Preseason Profile: Travis Goethel, LB

 Posted by at 12:00 PM  No Responses »
Jul 162012
 

Travis Goethel #50

College: Arizona St.
Height: 6’2½”
Weight: 240 lbs
Arm Length: 32.0″
Hand Size 9.6″

 

40 Yard Dash: 4.81
3 Cone Drill: 6.93
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.54
Bench Press: 21 reps
Vertical Jump: 35″
Broad Jump: 111″

 

Travis Goethel was selected in the 6th round in the 2010 draft. He was initially thought to be one of those late round steals after making some significant noise in training camp, but a lower back injury limited him severely his first season with the Raiders. He saw action in just 8 games his rookie season, most of which was on special teams. After showing signs of promise his rookie year before the injury, many were excited to see what Goethel had to offer in his second season with a clean bill of health. He burst onto the scene again in 2011, drawing rave reviews in training camp from the coaches, and was in line to start at weak side linebacker. Fans again began to hope Goethel would emerge into a late round steal for the Raiders only to have history repeat itself in the form of a torn ACL that caused Goethel to miss the entire 2011 season.

Travis Goethel now finds himself losing traction. Another major injury, and it will more than likely end his stint in Oakland. However, Goethel still has enough talent to make a real impact on the 2012 defense. He is a very versatile player, that can fill any one of the linebacker spots in a 4-3 and could probably play inside in the 3-4. With the legal troubles of Rolando McClain and the history of good training camps from Goethel, don’t sleep on the possibility of him still earning a starting spot. Of course, before Goethel can begin thinking about earning a starting spot, he will have to defeat his biggest enemy which is the injury bug.

It is also worth mentioning that Goethel was a favorite of the old coaching staff in Oakland. With the new regime taking over, his previous training camp performances are irrelevant and he no longer has ties to anyone. If he has another strong camp and impresses coaches again this year, it’s a good indication that Travis Goethel has some real talent on the football field.

Will Goethel finally hold up long enough to establish himself or will he become the “Chaz Schilens” of the Raiders defense?

Flight Risk: Raiders’ Free Agents Ready to Hit the Open Market

 Posted by at 8:00 AM  1 Response »
Mar 092012
 

Free agency starts Monday and the Raiders are still hacking away at troublesome contracts to get under the salary cap. Once the Raiders are comfortably under the salary cap they will turn their attention to signing free agents.

It wouldn’t be uncommon for a team to end up signing the majority of their own free agents, but this is no ordinary year in Oakland. Reggie McKenzie will try to re-shape the roster and the fringe-roster players could all be seeking employment on Monday.

Some Raiders’ free agents will be retained and others will be boarding flights to different cities in 201

 

QB Jason Campbell

Odds he leaves in free agency: 96%

Campbell is a classy player that understands the business side of the game. He didn’t make any noise when he was benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski and he stuck around to support the team even though the Raiders had moved on from him last season.

Despite the bonds Campbell forged in Oakland, he’ll be boarding a flight for a new city in 2012. Where will depend on who wins the Peyton Manning sweepstakes and which teams rolls the dice on Matt Flynn.

Teams that need a quarterback include, Miami, Cleveland, Washington, Arizona, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City and Jacksonville.

Campbell may find it difficult to find a starting job in 2012, but that doesn’t mean he wont select a team where his odds of starting are increased.

Denver would be an interesting location for Campbell. Tebow’s success appears unsustainable and they don’t have much behind him. Unless the Dolphins lose

 

QB Kyle Boller

Odds he leaves in free agency: 100%

Boller will be hard-pressed to find a job as a second or third quarterback and it’s probably close to the end of the line for Boller.

 

RB Michael Bush

Odds he leaves in free agency: 90%

The Franchise Tag was given to Tyvon Branch, leaving Michael Bush to test the waters of free agency.

While the Raiders might want Bush to return, there will be teams calling that are willing to offer Bush much more than the Raiders will be able to offer.

The Bengals find themselves looking for a starting runningback for the first time in many years. Cedric Benson fizzled out as a starter and the Bengals will be looking for a back to pair with Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. The Bengals can find more balance offensively if they sign a legitimate starter and Bush has proven valuable and durable as the backup in Oakland. Potential fit.

 

RB Rock Cartwright

Odds he leaves in free agency: 25%

Cartwright was the Raiders’ special teams captain in 2012 and will come cheaply. Expect the Raiders to keep Cartwright around in 2012, but he wont be a top priority. He’s expressed a desire to stay with the Raiders and the Raiders will eventually return the favor.

