RAIDER NATION Season THREAD:

[ciscokid]

Happy new year!!!

 

[willie mcfly22]

Happy New Year Raider Fam!

 

[MajinZuub]

Happy New Years guys. Still recovering from last night

 

[HNL HI]

Amari time. 

Watch for Devin Smith too, seen him slotted to us in the 3rd in some mocks.

 

[ishnaga]

Happy New Years nation bros....
Been hungova all day, brought this year in right n all but I think I'm geting too old..

 

[kayzeezay]

Happy New Years to all my fellow Raiders fans, this is really the only thread I give a **** about on N.T

 

[laker4lifeman]

Interviewing process starts tomorrow happy new year guys.

 

[HNL HI]

"@JasonLaCanfora: Three names I continue to hear interest the Raiders as a potential team president: Russ Brandon (BUF), Kevin Warren (MIN) and Mike Holmgren"

 

[HNL HI]

If we don't go w/ Amari @ 4 and Kendricks ain't there in the 2nd, a tight end is a quarterbacks bestfriend no?

 

[HNL HI]

 
Amari time. 

Watch for Devin Smith too, seen him slotted to us in the 3rd in some mocks.

after watching yesterdays game, and seeing more stuff on devin smith dude really only runs deep. we need a more versatile receiver.

watching UCLA/KState, lockette is having a nice game.

 

[HNL HI]

good article by jerry mcdonald on our depth w/ cap numbers included.

 
The Raiders find themselves on the outside looking in terms of the playoff picture for the 12th consecutive season.

Conducting interviews for a head coach is commonplace for the Raiders -- interim coach Tony Sparano is the eighth different coach during that 12-year span. The Raiders don't have a deal in place for a stadium and their revenue stream is among the lowest in the NFL.

But this offseason, the Raiders have something going for them that has been absent in years past, and it's the main reason that general manager Reggie McKenzie remains in place despite an 11-37 record since he arrived in 2012 -- a promising core of young talent.
Sparano, who hopes to emerge from the interview process as head coach, thinks the foundation has been laid for a bright future and likes a mix that includes some veterans still under contract and others scheduled for unrestricted free agency who could be brought back.
"We have some needs, there's no question about it, but we have some good young players here too and we have some veteran players that I think, in my humble opinion, deserve to be around here," Sparano said at his season-ending press conference. "It's the right mix."

The Raiders are in great shape under the salary cap with approximately $50 million or more under the projected cap. They own the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft and have a full complement of draft picks through the seventh round.
Here is how the roster looks heading into free agency (beginning March 10) and the NFL draft (April 30-May 2):
Quarterback: Second-round pick Derek Carr made all 16 starts, had the second-most completions (34 for a rookie in NFL history and had a touchdown pass-to-interception ratio of 21 to 12. He will be the offensive centerpiece headed into his second year. Matt Schaub is under contract for $5.5 million but can be cut with no salary cap implications, which leaves Matt McGloin as a backup with playing experience.

Running back: Latavius Murray gained 424 yards but barely got a sniff until the final seven games of the season. He goes into next season as the unquestioned feature back. Darren McFadden is an unrestricted free agent who could be brought back at another bargain salary, but more likely the Raiders will look to get younger. Maurice Jones-Drew is also probably headed out the door.

Wide receiver: James Jones led the Raiders in receiving although showing some signs of age and has a cap number of $3.1 million. Exclusive rights free agent Andre Holmes led the club with 693 receiving yards and Rod Streater (broken foot) hopes to rebooot his career after leading the Raiders in receiving in 2013. The Raiders need a downfield playmaker to pair with Carr either in the draft or free agency.Running back: Latavius Murray gained 424 yards but barely got a sniff until the final seven games of the season. He goes into next season as the unquestioned feature back. Darren McFadden is an unrestricted free agent who could be brought back at another bargain salary, but more likely the Raiders will look to get younger. Maurice Jones-Drew is also probably headed out the door.

Tight end: Mychal Rivera has been productive for being a sixth-round pick in 2013 with 96 receptions for 941 yards and eight touchdowns in two seasons. Rivera, however, is not a traditional in-line tight end. Second-year player Brian Leonhardt fillled that role but had two concussions.

