Free Agency Primer 2011: Part 1

 Posted by at 4:08 PM  1 Response »
Jul 072011
 

With the end of the lockout in view and free agency on the horizon it is time to review what the Raiders need to do once the NFL opens for business. We start with what the Raiders need to do with their own free agents.

The biggest free agent on the market may be Nnamdi Asomugha. While it is unlikely the Raiders can afford to keep Asomugha, it’s not totally impossible.

Chances the Raiders re-sign Nnamdi Asomugha: <20%

The Raiders face the real possiblity of losing two pieces of their defensive secondary, with Michael Huff poised to also become a free agent. Raiders will wait and see what the market is, but chances are a safety needy team like the Jaguars will bite hard.

Chances the Raiders re-sign Michael Huff: <20%

Charlie Frye as the thrid quarterback. It’s a thankless position and job. Fans would rather have a developmental player, but the coaches like Frye and he will get a chance to be the third quarterback.

Chances Raiders re-sign Charlie Frye: >85%

The Raiders drafted Richard Gordon and brought in a host of other lineman, but who can replace Khalif Barnes as the sixth lineman? He likely sticks.

Chances Khalif Barnes is re-signed: >90%

Sam Williams. Vet minimum. 100%

Robert Gallery, Bruce Gradkowski, Thomas Howard, Johnnie Lee Higgins 0%.

What about Zach Miller? He has been the Raiders most productive receiver for the past three seasons. The Raiders will pay whatever is necessary to retain Miller, but he will have other options.

Zach attack back: >75%

Al Davis and Hue Jackson have hinted that they should have installed Mario Henderson at right tackle earlier. Does that mean he will be back? Probably.

Super? Mario 2: >75%

The drafting of Joseph Barksdale and Henderson’s performance late in the year leaves Langston Walker twisting in the wind, if that’s possible at 350 pounds. He’s a good run blocker and the Raiders have a need for lineman.

Langston Walker Part Trois: <80%

Ricky Brown and Jarvis Moss: >90%

Samson Satele was given a tender, so he may stick, but my gut says he’s let go, backup centers are a dime a dozen. 5%

Everyone’s favorite fullback, Marcel Reece is restricted free agent. 100%

Michael Bush, restricted free agent, given first and third-round tender. 100%

Long Snapper Jon Condo: 100%

Camp Questions, Preseason Answers

 Posted by at 8:26 PM  No Responses »
Aug 102010
 

The first preseason game could answer questions or it could create new ones and complicate old ones.

There is no way to know what will happen Thursday night in Dallas. More than anything, the coaches want to make it through the preseason without significant injuries.

There are plenty of questions that need to be answered and the coaches will start to answer them Thursday in Dallas.

Who will win the third running back job: Michael Bennett or Rock Cartwright?

Each back has a different style despite similarly small statures. Cartwright being the better special teams player and much more physical. Bennett is a quicker, faster and can get to the edge. This will be a tough call the coaches will have to make. Cartwright is a little more useful as long as McFadden and Bush are carrying the load, but should the third back be pushed into starter duty as it was multiple times last year, Bennett would probably be the back you’d want to have.

Will the return game improve?

The coaches would probably like to get Jacoby Ford, Yamon Figurs, Johnnie Lee Higgins and Cartwright a chance to return one in a game situation. Ford’s a bit banged up and may not play Thursday, leaving the others to have the first opportunity to wow the coaching staff.

What are the Raiders doing with Desmond Bryant and Thomas Howard?

The two ended last season as starters, but have been pushed down the depth chart. At first glance Bryant was pushed aside by Richard Seymour. While Seymour did move inside, he will play the three technique tackle position. This means Tommy Kelly is taking snaps with the first team at Bryant’s position.

Howard was moved from weak-side linebacker to strong-side linebacker last season, with Trevor Scott taking over on the weak side. In the offseason, the Raiders brought in Quentin Groves to play the weak side and Kamerion Wimbley to play the strong side.

