Skip to main content

Has Al Davis Given Up On Russell? Cable?

Tom Cable clearly has lost confidence in JaMarcus Russell. So much so that the Raiders are going with Charlie Frye, who couldn't get the job done in Cleveland.

This could be a pivotal decision in the future of the Oakland Raiders.

In Oakland, it doesn't always matter how much confidence the head coach has in a player, but how much confidence the owner has in a player.

Al Davis writes the checks and calls the shots, every player decision directly or indirectly goes through Al Davis. Cable has full autonomy to decide who the starting quarterback will be. He doesn't have the power to sign a quarterback.

This morning Gradkowski's agent Ralph Cindrich tweeted that initial reports were that Gradkowski would not need surgery and no decision had been made to put him on IR. Within minutes of this report, Tom Cable announced to the Denver media that Charlie Frye would start at quarterback.

If Gradkowski isn't going on IR and Frye is going to start, why sign J.P. Losman?

Losman's one year deal is actually just for the next three weeks. This means the Raiders didn't bring him in because Gradkowski and Frye are on one-year deals, but because they want to audition him for next season.

It would be easy to say that Russell is done, but I am not so sure. No one ever knows what Davis is thinking.

Russell could be done and Cable could be back.
Cable could be done and Russell could be back.
Russell & Cable could be done.
Russell & Cable could be back.

If Cable is fired, there is a chance Jim Fassel could be the next head coach. You have to wonder is Davis talked to Fassel before signing Losman. Fassel was the Raiders Quarterback's Coach in 1995.

If Fassel is hired, you have to wonder if Russell would be kept so Fassel could work with him. Based on Davis' track record of firing and blaming coaches instead of blaming players he drafted, I'd say this might be the most likely scenario at this point.

I just have a hard time believing Davis has given up on Russell. I am also not sure Cable has done or will do enough to get a second full year. Unless Cable rips off three straight wins to end the season or at least two gets impressive wins and a narrow loss.

Randy Hanson having a job with the Raiders should be an indicator, but Al Davis loves surprises, so expect the unexpected.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oakland Raiders Swing for the Fences in 2016 NFL Draft

[embed align="center"]http://gty.im/153039819[/embed] These aren't your daddy's Oakland Raiders or even your younger self's Raiders. If anything, these are your newborn's Raiders or your puppy's Raiders. These are the Raiders we've never seen before. Indicative of the freshness of the franchise was their 2016 NFL Draft. No longer slave to a high draft pick and desperate needs, the theme of the draft for the Raiders was upside. It's as if general manager Reggie McKenzie got so used to hitting his draft picks out of the park that he started swinging for the fences. We'll have to wait a couple of years before we know if he struck out or if he'll continue his Ruthian ways. First, McKenzie boldly went with a safety at No. 14 overall. Kyle Joseph is coming off a torn ACL and fills a major need, but safety isn't a premium position. Only a handful of safeties have been drafted in the first 14 picks in the last 15 years and include names like Ea

The Raiders aren't who we thought they were....they're better

The Oakland Raiders are tired of being the team that will be good in a year or two. The team expects to win now and it is winning now. We thought the Raiders needed more talent. We thought that being in the playoff hunt was a year away for this team, but we were wrong. This isn't the team we thought they were, they're better. On Sunday, they moved to 3-3 on Sunday with a 37-29 win over the San Diego Chargers that wasn't close until the final minute. It was also the Raiders second road win of the season. The last time the Raiders had two road wins by their sixth game was 2011. Before that, a five-year streak from 1998-2002. The Raiders went 8-8 in 1998, 1999 and 2011 and narrowly missed the playoffs each year.  They made the playoffs in 2000, 2001 and 2002. They didn't have a losing record in any of those seasons because teams that can win on the road are usually pretty good. As the season matures, there is more and more evidence that some of the "best-case scenario

Looking Forward: Raiders 2012 Free Agents

Khalif Barnes - Weakest link on the offensive line with youth behind him. Raiders will look for for other options. It's not as if there aren't a dozen Khalif's on the street each year. Darryl Blackstock - Was a Chuck Bresnahan guy, but found a home on special teams. Would have to make the team as a reserve LB and special teams guy next training camp. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back as a camp body or gone entirely. Kyle Boller - Hue didn't have enough confidence to turn to Boller. Expect the Raiders to look elsewhere for a backup to Carson Palmer. Jerome Boyd - Was nothing more than a reserve and special teams player. Some good moments and some very bad ones. Camp body again and fate will depend on the defensive coordinator. Tyvon Branch - About the only consistent producer in the secondary. Raiders will want to bring him back. Desmond Bryant - He's been great in limited action and can play inside and out. Key reserve. Michael Bush - He'll find a home a