Raiders Interested in Veteran Linebacker Derrick Brooks

It looks like the Raiders are interested in an old foe.

As reported by the National Football Post, a league source has indicated that the Oakland Raiders have inquired of the services of 11-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks.

Brooks, who has spent his entire 14-year NFL career in Tampa Bay, was released earlier in the offseason despite being the stalwart face of the Buccaneers’ franchise over the past decade. The move was prompted by a regime change in Tampa and the team’s growing concerns over Brooks’ age (he’ll be 36 at the start of the season) and durability.

Last season, Brooks played in all sixteen games and made his eleventh Pro Bowl, despite being slowed by nagging injuries and collecting a career low 73 total tackles.

Since being released, Brooks has maintained his desire to play this upcoming season, and although he’s looking forward to signing with a team, he asserts that it’s got to be the right fit for both sides.

Last month, in an article by Jim Henry with the Fanhouse, Brooks said, “me never being in this position before, I just have to practice patience. I continue to be patient. Teams that I’ve talked to obviously have a plan about how they want to go if something happens with their teams. And, as far as signing me, I have to be respectful of their plans. I really am.”

Thus far, the one team that has made the most news in regards to pursuing Brooks has been the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are looking to provide depth at linebacker, following the news of veteran Mark Simoneau going down with a torn triceps.

For the Raiders, the numbers aren’t so much of an issue as quality depth. Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard are slated as the starters at middle linebacker and on the weak side, respectively. On the strong side, Jon Alston has been sidelined with a foot injury, so rookie Slade Norris has been getting time with the first team thus far.

From Brooks’ perspective, the Raiders don’t make much sense as a possible destination. Too small to play on the strong side, Brooks’ skills are prototypical for the weak side linebacker, but Thomas Howard has established himself as more than capable as he heads into his fourth year in the league. While it’s hard to keep a player of his caliber off the field, Brooks is looking for more assured playing time.

From the Raiders’ prospective, Brooks is a future Hall of Famer and a respected veteran presence who would provide great depth in a role that would maximize his durability.

Head Coach Tom Cable, who has been all-business in his approach this offseason, would surely welcome Brooks’ veteran presence as an example for his young team.

Although it is yet unclear as to how interested the Raiders are in the veteran linebacker, it will be interesting to see if Brooks reciprocates any such interest.

With the Start of Training Camp, the Derrick Burgess Saga Continues

The news out of the opening day of training camp circled around the absences of two key players: first round draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and disgruntled defensive end Derrick Burgess.

Heyward-Bey, who was limited during OTA’s with a hamstring injury, has yet to sign a contract, but head coach Tom Cable remains optimistic that a deal will be reached sooner rather than later.

As for Burgess, the saga is ongoing, although now that he is officially a holdout, it seems more and more likely that Burgess’ days in Oakland are numbered.

Since the beginning of the offseason, Burgess has been a non-presence, choosing not to attend optional workouts and in May, being sidelined from the team’s mandatory minicamp due to an “upset stomach.”

The team has taken a hushed approach to the situation, as evidenced by Cable’s most recent comments regarding Burgess’ absence, stating, “we really haven’t talked about a reason and that’s really all I’m going to say about [it].”

Despite neither side going so far as to lambaste each other through the press, Burgess and the Raiders have both expressed their desire to seek a trade.

Prior to the draft, the prevalent rumor involved the Raiders sending Burgess to the New England Patriots, and despite the draft being over and done with, the Patriots are still apparently interested in acquiring the eight-year veteran.

Now entering his final year of a five-year contract, Burgess is due to make $2 million this upcoming season. However, the issue isn’t simply about the money.

At 30 years of age and coming off his worst statistical year as a Raider, Burgess is looking to move on to a surefire contender. Although the Raiders would like to think that a healthy Burgess can return to his old form, the fact of the matter is, Burgess doesn’t believe the Raiders can win and he doesn’t want to waste another year contending for anything less than a Super Bowl.

And while acquiring Burgess certainly makes sense for the Patriots, the Raiders have to make sure any such deal makes sense for them, and not like the 2007 deal that sent Randy Moss to the Patriots for a mere fourth rounder.

In truth, this tiresome saga should never have come to this. Unless Cable and staff were busy trying to get their defensive end back on board, Burgess should have been dealt at the draft.

