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Believe it or not, the NFL did the Raiders a favor with the 2014 schedule. Sure, it's tough schedule, but the opponents are predetermined. The order matters, but the NFL did everything they could to make it easier on the Raiders. In Week 1, the Raiders travel to the eastern time zone to face the Jets. There was no way to avoid the travel, but playing that game in Week 1 eliminates some of the issues with the early start on the east coast. The Raiders can even get to the east coast a day early if they want. The Raiders have to travel to the east coast, but doing so in Week 1 or after a bye is the ideal time to do it. The Raiders then come home and play what was the worst team in the league last year. Basically, the Raiders got the easiest home opponent on their schedule for their home opener. If the travel hurt the Raiders, at least they will have had a chance to get a win at home. In Week 3, the Raiders head back to the east coast to play the Patriots. It's brutal travel, but i...

Thanks to the great people at Draft Breakdown , I've been able to watch cutups of a lot of draft prospects over the last two years. One thing that has always bothered me is having to trust rankings and player opinions of other people. I don't regularly watch college football, but even if I did, I couldn't possible watch enough to evaluate draft prospects. A guy might jump off the screen, but otherwise you are missing a lot. There is also a big difference between focusing on a single player and watching a game—different things matter. Here is a list of guys I liked a lot last year: Star Lotulelei - My favorite player in the draft. The whole package. Barkevious Mingo - My favorite pass-rusher. Flexibility with room to improve. Sheldon Richardson - Liked him almost as much as Lotulelei. Impact player on every down in college. D.J. Hayden - Didn't get to watch him until late like most people, but he and Xavier Rhodes were 1A/1B at the cornerback position to me. Don'...

The NFL requires every team to spend 89% of the salary cap in cash over a four-year period from 2013-2016. The Raiders spend just $63.4 million in cash last season, leaving a $46.1 million deficit to makeup over the next three years. This can be made up by giving large signing bonuses or roster bonuses to free agents in any of the next three seasons. However, signing bonuses are prorated and would create dead money if that player is released in the future. The better way to do things is use the available funds to give large roster bonuses, which is exactly what the Raiders are doing. Instead of trying to make up the cash deficit in one year by giving out large signing bonuses, it makes more sense to chip away at it a little bit every year.  General manager Reggie McKenzie has been described as a slow and methodical man, so this is likely the route he will go. Below is a chart that included the current cash the Raiders have devoted to the roster through 2016 according to overthecap.com ...

[caption id="attachment_2965" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Reggie "Lil Wayne" McKenzie[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2966" align="aligncenter" width="300"] It's "Breaking Bad" for the Raiders[/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1023"] Al's Millions[/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="456"] Reggie's Poker Face[/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Scrooge McKenzie[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="599"] World Series of Reggie[/caption] [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Crabby McKenzie[/caption]

QB (3): Matt Flynn, Terrelle Pryor, Tyler Wilson RB (3): Darren McFadden, Rashard Jennings, Jeremy Stewart FB (1): Marcel Reece WR (5): Denarius Moore, Rod Streater, Jacoby Ford, Brice Butler, Juron Criner TE (4): David Ausberry, Jeron Mastrud, Mychal Rivera, Nick Kasa OT (3): Alex Barron, Khalif Barnes, Menelik Watson OG/C (5): Stefan Wisniewski, Mike Brisiel, Lucas Nix, Andre Gurode, Tony Bergstrom DE (5): Lamarr Houston, Jason Hunter, Andre Carter, Jack Crawford, David Bass DT (4): Vance Walker, Pat Sims, Stacy McGee, Christo Bilukidi LB (6): Nick Roach, Sio Moore, Kevin Burnett, Kaelin Burnett,  Kaluka Maiava, Omar Gaither CB (5): D.J. Hayden, Mike Jenkins, Phillip Adams, Tracy Porter, Chimdi Chekwa S (4): Charles Woodson, Tyvon Branch, Usama Young, Brandian Ross ST (4): Sebastian Janikowski, Marquette King, Jon Condo, Taiwan Jones Total Roster: 52 (53 with Veldheer, who will be replaced by waiver claim or FA once he goes on IR)   PUP: Miles Burris Reserve/Suspended: Andre Holm...