Howard’s projected role shifted to nickel linebacker, but during camp that role has been filed by Mike Mitchell relegating Howard to third string duties. Adding insult to injury, Cable has repeatedly put down the work the linebackers did in 2009. Howard is the only current player that started the majority of the games at linebacker last season.

Rumors have been circulating that Howard could be released. It one possibility. It could also be that the Raiders knows exactly the type of player Howard is and are intent on getting Scott, Wimbley, Groves and Mitchell extra work.

Will the offensive line block better?

Robert Gallery is healthy, Samson Satele and Mario Henderson have another year in the system, and Langston Walker appears to have latched on at starting right tackle. Will these men, along with Cooper Carlisle be able to protect Jason Campbell? Can this line get a Raiders running back to 1000 yards?

Watch DeMarcus Ware Thursday night versus Mario Henderson. One of the best players in the NFL could wreck havoc versus a base offense.

Step Up Your Game: Thomas Howard

 Posted by at 6:51 PM  1 Response »
Jul 262010
 

Third in a series analyzing players on the 2010 Raiders that need to step up their game for the Raiders to become a playoff team.

Who Will Cover?

The strength of the starting linebackers in 2009 was certainly their ability to play the pass. Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison and Ricky Brown were all more adept at playing the pass than they were at playing the run.

(Photo Credit: Jeffrey Beall)

Flash-forward to 2010 and the starting linebackers are Trevor Scott, Rolando McClain and Kamerion Wimbley. Three new linebackers, two pass rushers and one rookie.

The drastic change comes on the heels of yet another poor year stopping the run. While some of that can certainly be placed upon the interior line play, the one constant had been Morrison and Howard. Morrison was shipped out of town, but Howard remains with an uncertain roll.

The Raiders have a totally different question surrounding the linebackers in 2010. Can they cover?

Scott, a converted defensive end, was effective rushing the passer and stopping the run last season, but still has a ways to go in coverage. Wimbley is also playing a new position. The college defensive end turned 3-4 outside linebacker will play the strong-side linebacker position for the Raiders. Coupled with the fact that McClain’s only perceived weakness was playing the pass and the Raiders have completely flipped the position upside down.

Howard finds himself competing for the job as a nickel linebacker. Ricky Brown and Quentin Groves will also figure in, although Groves has similar issues covering the pass. Howard’s struggles were not apparent last season, but the coaches saw enough on film to move him from the weak-side to the strong-side and basically replace him in the offseason.

With the stated liabilities of the other linebackers against the pass, Howard will need to embrace his new role and thrive covering the pass when spelling Scott and Wimbley.

The revamped core of linebackers will need to prove they can cover to stay on the field, while Howard will get on the field for his coverage abilities.

Howard is the rare physical specimen that could force his way into a starter roll if he can stop the run. He will be relied upon to play the pass well.

If Howard steps up his game, he has the potential to make this core of linebackers special. If he doesn’t, there is the potential for the linebackers to be a pass coverage liability.

Step up your game Thomas Howard, the Raiders defense needs you to cover up their liabilities, as they will yours.

The Raiders’ Ferocious Front Four

 Posted by at 9:05 PM  No Responses »
Jun 082010
 

If football games are won in the trenches, it only seems appropriate to take a closer look at the Raiders’ defensive line.

The Raiders released Gerard Warren this winter and drafted Lamarr Houston from the University of Texas to solidify the defensive line.

Warren was inconsistent, showing flashes the past couple seasons. The former first-round selection has never played to his talent level. The Raiders were the third team to give up on him. Of course, he was also due a sizable salary in 2010 and that money can be put to better use.

The Raiders have surprising decided to put Houston at defensive end, instead of his college position of defensive tackle. What on the surface seems like an odd move is actually a very logical one.

Houston’s talents would be wasted playing the one-technique tackle position and the three-technique tackle position is still being occupied by Tommy Kelly.

Kelly has been much criticized due to the large contract he received in 2007. While Kelly may never live up to the money he was paid, he hasn’t been a horrible player.