 

WR Chaz Schilens

Odds he leaves in free agency: 85%

Vincent Jackson is ready to find a new team and that leaves a hole at receiver in San Diego. The Chargers rarely open up the bank for a free agent, so Schilens potential and affordability make Schilens an interesting target for the Chargers.

Schilens is familiar with San Diego having gone to college at San Diego State and he’s a native of southern California.

The Chargers have seen enough of Schilens to know he has talent, but not so close that they realize that he’s been healthy for one year of his career.

 

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

No one wanted him seven games into the 2011 season before Carson Palmer and Hue Jackson called. He didn’t do much with his time catching 11 passes for 146 yards in nine games.

He’ll file back into the unemployment line and that’s likely where he will remain.

 

C Samson Satele

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

Satele will reportedly not be retained by the Raiders. While that’s certainly not a bad move, Satele is cheap and can backup multiple positions on the offensive line. He’ll find a work somewhere.

 

RT Khalif Barnes

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

Barnes was not a very good starter at right tackle, but he could be signed to be a backup lineman somewhere in 2012

The Raiders will shift to younger players and/or players that fit the zone-blocking scheme and neither describe Barnes.

 

OL Stephon Heyer

Odds he leaves in free agency: 98%

Heyer was brought in to challenge for a starting job and he never did although one could argue the line played better when he was at left guard and Stefen Wisniewski was at center.

Regardless, Heyer is a free agent and doesn’t fit into the Raiders’ plans to shift to zone-blocking.

 

DE Trevor Scott

Odds he leaves in free agency: 48%

Scott is one player that might benefit from the Raiders new defense and he’ll be inexpensive to retain. It wasn’t long ago when Scott was an up-and-coming pass rusher and that might be enough to intrigue Dennis Allen. Intrigued enough to keep Scott in Oakland?

 

DE Jarvis Moss

Odds he leaves in free agency: 84%

Things didn’t work out for Moss in Denver or Oakland and Moss will be looking for his third team in 2012.

He flashes ability, but he’s far too inconsistent. Gut feeling is Rex Ryan calls and offers Moss a job as a backup with the Jets.

 

LB Ricky Brown

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

He was a player with ties to the organization and Al Davis kept coming back to Brown when he needed him.

Brown will have a tough time finding a team in 2012 and there is a very good chance

 

LB Quentin Groves

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

Groves was benched in favor of Aaron Curry mid-season and outside of solid special teams play offered little more than a body for the Raiders defense.

He’ll be in a different uniform in 2012.

 

LB Darryl Blackstock

Odds he leaves in free agency: 95%

He was a special teams player and was familiar with Chuck Bresnahan from his days as a coach for a UFL team. Given Blackstock is affordable and there isn’t much film on the guy, it’s conceivable the Raider will give him the opportunity to earn a roster spot in camp.

 

CB Lito Sheppard

Odds he leaves in free agency: 93%

Veteran cornerbacks that are on the street mid-season aren’t typically the type you want starting down the stretch, but Sheppard is a veteran and he’s smart.

He may be limited more now than he used to be, but he can still be relatively effective as a backup.

 

FS Matt Giordano

Odds he leaves in free agency: 50%

Giordano is familiar with Dennis Allen from his time with the Saints, but it is unknown if Allen has a favorable opinion of Giordano.

Giordano had five interceptions last season playing part-time, but also seemed to shy away from contract and let far too many receivers behind him to feel comfortable with him as anything more than a backup.

SS Jerome Boyd

Odds he leaves in free agency: 98%

Boyd is a fringe roster player and bounced between the practice squad and the active roster. Unless McKenzie and Allen see something in Boyd worth developing they will set their sights on other players.

 

DB Bryan McCann

Odds he leaves in free agency: 99%

Filled in admirably for Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore in the return game. He’s a specialist and given his success in that area he could find a home in 2012.

There is an outside chance the Raiders might keep McCann around to limit the wear on the Raiders’ two young receivers.

 

FB Marcel Reece

Odds he leaves in free agency: 0%

As a restricted free agent, if another team wanted to sign Reece they’d have give the Raiders compensation depending on the level of the tender. That’s extremely unlikely and Reece is considered a big part of what the Raiders want to do on offense.

Don’t worry, Reece will be back with the Raiders in 2012.