Offensive line: Left tackle Donald Penn had a bounce-back season and was a capable pass protector for Carr's blind side, and left guard Gabe Jackson has the look of a 10-year starter after a solid rookie season. With Stefen Wisniewski scheduled for unrestricted free agency, the Raiders may be shopping for a new center. Austin Howard came on in the last third of the season as the right guard, and it will be up to the incoming coaching staff whether he remains there or moves back out to tackle. The Raiders may be running out of patience with Menelik Watson

Defensive line: Ends Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley remain under contract, with Tuck the most likely to return at a cap number of approximately $4.2 million. Antonio Smith proved a capable three-technique tackle at age 33 and rookie Justin Ellis was a 16-game starter who has gained recognition on some all-rookie teams. Benson Mayowa showed enough promise after being claimed off waivers from Seattle to merit another look as an end.

Linebackers: Strong side linebacker Khalil Mack was as good as advertised and the pillar of the defense, utilized as a forward-moving disruptive force against both the run and the pass. Assuming Sio Moore recovers from hip surgery, he provides the kind of speed and explosion that works well as a counterpart to Mack. Miles Burris struggled at times in his first year as a middle linebacker in place of Nick Roach, who was lost due to concussions but remains on the roster with a $2.8 million salary in 2015.

Cornerback: Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers were both brought in on one-year contracts and neither made it through the season. It remains to be seen if McKenzie will sign new corners for a third straight season. DJ Hayden will be given every opportunity to seize a starting job should he remain healthy and draft picks TJ Carrie and Keith McGill showed promise.

Safety: Charles Woodson, scheduled to be a free agent, sounds as if he wants to return at age 39. He and Mack were far and away the Raiders' best defensive players. Strong safety Brandian Ross, an exclusive rights free agent, was the most improved player on the team.Tyvon Branch is just two years into a mega deal but a broken ankle and then a broken foot has kept him on injured reserve for almost two full seasons.

Special teams: Sebastian Janikowski was better than he was in 2013, but the Raiders have seemed reluctant to let him take 55-yard plus field goals more so than earlier in his career. Marquette King had only three touchbacks and has added finesse and touch with 31 punts inside the 20-yard line.

 

[HNL HI]

@Th3RealF0lkBlu3s  Kendricks ability to diagnose run plays is pretty unreal, dude just now walked thru the o-line and made a tackle for loss at the handoff.

 

[laker4lifeman]

I hope we get some comp picks for the players we lost.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

@Th3RealF0lkBlu3s
 Kendricks ability to diagnose run plays is pretty unreal, dude just now walked thru the o-line and made a tackle for loss at the handoff.

His vision and decision making is incredible. He plugs leaks all over the defense.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Interviewing Jack del Rio today.

*sigh*

 

[willie mcfly22]

The reports are that it's Tony's job to lose. I'm fine wit that but must bring in a great OC for sure...

 

[albooboo]

 

[HNL HI]

Del Rio had 3 winning seasons in 9 years.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

I'd rather we wait for more assistant coaches to become available. And I don't pin Del Rio's losing teams on him exactly, he was in Jacksonville after all (fighting the irony).

 

[laker4lifeman]

Tony can coach home games and Jack can coach road games. Ray Charles approves

 

[HNL HI]

I'd rather we wait for more assistant coaches to become available. And I don't pin Del Rio's losing teams on him exactly, he was in Jacksonville after all (fighting the irony).

Coughlin did take the Jags to 2 AFC title games, it's not like winning was impossible there.

 

[oaklandca]

I hope to see more screen passes next season. 

 

[HNL HI]

 

Hard to say without knowing what their staff would look like but I think i'd have to agree. Whoever it is I just hope Reggie nails this draft, that's more critical IMO.

 

[HNL HI]

"@AdamSchefter: Raiders requested permission to interview Cowboys passing game coordinator Scott Linehan, per source."

 

[The_Isomotion31]

I won't be mad if Sparano is head coach. Just need some DOPE Coordinators and a sick draft. Sparano had the team playing hard even when there wasn't anything to play for. Maybe Jack can come on as DC with the premise that if Sparano flattens out, he will step in to be the HC?