It’s hard to say the situation has been detrimental to the team as the staff has done an excellent job at keeping the team focused and on track, and with the acquisition of veteran Greg Ellis, the team seems like it has its collective sights set forward.

However, now that Burgess is an official holdout, it’s hard to see this situation turning out favorably unless a trade is made.

Filling The Leadership Void: The Key To a Successful 2009 and Beyond

After years of watching pre and post game specials, reading various articles, and listening to countless interviews, I’ve come to a conclusion regarding team leaders in sports: the more sports cliche’s attached to a guy, the better leader he likely is in the locker room.

You take into consideration guys like Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward for the Steelers, Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi for the Patriots, and even young Matt Ryan for the Falcons, and you realize that the same old clichés you hear every year about leaders in the locker room are likely applicable to these aforementioned players.

Bell Belichick, on more than one occasion, has probably said about Brady and Bruschi that they’re like “coaches on the field.”

When describing Roethlisberger and Ward, their teammates have probably described them as “the heart and soul of the team.”

And at some point last year, I’m sure someone on the Falcons mentioned that Ryan was “among the first at practice and one of the last to leave.”

But whatever cliché is used to describe a team leader, the evident truth in the NFL is this: team leaders might be the most important players in the locker room and their presence might be the best indicators of a team’s success.

Take a look at the 2007-2008 Dallas Cowboys. Here was a team that owned some of the most notable names in the league and featured elite talent at several key positions. However, despite having guys like Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, and DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys failed to reach the playoffs and were terribly inconsistent despite being a team of their considerable skill and promise.

In fact, last season’s Cowboys aren’t just an example of a team that is void of leadership, but one that is plagued by whatever it is that could be considered the polar extreme of it (e.g., selfishness, immaturity, Terrell Owens).

On the other end of the spectrum, we have a team like the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who have always seemed to have key players on their teams who have taken on leadership roles, and as a result, have been able to maintain an extended period of winning and success.

A quick glance at the rest of the league will reveal much of the same. The teams that are predicted to do well in 2009 have great leadership while the other teams who don’t own such an optimistic outlook are likely lacking in it.

Which brings me to the Oakland Raiders.

This upcoming season, the Raiders have a chance to make a splash and take a step back into national relevance. Talent is abound, and with the way last season ended, the Raiders hope to carry that momentum on into the 2009-2010 season.

And while there are plenty of obstacles the Raiders have to overcome, the best thing head coach Tom Cable and his staff can hope for is that a few leaders emerge on this young team.

On defense, the situation isn’t desperate as the Raiders already feature a couple guys who have credibility in the league and the respect of their teammates in the locker room.

First, the most obvious candidate for team leader, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha, now entering his seventh year in the league, has established himself as the Raiders’ marquee player and is arguably the league’s top corner. As an established veteran on the team, Asomugha is one of the few guys that all players, regardless of what side of the ball they play on, can look to for guidance on and off the field.

Not only is Asomugha an elite player on the field, he is also one of the league’s better men off of it, as evidenced by his various philanthropic endeavors. In a sports media climate where players like Michael Vick, Chris Henry, and Dante Stallworth are highlighted for their legal troubles, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is surely relieved to have guys like Asomugha who represent the league with class and character.

Another player the Raiders hope will assume a larger role on the team is fifth year linebacker Kirk Morrison. Morrison, who again led the team in tackles for the fourth straight year, has established himself as one of the team’s most consistent players and has become one of the league’s better linebackers.

Perhaps it’s because the Raiders haven’t had much success that Morrison’s name hasn’t yet become a household one across the league, but that’s exactly the type of leader Morrison is. Some players lead by being vocal in the locker room, but Morrison is one of those guys who lead by example (yet another sports cliché).

While Asomugha and Morrison might simply be the de facto leaders on defense, they’re also the most qualified and exactly what a young Raiders team needs. There’s nothing wrong with being vocal or emotionally charged, but Cable and staff have set out to establish a tough, business like approach in practices, and Asomugha and Morrison are prime examples of what the coaches want out of their players: guys who show up, don’t complain, and get the job done.

On the other side of the ball, the situation isn’t as clear as the offense has been inconsistent in recent years, and there’s no one guy that has clearly established himself among the group.

