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First news of cuts come in and my roster prediction already looks terrible. The Raiders parted ways with Walter McFadden. I should have gone with my gut and my belief he would be cut for months. Lito Sheppard looked good last night, but I suppose didn't do enough to merit a job over the Raiders younger options. These two cuts bode well for Jeremy Ware and Sterling Moore. We'll know for sure within the hour. Update: Jeremy Ware and Stevie Brown have been cut as well. We are past the deadline so news should trickle in until Hue has a call with the media at 4. Looks like Joe Porter may make the roster.

It was 2009 the last time the Raiders played the Saints in the preseason. The New Orleans Saints were still the "Aints" and the Raiders were a team headed into the Tom Cable era without a true identity. That game-also in Oakland and the third preseason game-was a 45-7 shellacking at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl Champion Saints. The Raiders would win five games, none by more than four points. Preseason is usually a time to evaluate individual performances over team performance, but the first half of the third preseason game is the closest we will get to predicting how a team might play during the regular season. The coaches scheme a bit and the starters play at least a full half. Let's take a look at third preseason games over the past few years. 2007 first-half score Rams 3 @ Raiders 17. Rams would finish 3-13. The Raiders would finish 4-12 If it had been any other team besides the Rams, would the Raiders have even won? Both teams were terrible in 2007 and the fac...

Nnamdi Asomugha went down with a high ankle sprain injury against the Seahawks and when he returned last week against the Dolphins after three weeks of rest he clearly wasn’t himself. Now it appears his ankle is worse than previously believed or got worse during the game on Sunday. Asomugha could miss more time. Chris Johnson was also out with a groin injury and could also miss this week’s game in San Diego. That leaves Stanford Routt and rookies Jeremy Ware and Walter McFadden as the only healthy cornerbacks. Jeremy Ware drew poor reviews from the coaching staff in Pittsburgh and was inactive last week. Walter McFadden was active and had a rough day against Miami. Both will be relied upon against the second best passing team in football. When the Raiders defeated the Chargers in Oakland, Philip Rivers threw for 431 yards and two touchdowns. He was unstoppable against the Raiders secondary, which included Asomugha and Johnson. Michael Huff will likely see additional snaps at corn...

People line up to declare the next Al Davis draft selection a bust because the Raiders are well known for draft blunders. These people point to a lack of football instincts in the players Al Davis drafts. They say things like, “He’s just a track star, he’s not a football player.” Let me know if you can figure out what a saying like that means. It sounds good but means nothing. Can a track star not be good at football also? You don’t hear people say, “He’s a wrestler, he’s not a football player.” Those same people turn around and say, “Speed kills.” What? So now speed is good in the NFL player? Yes, there is much more to being a good player than speed, but much of it depends on how smart the player is, how much they can learn and if they are dedicated. Are these traits not also desirable in a track star? Why does running track have to be a negative stereotype? Some guys have more smarts, have learned more or have been more dedicated to football when they enter the NFL. This is the re...

Every year and in every city the preseason is when the fans watch to see if they have the next impact rookie. This year’s top crop includes Rolando McClain, Lamarr Houston, Jared Veldheer, Jacoby Ford, Bruce Campbell and Walter McFadden. What is often lost in the rush to evaluate the rookies is just how much a second year player can improve and make an impact for a team. One recent example is Tyvon Branch. Branch, as a Sophmore, lead all safties in tackles. He figures to be an impact player for the Raiders in 2010 and beyond. The 2010 sophmore crop includes: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Mike Mitchell, Louis Murphy, Matt Shaughnessy, Desmond Bryant and Marcel Reece. These sophmores will all see significant playing time in 2010. The offseason has been filled with reports on Heyward-Bey’s improvement. He’s looked like the best player on the field at times and his route running is much better. All the reports a vast departure his the drop-filled 2009. Mike Mitchell’s rookie campaign was hind...

Rookie cornerback Walter McFadden signed a contract today, according to Raiders.com. Walter is the younger brother of Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden. Drafted in the fifth-round, McFadden should initially figure into the depth chart as a nickel or dime cornerback. Remaining Unsigned Rookies: Rolando McClain Lamarr Houston Jacoby Ford Travis Goethel Jeremy Ware Stevie Brown

The Oakland Raiders 2010 draft is over and Raider Nation should be happy. The Raiders selected productive football players early and saved projects with potential for the later rounds. Round 1 (8) - Rolando McClain, LB, 6-3, 254, Alabama Round 2 (49) - Lemarr Houston, DE, 6-2, 305, Texas Round 3 (69) - Jared Veldheer, OT, 6-8, 321, Hillsdale Round 3 (85) - Traded to Cleveland for Kamerion Wimbley Round 4 (106) – Bruce Campbell, OT, 6-5, 310, Maryland Round 4 (108) – Jacoby Ford, WR, 5-9, 181, Clemson (Acquired by trade for Kirk Morrison & a 5th) Round 5 (138) – Walter McFadden, DB, 5-11, 175, Auburn Round 5 (153) - Traded to Jacksonville for Quentin Groves Round 6 (190) – Travis Goethel, LB, 6-2, 240, Arizona Round 7 (215) – Jeremy Ware, CB, 5-10, 180, Michigan State Round 7 (251) – Stevie Brown, S, 6-0, 211, Michigan 2012 Round 4 pick - Traded for Jason Campbell The top undrafted free agents that should be on the Raiders radar: Tony Washington, OT, 6-6, 311, Abilene Christian LaGa...