In 2009, Kelly totaled 14 quarterback pressures and five quarterback hits, with one sack. He was routinely good in pass rush. Obviously his weakness is still defending the run, but the Raiders have never asked the three-technique tackle to support the run on a regular basis.

The job of supporting the run has been placed in the lap of the other defensive tackle. The Raiders hope Desmond Bryant, the second year player out of Harvard, is ready succeed where Warren failed.

Tom Cable has routinely talked about Bryant as a player the Raiders are excited about. One quarterback pressure and one forced fumble in 2009 is enough to get excited about? It is, because Bryant is the primary run defender on the defensive line. He will need to improve upon his solid rookie campaign and keep bodies off of rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain.

What about the ends? How do the Raiders plan to use Houston, Seymour and Matt Shaughnessy?

Seymour is unique; he is able to play tackle in obvious passing situations and end. This will allow the Raiders to keep Kelly, Houston and Shaughnessy on the field. There is no need to worry about Richard Seymour, unless he holds out of training camp.

This pass rush centric grouping should be able to bring a solid pass rush from just the front four, but would expose the Raiders up the middle to the run. The Raiders drafted McClain to solve this obvious problem. Don’t expect McClain to come off the field in anything but third and very long situations.

In down and short situations, Houston, Seymour, Kelly and Bryant would be the run stopping group. It isn’t that Shaughnessy is bad at defending the run, but Houston should be more effective clogging gaps.

The Raiders have bet heavily that McClain is going to be able to deter teams from running up the gut, forcing ball carriers outside where the line can be more effective.

The Raiders will not have a ton of speed along the defensive line, but all the players are quick, agile and strong with a good first step.

The logical conclusion, however hard to believe, is that the Raiders will blitz outside linebackers more frequently in 2010 when extra pressure is needed.

Kamerion Wimbley has never played the SAM linebacker position. He has played as a rush end and rush linebacker. He knows how to rush the passer. The Raiders would be unwise to waste his best attribute.

Trevor Scott’s best attribute as a WILL linebacker is also pass rushing. Thomas Howard would be the primary coverage linebacker.

Quentin Groves is also seen as a pass rushing type linebacker. All signs point to the Raiders bringing a fifth or sixth guy to put pressure on the quarterback.

The Raiders have logically built the defensive line to be both improved against the run and pass.

If the Raiders defensive line can improve along with the linebackers, the Raiders have the potential to be one of the better defensive teams in the league.

A Look At The Raiders Revamped Core of Linebackers

 Posted by at 8:04 PM  No Responses »
May 262010
 

Did the Raiders fix the run defense with the revamping of the linebackers?

It is one of the biggest questions the Raiders will need to answer this offseason.

If so, can the linebackers Trevor Scott, Rolando McClain, and Kamerion Wimbley also cover running backs out of the backfield and tight ends on passing downs?

The Raiders started 2009 with Thomas Howard, Kirk Morrison, and Ricky Brown as the starters. By the end of the year Scott had supplanted Howard on the weak-side and Howard had moved to the strong-side for the injured Ricky Brown.
When Sam Williams and a rookie fifth-round draft pick get meaningful snaps, it is time for an overhaul.
So the Raiders started the overhaul, traded for Wimbley, drafted McClain, and finally traded for Quentin Groves and shipped out Kirk Morrison.

Trevor Scott

Scott developed into a nice linebacker last season, but wasn’t asked to drop into coverage very often. In five games as a linebacker, Scott dropped into pass coverage 65 times. This amounted to about 50 percent of the snaps in which a pass was thrown.

Scott fared pretty well in coverage and earned an overall neutral pass defense grade from profootballfocus.com , but he will need to continue to develop his pass coverage ability if asked to drop into coverage more often.

As a linebacker, Scott had two poor games defending the run, both against prolific rushing teams in Baltimore and Dallas. He will need to show improvement against the elite rushing teams to be anything more than a rush linebacker.