Of course, the one guy on offense, or rather, on a team as a whole, that is looked upon to lead is the quarterback. For this reason, it is the quarterback position that is generally regarded as one of the toughest positions to play in all of sports because it goes beyond skill and performance, but mental fortitude and the ability to lead.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, the quarterback situation isn’t set in stone despite what the staff has said publicly. The team brought in veteran Jeff Garcia this offseason, and there is some uncertainty among the fan base as to what kind of role he will play.

Through the media, Cable and the team have gone on to say Garcia was brought in as a backup to provide competition and veteran tutelage to third year quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

However, due to Russell’s slow development and inconsistent performances during OTA’s, there have been rumblings that Garcia has a legitimate shot at being at the top of the depth chart come the end of training camp. To further complicate matters for Cable, Russell’s off the field antics haven’t been indicative of the kind of leader a coach would like to have in his quarterback (SFGate).

With all that said, Russell is still young and there is yet time to shape up his act. The 2009 training camp might prove to be the most pivotal one for Russell and the Raiders. While there are many questions that have yet to be answered regarding the talent surrounding him, it is imperative that Russell takes the next step in his development and become the leader on offense.

Perhaps more so than fine tuning his accuracy and poise in the pocket (although it certainly is important), Russell must assume a larger, more prominent role on the team because the team cannot afford to fall back on the excuse that he is still young and maturing.

If the Raiders want to have a successful 2009 campaign, they have to hope that Russell embraces on the sports clichés on leadership, and that he leaves up to those lofty expectations.

In other words, Russell has to learn to be a “coach on the field”. He’s got to be “the first one in practice and the last one out.” And finally, in order for the young Raiders to take a step forward in 2009, JaMarcus Russell must learn and become “the heart and soul of the team.”

Oakland Raiders’ Offense Features Deep Threats and Long Balls

When you stop to consider the offseason moves the Raiders have made, it’s evident what the plans are on offense for 2009: Establish the run first then throw it deep downfield.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

It’s been that way for the Silver and Black since 1963, when a 33-year-old Al Davis took what he learned from then-Chargers head coach Sid Gillman, and implemented an aggressive vertical passing attack that revolutionized the way football was played.

Strangers to the Raider Nation are quick to criticize Davis for insisting upon what they perceive to be bygone methods and philosophies.

But it’s easy to kick a man when he’s down.

When the Raiders have had the right players to play their brand of football, those teams have featured some of the most prolific offenses in league history, and have featured such stars as Kenny Stabler, Willie Gault, and Tim Brown.

The 2009 version of the Raiders hopes to do much of the same, but while there’s talent abound on offense, inexperience and inconsistency might prove to be the biggest deterrents to a productive offensive attack.

To address the issue of inconsistency, Davis’ first offseason move was to drop the “interim” title from Tom Cable and make him the Raiders’ official head coach. If the past six years of misfortunes has taught Raider fans anything, it’s that their young talent will never develop properly if there’s a high turnover ratio in the coaching staff.

Cable, who began with the Raiders in 2007 as an offensive line coach, took control of the team immediately after Lane Kiffin’s firing following a Week Four loss to the Chargers. By Week Nine, Cable also assumed offensive play-calling duties, taking over for then-coordinator Greg Knapp.

In 2009, Cable will continue to call the shots on offense, and that’s probably for the best when you consider how well he had the team playing in its final two games of 2008.

The philosophy will be the same, and that should definitely make things easier for third year quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Russell, with his rocket arm and great height at 6’6”, is the prototypical Al Davis quarterback and in theory, the Raiders’ offense is perfectly tailored to his skill set. In practice, however, the early reports haven’t been encouraging.

Despite his strong arm, Russell has struggled with the deep ball during OTAs, particularly in the accuracy department.

Although he hasn’t completely let his quarterback off the hook, Cable insists that Russell’s struggles are partly due to slight changes in offensive scheming, and if that’s the case, you certainly hope the additions of Paul Hackett (quarterback coach) and Ted Tollner (passing game coordinator) will help accelerate Russell’s development and ease his transition.

When or if Russell becomes capable enough in Cable’s system, he will have the pleasure of throwing to a group of wide receivers that have been perfectly adjusted to his needs.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, despite any debate over his selection, is the type of deep threat wide receiver that can excel in such an offense as the Raiders. Heyward-Bey possesses an incredible combination of size (6’2” and 210 lbs.) and speed (4.3/40) that the Raiders hope to immediately utilize in their attack.

