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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, Ryan Robinson DT (4): Vance Walker, Pat Sims, Stacy McGee, Christo Bilukidi LB (6): Nick Roach, Sio Moore, Kevin Burnett, Kaelin Burnett, Keenan Clayton, Kaluka Maiava CB (5): D.J. Hayden, Mike Jenkins, Phillip Adams, Chimdi Chekwa, Joselio Hanson 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 of FA once he goes on IR)   PUP: Miles Burris Reserve/Suspended: Andr...

The Oakland Raiders came into the offseason with salary cap issues and needing to improve a team that finished a disappointing 8-8 last season. New general manager Reggie McKenzie was hired to reshape the Raiders' front office and establish a new philosophy to guide the team into the future. McKenzie has a plan and as time passes his philosophies will slowly be revealed. So far, McKenzie has made a flurry of moves designed to help the Raiders reach short-term and long-term goals such as getting under the salary cap and shedding back-loaded contracts that would have handicapped his plans in 2013 and beyond. A lot of activity doesn't always indicate a lot of change. As it stands, the Raiders will return 16 of 22 starters.   What does the Raiders activity or lack of activity mean for the team in 2012?   1. Reggie McKenzie wants to win and knows how to build a team to do it. Overreacting, overvaluing and overpaying is not a recipe for success in the NFL. The most successful teams ...

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...

It's been a NFL season full of abnormalities due to the lockout and the Raiders have been no exception. Many thought the Raiders would finally find their grove. The team finally had a guy they could call their franchise quarterback in Jason Campbell and they were full of young talent at just about every position. Hue Jackson, a fiery new coach, seemed to have the right formula for success. It started well enough, until week 5 when the wheels started to come off. The Raiders lost their fearless leader Al Davis. While the Raiders were able to rally to beat the Texans that week, it was easy to tell that things were not the same in Oakland. Although often scrutinized for his managerial decisions, Al Davis ran things his way and answered to no one. Meaning when it came time to make decisions, they were made, and people moved on. Uncertainty was the word of the week when it came to how the Raiders would move forward. It didn't take long to find out who was now making the calls. Hue J...

The Raiders signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh to veteran minimum contract on Tuesday. Houshmandzadeh is familiar with Hue Jackson and Carson Palmer from their days together in Cincinnati. Palmer also worked out with Houshmandzadeh during his "retirement." Aside from Houshmandzadeh's familiarity with Jackson and Palmer, what does he bring to the table as a receiver? Houshmandzadeh is 34 and had a less than spectacular year in Baltimore in 2010. He has also been unemployed for the past eight weeks. Is Houshmandzadeh purely to make Palmer comfortable or does Jackson actually believe he is good enough to crack the rotation at receiver? Both. Jackson realizes how important the timing is between receiver and quarterback and went out and signed one that Palmer knows well. Houshmandzadeh runs certain routes really well, particularly from the slot. The Raiders are struggling to find consistency at the receiver position. Rookie Denarius Moore has slowed way down over the past few games an...

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 ...

Jay Glazer reports the Raiders have traded for Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Carson Palmer. The Raiders send a 2012 first round draft pick and a conditional first round draft pick in 2013. The pick in 2013 converts to second round pick if the Raiders don't win a playoff game. The price was steep, but the move is the correct one. The Raiders playoff hopes were given a major blow when Jason Campbell went down and they had to move quickly.

Jason Campbell is out for an extended period of time. At the earliest Campbell would be back in six weeks, but that's massively optimistic and it is still likely that it's a season ending injury. Kyle Boller now becomes the starter and Terrelle Pryor will be the primary backup, but the Raiders are exploring other available quarterbacks. The Raiders have already reached out to David Garrard and Josh McCown suggesting they will explore all options. It's tough to imagine that they wouldn't also reach out to Trent Edwards. The Raiders are reportedly going hard after Carson Palmer as well. Josh McCown would become competition for Boller and would have a chance to become the starter if Boller falls on his face. Trent Edwards would be the same type of player, coming in to backup Boller and push him for the job, but far from certain he would start over Boller. The biggest question the Raiders have to ask themselves is if they can still make the playoffs with Kyle Boller. If the...

It comes as a bit of a surprise that the Raiders will start Aaron Curry after just one practice with his new team. What was almost as surprising was that the Raiders will move Curry to the weak side. Curry replaces Quentin Groves as the starter. The Raiders obviously believe Curry was miscast as a strong-side linebacker in the 4-3 and flipped him over the weak side. What's the difference between the two positions in the Raiders 4-3? The weak-side linebacker in the Raiders defensive scheme is responsible for basically three things. Clog running lanes. The weak-side linebacker needs to keep the opposing running back from turning the corner on running plays and he needs to make tackles in the running lane. Curry has shown he is solid against the run and should be effective in this role. Groves has been inconsistent diagnosing the correct running lanes and has been unable to turn the run inside when a lineman engages him. This is undoubtedly Curry's strength. Cover the flat. In the...

Raiders have acquired former 1st round pick Aaron Curry from the Seahawks for two future draft picks. The compensation is a 7th round pick in 2012 and a conditional mid-round pick in the 2013 draft. Aaron Curry was much heralded coming out of college but has been a non-impact player so far in his career. Curry has struggled to defend the pass and hasn't added much as a pass rusher either. However, the Raiders likely traded Curry for his ability to stop the run. Curry has been decently successful at stopping the run since he entered the league despite occasional struggles. The most likely scenario is that Curry is used in running situations to start as the staff work with Curry on other areas of his game. With Matt Shaughnessy's status in doubt the Raiders have worked out defensive ends and linebackers in successive weeks. The Raiders ultimately decided against signing these players. Kamerion Wimbley has been lining up more at defensive end with Shaughnessy out and that may cont...

The Raiders announced the signing of  6' 0" 210-pound defensive back Ron Parker and released preseason darling Sterling Moore from the practice squad. Parker has the kind of size, speed and length the Raiders covet. Parker runs a sub 4.4 in the 40-yard dash in addition to excellent times in the short shuttle and three-cone drill. He also broad jumped 9-7. Parker is a long and fast athlete with the tools to develop into more than a fringe roster player. Moore-as good as he was in training camp and preseason-is probably a fringe roster player. Moore also lacked the elite physical tools the Raiders like in their defensive backs. It's suprising because it was widely believed Moore could be elevated this week to the active roster due to all the injuries in the secondary. Don't be surprised if Parker is elevated to the active roster and Miller is released later in the week. Another option is veteran Lito Sheppard, although if it was going to happen it probably would have bee...