 

DE Desmond Bryant

Odds he leaves in free agency: 2%

Like Reece, Bryant is a restricted free agent. He’s a great rotational lineman and can play multiple positions on the defensive line.

He’ll undoubtedly be back this season.

Hue Jackson Bets the Farm

 Posted by at 2:49 PM  No Responses »
Oct 182011
 

Huge action from Hue Jackson. Aaron Curry last week. Carson Palmer today.

The Raiders gave up a lot for Palmer, but he’s a better quarterback than Jason  Campbell. The Raiders lost Campbell for a significant period of time and were faced with starting Kyle Boller for the rest of the season if they didn’t make a move for a quarterback.

The time is now for the Raiders and Hue Jackson pushed all his chips into the middle by bringing in Carson Palmer. The Raiders have only two picks left in the 2012 draft and with the Carson Palmer trade started dealing 2013 draft selections.

This trade and the moves of the past two seasons setup the Raiders for success going forward. Allow us to examine position-by-position and pick-by-pick and what the future may hold for this team and why the move for Carson Palmer was still a good one.

If the Raiders go far in the playoffs under Palmer those draft picks become low in each round and with most of the young players on the roster locked up for the next two seasons the time is now for the Silver and Black. Below is a snapshot of the Raiders outlook going forward.

2012 Draft
1st: Carson Palmer
2nd: Taiwan Jones and Joseph Barksdale
3rd: Terrelle Pryor
4th: Jason Campbell
7th: Aaron Curry

Compensatory Picks for Nnamdi Asomugha, Robert Gallery and Zach Miller should net a third and up to a fourth-round pick.

2013 Draft

1st: Palmer if team gets team to AFC Championship game*
2nd: Palmer if the team doesn’t  get to AFC Championship*

*Conflicting reports as to the compensation.

Notable 2012 Free Agents

Michael Bush – Will he be content to be a backup or will he be able to get a mega-deal elsewhere? Time will tell and he could be a casualty of the Raiders cap situation.

Chaz Schilens – His injuries really sidelined his career. He could be retained for cheap as a backend WR.

Tyvon Branch – Is Mike Mitchell ready? Has Branch taken the leap that the Raiders have wanted him to make? Either way, he shouldn’t command a large amount

Marcel Reece – He’s a fullback and the Raiders will pay him well for that position.

Jason Campbell – He’ll find a new home next season. Good dude, average quarterback. Unfortunate circumstances.

Quarterback

Carson Palmer is the guy now and for the next few years. Pryor will be given the Aaron Rodgers treatment.

Runningback

Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones. Michael Bush is unknown going forward. The Raiders will need to add some depth at the position, but as long as McFadden is healthy this is still the biggest strength on the team. Reece will be back next season as well.

Receiver

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy are all under contract through 2012. Those guys are the anchors of this group and Chaz Schilens and various other will fill it out. An exciting young group that was a huge weakness just two seasons ago.

Offensive line

Very young group that has come together nicely this season. The Raiders will eventually ease Bruce Campbell and Joseph Barksdale into the mix on the left side. Needs to add depth, but they should be able to find quality depth for cheap on the free agent market if needed.

Defensive line

Richard Seymour is around for at least two more seasons along with Tommy Kelly. The Raiders defensive line may begin to show signs of age in the coming seasons, but as it stands now this is a strong group. Expect the Raiders to re-tool the defensive line in the 2013 draft.

Linebacker

Rolando McClain is playing in his sophomore season so he has at least two more seasons before the Raiders look elsewhere. Kamerion Wimbley just signed a new deal and the Raiders think they can make something out of Aaron Curry. The group still needs depth and there are some questions here, but it isn’t the most pressing need on the team and the Raiders can likely address it without a high draft pick.

Cornerback

Stanford Routt signed a new deal and the Raiders drafted two corners in Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa. The position needs depth. When one player goes down the Raiders turn to free safety Michael Huff as a corner. If there is one position to worry about not having many 2012 draft picks it is at the cornerback position.

Safety

Michael Huff signed a new deal this offseason. Branch is a free agent in 2012 and unless the Raiders feel like Mitchell can play at the same level as Branch he’ll likely be the Raiders top priority going into 2012.

Raiders Displayed Strong ‘Will To Win’

 Posted by at 2:20 PM  No Responses »
Oct 112011
 

The Raiders should have been defeated by the Houston Texans on Sunday.

The offense came out extremely flat and did not get a first down until the 2nd quarter and only had four at halftime. For most of the game the Raiders were embarrassing on offense.