Needless to say, Heyward-Bey will not lead the Raiders in receptions or receiving yards. The advantage of having a receiver like Heyward-Bey is in the sheer threat of a home-run pass.

A legitimate deep-threat wide receiver has the ability to draw defenders in the secondary away from the action, opening up opportunities for the offense to gain major yards.

Some definite benefactors of Heyward-Bey’s skill might be Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens. Higgins, who has established himself as one of the league’s premier return men, is a big play waiting to happen at wide receiver, and Schilens, who impressed last season as a rookie, is a polished receiver who is a great target at 6’4”.

Ideally, the Raiders envision an offense where Heyward-Bey is able to draw defenders away, opening up huge holes for slot receivers like Higgins and Schilens.

The possibilities are enough to make a Raider fan salivate.

In one-on-one coverage, Higgins is the type of athlete with enough shake in his step to turn a modest gain into a big play. In that same regard, while Schilens might not have the agility of Higgins, he’s a sure-handed receiver who should be a favorite target of Russell’s in third down situations.

One player who is poised to have a big year for the Raiders is tight end Zach Miller. In 2008, Miller led the team in receptions and receiving yards, and if you ask anyone who knows a lick about football, a young quarterback’s best friend is often his tight end.

Unless he makes huge strides in his development this summer, Russell’s favorite target should remain Miller. Cable and company understand that the success of their offense will be predicated on Russell’s ability to handle pressure, and as such, they will put him in situations where he will always have an out—namely, Miller.

One of the hallmarks of Cable’s offenses when he was coordinator at UCLA was his ability to run a variety of plays in a single formation. With this in mind, it is likely we will see Miller on the field for the majority of plays because of his versatility as a skilled receiver and as an adept blocker.

In this way, Russell will often have the benefit of having his tight end as a security blanket.

The Raiders will always be a team predicated on the run. Cable’s offensive approach will be to run the ball, wear down opposing defenses, and control the clock.

With that said, if the running game is as good as advertised and the offensive line provides enough protection against the pass rush, the passing game will significantly improve from last season and 2009 will usher in the return of the long ball in Oakland.

After all, a wise man once said, “You can run for yards, but you can pass for miles.”

It’s Time the Oakland Raiders Met Expectations

Given the way the 2008 season ended, the Oakland Raiders entered this offseason with something they haven’t had in a while: momentum.

True, a two-game win streak might not seem like much when the team’s overall record finished at 5-11, but when you’re an organization that’s won only 23 games since 2003, you’ll take whatever positives you can get.

This is in no way meant to be an apology for a tumultuous 2008 campaign, but for the Raiders to have finished on such a high note there’s reason to believe that 2009 just might be the year the Raiders take that first step in the right direction.

However, the important thing to remember about such an optimistic outlook is that it should be at best curbed, if not guarded.

After all, these are still the Oakland Raiders.

As such, they’ll open the 2009 season with yet another new head coach, Tom Cable, and a slew of questions that desperately need to be answered before the season-opener Sept. 14 against San Diego.

Most of the questions on offense center around a passing game that finished near last in most major statistical categories.

At the center of it all is third-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Russell struggled to find any consistency last year, and if the Raiders want to feature a more balanced offensive attack, he must become the quarterback the Raiders believed him to be when he was selected first overall in 2007.

Should Russell fail to improve, don’t be surprised if Cable is quick to play veteran Jeff Garcia, who was signed this offseason as Russell’s backup (even though the past few years have shown that Garcia never believes he’s anyone’s backup).

The second most glaring issue, among a laundry list of issues, is Oakland’s defensive front seven and their inability to stop the run. The Raiders ranked 31st in run defense the past two seasons, although they dramatically improved their sack total last year.

Enter John Marshall, the new defensive coordinator. Marshall comes to Oakland by way of Seattle, replacing Rob Ryan who left for the Browns.

Cable doesn’t expect there to be much change in schemes, but in bringing in the tough, no-nonsense Marshall, he hopes his defense will become more fundamentally sound and perform better as a unit.

The 2009 schedule doesn’t look promising for the Raiders.

Save for divisional rivals Denver and Kansas City, there aren’t any real cupcakes the Raiders will face. While it might be a stretch to say teams like the Texans, Bengals, or the Redskins are forces to be reckoned with, they certainly are in a better situation than the Raiders.

The season opens on Monday night against last year’s division champs, the San Diego Chargers.