Most of the hope for Scott is pinned on his pass rushing ability. As a linebacker, he recorded four sacks, one quarterback hit, and three quarterback pressures in just five games.

Kamerion Wimbley

Trying to breakdown Wimbley as a strong-side outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense is somewhat difficult. Wimbley played outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense with the Browns.

One area of Wimbley’s game that is better than advertised is his pass coverage. Although Wimbley wasn’t asked to drop into coverage often, he did perform pretty well in coverage with one good game against Chicago and one bad game against Detroit. Wimbley received a neutral grade in the other 14 games.

Pass rush is probably Wimbley’s best attribute, but some statistical oddities popped up in 2009. Wimbley recorded four of his seven sacks on the road to go along with 18 of his 24 quarterback pressures. All of his good performances rushing the passer came on the road and all but one of his bad games came at home.

Wimbley must not like home cooking.

Wimbley will probably rush the passer less in the 4-3 defense and his run defense will be more closely scrutinized.
Examining his run defense grades will reveal five poor performances and three good performances. If this doesn’t get better, the Raiders’ run defense may not be much improved, if at all.
These stats were accumulated in the 3-4 defense so they may mean nothing, but at least it may reveal areas to watch. They come back into play if the Raiders experiment with the 3-4 scheme.

Rolando McClain

All indications point to Rolando McClain being the most premiere middle linebacker to come out of college since Patrick Willis. Willis may have been the slightly higher rated prospect because of his speed, but McClain is no slouch.

McClain’s instincts, leadership, tackling, and knowledge are at an elite level. The only question was his coverage ability.

He proved in college he could cover pretty well in the zone, but struggled at times with speedy man coverage match-ups.

The good news is that it isn’t likely the Raiders will ask McClain to cover man-to-man even on third downs, and his instincts and knowledge should help him to avoid getting beat badly.

Quentin Groves

A disappointment in Jacksonville not because he was horrible, but because he didn’t perform like the player the Jaguars expected after drafting him in the second round of 2008.

He played defensive end for all of 2008 and was moved to linebacker to start 2009, but he was moved back to defensive end halfway through the 2009 season. He may be raw in pass coverage as a linebacker because of his limited experience in that role.

His pass rush skills weren’t up to par in Jacksonville and he didn’t record a sack in 2009. He recorded three in 2008. He did have 13 quarterback pressures in 197 snaps.

Groves has shown potential, having a monster game in 2009 against the Texans at home as a defensive end.

He also isn’t prone to having horrible games, but he isn’t a guy that will make impact plays at this point.

Young enough to still develop; it will be interesting to see how the Raiders decide to use Groves.

Thomas Howard

The question with his game has been run defense, but he was surprisingly decent against the run in 2009 earning a neutral grade by profootballfocus.com . This aligns with most observations. Not good, but not horrible defending the run.

Howard will be used most likely in pass coverage in 2010. Expect Howard to be the primary third-down linebacker in passing situations.

His biggest weakness in 2009 was covering backs as receivers coming out of the backfield and it earned him poor grades in coverage. Darren Sproles, Marion Barber, and Larry Johnson victimized him in the receiving game.
Two of his three bad games against the pass came in the first two weeks, the other coming against Dallas on Thanksgiving.

Removing those three games and Howard had a neutral grade against the pass. He will need to maintain or improve his coverage ability in order to earn defensive snaps.

The Raiders obviously wanted to keep Howard around, having offered him a high tender and opting not to trade him like Morrison.

He will likely battle with Brown for snaps as a situational linebacker.

Ricky Brown

Started 2009 as the starting strong-side linebacker and competing for the middle linebacker position with Morrison in camp. Brown actually showed signs of being a decent linebacker early. An injury derailed his season in Week 5, but for four healthy weeks he had good games against both the run and pass.

He may find himself as the odd man out of the rotation, but he is good enough to stick around and contribute on special teams if he can also stay healthy.

 Older Entries