Darren McFadden, the NFL leading rusher, had only 12 yards at halftime and only 51 for the game which is well below his average. Jason Campbell on multiple occasions missed open receivers and made early mistakes. Neither Kevin Boss, Michael Bush or Denarius Moore caught a pass.

The Raiders squandered good field position and failed to capitalize on a block punt instead settling for three Janikowski field goals longer than 50 yards. The offensive line gave up three sacks and countless quarterback hurries. It appeared as if the Raiders offensive line was going to literally fall apart.

Then, all of a sudden, things changed. Penalty flags started to get picked up and the defensive line started to deflect passes. Lamarr Houston got an interception on one tipped pass and the defense began stopping the run, blitzing and dominating the Texans offense. The offensive line came back together and Rock Cartwright ran for 35 yards on a fake punt. McFadden picked up few first downs, Chaz Shilens reappeared and Darrius Heyward-Bey matured.

In a game where the Raiders let Arian Foster amass 184 yards from scrimmage, the Raiders found a way to win. In a game where the Raiders offensive play calling was questionable and offensive production inconsistent, the Raiders kept on fighting. In a game where the Raider failed to execute the four-minute drill and gave Matt Schaub one last chance, Michael Huff, and the Raiders defense held on. In a game where the Raiders were out gained by nearly 200 yards, the will to win never dissipated.

The Raiders were nowhere near their best but somehow, someway they returned to Oakland victorious. As it has been since the 1962, winning, is the only thing that really matters in Oakland. It was not pretty but the Raiders persevered and found a way to win this one for Al Davis. As Al would say, “Just Win, Baby.”

Jets @ Raiders: The Week 3 Preview

 Posted by at 9:56 AM  No Responses »
Sep 252011
 

On Offense by Brandon Dwonch

The Raiders offense has been hitting on all cylinders. Week 1 saw Darren McFadden run for 150 yards. Week 2 showcased the Raiders vertical passing game as Jason Campbell passed for 323 yards and hooked up with Denarius Moore for 146. McFadden could not be the second leading rusher in the NFL nor could Campbell be performing this well if not for the offensive line. The make shift offensive line is exceeding expectations and deserves recognition. The offensive line is creating holes, finishing blocks and keeping Campbell upright and clean.

This week the offensive line faces their stiffest test yet. The Jets’ defensive front seven is stout and only giving up 88 rushing yards per game. By comparison the Raiders defense is allowing 130 rushing yards a game. Even though the Jets front seven might be a little overrated, they and their coordinator cannot be taken lightly. Make no mistake, the Jets are a defensive team.

This is a match up of strength vs. strength. In order to win, the Raiders offense must remain balanced and efficient. This means the Raiders need to establish their physical presence in the trenches but also attack Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and the Jets secondary. If the Raiders can run for over 125 yards and pass for over 175 the offensive line would have “bullied” the Jets front seven.

 

On Defense by Brandon Dwonch

The Jets were a team for years that relied heavily on the run but so far this year they are trying to air it out. In two games this season the Jets have gained a paltry 146 rushing yards on a meager 48 attempts. With 32 of those attempts and 101 of those yards coming in a blowout win over Jacksonville. On the other hand, the Raiders average 35 rushing attempts and 160 rushing yards a game. With the Raiders allowing over 200 rushing yards last week, the Jets’ offensive approach might change. With the Jets being without their starting center Nick Mangold, expect the Raiders defensive line, led by Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly, to come out hungry to prove themselves and have a great game in front of a sold out coliseum.

Look for Mark Sanchez to test the Raiders questionable secondary. This Jets passing game revolves around Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller and Holmes and Keller are both serious threats. The Raiders for years have struggled covering good receiving tight ends. Keller is in the top three at his position in the AFC in receptions, yards and touchdowns and could take over this game. The Raiders cannot afford to let Keller get on a roll.

The Raiders could do themselves a favor by assigning Stanford Routt to shadow Holmes, but this is highly unlikely. Routt, who currently owns the lowest completion percentage against in the NFL at 28% (4/14), has earned a chance to create his own island. It is time to see the coverage in the secondary consistently rolled towards Chris Johnson or Demarcus Van Dyke’s side. For the Raiders secondary to improve they need to figure out and fix their defensive communication problems. They need to line up correctly and stick to their assignment. If not, it will be a very long game against the fundamentally sound Jets.

