otherwise we're stuck with another Leftwich type - big, super arm and mediocre.

I think upgrading the DTs and LBs are the real key to improvement next year.