Make no mistake, despite winning the conference with an 8-8 record, the Chargers could have finished with a couple more wins under their belts had it not been for a few bad breaks (see Ed Hochuli).

With a healthy Shawne Merriman and LaDainian Tomlinson looking like he’s ready to go, the Raiders will be hard-pressed to come up with a win in this one despite their best efforts.

The next two-game stretch of games might play into Oakland’s favor. The Raiders travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in Week Two, followed up by the Broncos in Oakland.

Kansas City finished last in the division in 2008, and while they’ve made some key additions, they’ll be breaking in a new coach, a new quarterback, and a new scheme.

The same goes for the Broncos who would’ve been contenders had they held onto Jay Cutler, but with Kyle Orton in charge of a new offense, look for Denver to take a step back.

It’s almost crazy to say it, but the Raiders’ Week Four matchup in Houston might go a long way in gauging this team. Even though the Raiders bested the Texans in Week 16 last season, Houston finished the year at 8-8, and had some impressive victories to show for it.

The Texans might battle some inconsistencies throughout the season, especially in a tough AFC South, but head coach Gary Kubiak will have his team ready to compete.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, this game is in Texas and Houston will come out on top in this one.

The Raiders will be hard-pressed to come out with any wins in the following two weeks. On Oct. 11, they’ll be in East Rutherford, N.J., to play the Giants, and Eli Manning and company will be too much for the young Raiders.

Week Six, the Raiders will host the Eagles, but again, the disparity in experienced talent will manifest itself in a third consecutive loss for the Raiders.

Week Seven, the Raiders host the New York Jets, and will welcome rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. While last season’s rookie quarterbacks (Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Baltimore’s Joe Flacco) were phenomenal in their first years, don’t expect much of the same from Sanchez.

The Raiders will put a stop to the bleeding with a nice win over the Jets.

Week Eight will be another tough matchup against the Chargers, and unfortunately for the Raiders, this time it will be in San Diego. The Raiders head into the bye week with a loss, and a record of 3-5.

Out of the bye, the Raiders will host Kansas City, and while the Chiefs should be improved by this time in the season, expect the Raiders to come out with a win and sweep their rivals.

Much like the three-game stretch of games from Weeks Four through Six, expect the same from Weeks 11-13.

Although the Bengals struggled in 2008, former Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer returns, and early reports are that he’s as healthy as ever.

The Cowboys, despite all their drama and the loss of Terrell Owens, are still loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, and of course, the Steelers will be the Steelers.

The Week 14 matchup against the Redskins could be a pivotal one for the Raiders. The Redskins, coming off an 8-8 season, are much like the Cowboys in that they’re talented on both sides of the ball. However, should the Raiders progress like they should, they just might have a chance to come up with a surprise win at home.

On Dec. 20, the team travels to Denver to take on the Broncos. You certainly expect the Broncos to be much improved at this point in the season, but while this is an away game for the Raiders, the team should be riding high off their Week 14 win.

In Week 16, the Raiders travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns, and will face a familiar face in Rob Ryan. If Brady Quinn is still starting and hasn’t been taken over by Derek Anderson, this game will depend largely on how much Quinn has progressed at quarterback.

What’s worse for the Raiders though, is the fact that they’ll be facing Ryan’s defense, and if history has told Raider fans anything about their offenses going up against former coaches, things don’t bode well for the Silver and Black.

Barring a spectacular sophomore slump for quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens and their annually dominant defense should defeat the Raiders, and you only hope that at this point in the season, the young Raiders have improved enough so that they can, at the very least, make it a competitive game.

Even if they should lose to the Redskins in Week 14, the Raiders should be able to manage one win from either the Texans or the Browns. Should the season come to pass as detailed, the Raiders would finish second in the division at 4-2 with an overall record of 6-10.

While that’s hardly good enough for a playoff birth, it would be a modest step in the right direction for a young Raider team.

While Al Davis and Raider Nation might clamor for better results, the fact of the matter is, this team lacks discipline on defense, and is still too young at too many critical spots on offense.

Since losing Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002, the Raiders have done nothing but fallen short of their yearly expectations, regardless of how low those expectations might have been.

To ask more of such a young team would be impractical.

Given the state of affairs in Raider Nation since 2002, simply meeting expectations should suffice as a “commitment to excellence.”

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