For the Raiders to win this game their secondary must produce. Somebody in the secondary needs to step up and make plays. If the Raiders defense holds Holmes and Keller’s combined receiving yardage under 100 and Mark Sanchez under 215 passing yards, they would have done their job very well and will give the Raiders a great chance for victory.

 

Matchups by Chris Hansen

Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly vs. Rookie Center Colin Baxter

Nick Mangold didn’t make the trip to Oakland. The undrafted rookie will start at center and face two of the best defensive tackles in the league. If Seymour and Kelly can apply pressure to Mark Sanchez up the middle, the Raiders have a good chance to disrupt the Jets’ pass and run game.

 

Kamerion Wimbley vs. Wayne Hunter

Another week and another right tackle for Wimbley to feast on. Putting pressure on Sanchez and forcing errors will be a key to victory. Wimbley should have another fun afternoon harassing the quarterback and should record his first sack of the year on Sunday.

 

Santonio Holmes vs. Stanford Routt

Although the Raiders aren’t likely to shadow Holmes with Routt, this is still a key matchup. Holmes is the flanker and as such will likely lineup across from Routt more than not. The Raiders must not have a repeat of what happened in week 2 and neutralizing Holmes needs to be their primary focus.

 

Dustin Keller vs. The Secondary

The Raiders may deploy several options to stop Keller which may include using Jerome Boyd, another safety or an extra cornerback. Keller presents the Raiders with challenges in coverage and the Raiders will likely initially counter with Boyd. This is the first game the Raiders will really need Boyd to step in and play like Mike Mitchell in 2010, covering tight ends and becoming a linebacker to stuff the run when needed.

 

D’Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Matt Shaughnessy

It’s a big game for Shaughnessy as he faces his first elite left tackle of the season. If Shaughnessy is going to become a pro bowl-type player these are the games were he needs to shine. Ferguson is a tall tackle at 6’6″ and Shaughnessy should do whatever he can to get underneath him to gain leverage. Sanchez will have a tough afternoon if he gets pressure from both sides.

 

Raiders Offensive Line vs. Jets Front Seven

It’s tough to point out any one player from these units that needs to play well, but Samson Satele will have his hands full with Sione Pouha the big nose tackle. Satele has played well, but has struggled in the past with good nose tackles. If Satele can handle Pouha without significant help from Stefen Wisniewski or Cooper Carlile, the two guards will be free to take on blitzing linebackers like Bart Scott and Calvin Pace. This is the greatest test of the Raiders new look offensive line and the two tackles will always be under the most pressure. Jared Veldheer and Khalif Barnes will need to diagnose blitzes on the outside and pick up the inside man to allow Jason Campbell to step up into the pocket.

 

Denarius Moore vs. Darrelle Revis

Will the Jets shadow the rookie with one of the best cornerbacks in the league? They might try to limit the rookie and force the Raiders other receivers to beat them. It’s a tough matchup for any rookie. If Moore can beat Revis for a couple his hype train may never stop.

 

Derek Hagan/Chaz Schilens vs. Kyle Wilson

It’s either Derek Hagan or Chaz Schilens for the Raiders against the Jets slot corner Kyle Wilson. The Jets slot corner has been targeted more than any other team through the first two weeks. Revis and Antonio Cromartie have limited opponents number one and two receivers leaving the slot corner as the best option. Look for the Raiders third receivers to play an important role in this game.

 

Kevin Boss vs. Blitzing Linebackers

It’s the debut for Boss in Silver and Black and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The Jets like to throw crazy looks at the opposing quarterbacks and will send at least one linebacker to rush the passer. Boss will need to find the soft spot vacated by the rusher and Campbell will need to deliver the ball to Boss in the face of a rush. If accomplished the Raiders will effectively take away the linebacker lined up across from Boss and this will make it easier to diagnose blitzes as they will likely come from the weak side. The Raiders may try to do the same on the weak side by running screens to Darren McFadden. It is often more effective to burn the blitz on a pass than max protect, particularly when the opposing defense has Revis and Cromartie.

 

Hue Jackson vs. Rex Ryan

They both want bullies, but only one can be a bully on Sunday. Who will it be?  The Jets defense is aggressive and the Jackson may call a few misdirection plays and see if he can’t get some of his speed out in the open. Jackson needs to have his players on the same page to diagnose Ryan’s defensive looks that can give offenses fits. The bully this Sunday will be the coach who outsmart the man on the other side of the field.

 

Score Prediction: Raiders 20, Jets 19.

 

 

 

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