Comments on Silver and Black Forever: Projected 53 Man Roster & Cuts

You left off Chris Morris. You need a short and lo...

2007-06-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

You left off Chris Morris. You need a short and long snapper and he is a hell of a center and guard.
Not to mention 24 years old and
very smart and one of the strongest linemen. A hell of a blocker too.

Well with "Gabe"s contract he will cost against th...

2007-06-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Well with "Gabe"s contract he will cost against the cap if cut so he will most likly be on the team....but I hope Morant is there also....unless the "WR" drafted this year shows something in the "PreSeason" it will be very dificult to make this team....

PantyRaider....Understandin!!!!

Thanks for checking out the site PantyRaider. The...

2007-06-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking out the site PantyRaider. The competition for the WR roster spots will be fierce. Gabriel is under contract for $1.7M for 2007 and would be a free agent in 2008.

I would take Gabs over Morant for the simple fact that Gabs has produced.

Gabs Stats:
2004 33 rec, 551 yds, 16.7 avg, 2 tds

2005 37 rec, 554 yds, 15.0 avg, 3 tds
200

2006 30 rec, 428 yds, 14.3 avg, 3 tds

Another comment after reading the prior "Post"s......

2007-06-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Another comment after reading the prior "Post"s...

JonnieMorant...Yes he fell off at the end of the season along with everyone else on the "O"...so I don't judge too much on that....everyone was in a totally helpless situation and "Flat"....there was hardly anyone who kept his spirits up except Fargas and maybe "Gabe" when he came back from "NE"....Playing "WR" takes alot of player attention and everyone was lacking....even "gabe" when he caught the pass near the EndZone and failed to go out of bounds with time running out...he went for the "TD" and failed and the clock ran out....but we seem to forgive and forget because he has shown us something good so many times in the past....One big thing against "Gabe" this year is his contract....He gets $5 mill if he remains on the team....Morant will be alot less and I think a better player....He is still on his way up and I think "Gabe" has already "Peaked".....

PantyRaider....Lots-"O"-Posibilities!!!

Late to "Attack" but I love it....I write before I...

2007-06-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

Late to "Attack" but I love it....

I write before I reed what the rest have said....

I would make a change at "WR" and keep JonnieMorant...he has shown the ability to break-it all the way and good hands in the few times he has been given a chance to play....Good size and speed ....I think he is better than DougGabrial...

"TE"..Courtney Anderson may stick again but I am not sure why...I like Madsen's ability....he looks like Macafery from the "Donk"s...and we all know how much the "Donky" hurt us....

On the "D" line TylarBraton presents a problem....he has not been what was expected but he has a big contract as a #1 DraftChoice and will count against the "Cap" if cut and be difficult to trade...so I expect he will play a role in the middle because he is NO good in the "End"...

I would say "GoodJob"...Your Hired!!!

PantyRaider....PlayBall!!!

I'm sure there will be head scratching cuts(i.e. T...

2007-06-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there will be head scratching cuts(i.e. Timmy Brown-released) He is my hero. You have made an amazing roster and cuts blog. It was a good read. Makes me excited about the season. I would love for them to pick up Jenkins in trade for Brayton on the roster. I hope Kiff has looked at game film(I know he has) the past seasons and realize Whitted and R. Williams can't catch a ball or hold on to one. Props for putting in the time for the list.

Calico:I don't remember the cuts, but it seems to ...

2007-06-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Calico:

I don't remember the cuts, but it seems to me that many of Gruden's first year cuts surprised the hell out of me.

What we often fail to realize is that a new coach chooses the people he feels he can work with, and those are often different than the people chosen by the prior coaching staff.

BR: I personally would rather have an inexpensive...

2007-05-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

BR: I personally would rather have an inexpensive rookie, true DT (Brown)than an expensive vet like Brayton who is a fish out of water at DT and unproductive at DE. I also leave the possibility of acquiring a vet DT over the waiver wire to replace Brown. I think we have adequate depth at DE to give Brayton the blade irregardless of his high motor. Burgess, Huntley, Moses, Richardson, and Kelly are more than enough DE firepower. The area of weakness for the Raiders D is depth at DT. As far as Crockett goes, I too love his leadership traits and ability to play HB & FB BUT I think there comes a time where you need to start looking towards the future. If push comes to shove, I would rather have a battering ram, true FB like rookie O'Neil than a vet like Crockett who is clearly on the downside of his career. Also, another important point to make is how difficult it is to comprise and finalize the final roster. If you keep Crockett, who would suggest gets cut? It is a matter of making some tough choices. I think when Kiffin makes his final selections, we are in for a few surprises. A 1st year HC needs to put his stamp on his new team and often times that is cutting some vets like Brayton, Crockett, and certainly Whitted. We shall see ...

Don't be surprised if Crockett is on the team. An...

2007-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

Don't be surprised if Crockett is on the team. And I think that 6 or 7 running backs is likely too many. I think it very possible that Crockett winds up backing up both FB and HB. And don't forget that at this point in time, he's the closest thing we have to a leader on offense.

Don't be surprised to see Bush wind up on the DL to give that leg extra time to mend. I'm one of the few who believes that they handled Curry correctly last year, and they'd be wise to do the same with Bush.

Calico:I agree with all of them except for one, bu...

2007-05-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Calico:

I agree with all of them except for one, but it's minor. Tyler Brayton will beat out Brown. I think that's why Kiffin has been giving him playing time at DT.

I grant that Brayton didn't have much of a season, but it was his first year back at DE after playing for two years at LB. The key is whether he can find that "motor" that impressed in his rookie campaign.

CJ, I agree with Huff being a starter; but from wh...

2007-05-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

CJ, I agree with Huff being a starter; but from what I'm hearing and reading, he's struggling in camps. That could cost him. If we don't re-sign Namdi, I could see Huff becoming a CB next season.
It would be unfortunate though. I'd like to see him and Bing bang it out in the backfield, and let Schweig become a CB (a position he's more suited for in my opinion).

Ally: If Newberry wins the C role I suspect Grove ...

2007-05-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Ally: If Newberry wins the C role I suspect Grove could be our LS. Thanks for the research!

Blackbeard: You might be right about Brayton but would prefer he is cut. He's a good guy but just is not productive. To have a high priced 3rd string DE makes no sense. He is way to small to play DT. I know nothing about Larry Brown but I'm 100% certain he is more suited as a DT backup than Brayton will ever be.

Keyserfish: Good 2 cents! The reason I guessed at Russell starting game #5 is that it is immediately following a bye week which would give him an extra week of practice with the 1st team. So far, Russell has picked up things very quickly in mini camp & OTAs. We shall see. If it ends up being later that Russell starts, so be it.

TekRaider: Have an extra roster space by going to 5 WRs seems like a prudent thing to do. The majority of our backups need to contribute on Special Teams and we could use another LB.

SactownRaider: No need to duck. The cuts are always difficult. I still seeing Carr as a very good KR and dime package CB. I do think Higgins should take over PR duties.

Jay: Good points. Anderson is not cheap. He is due a $1M roster bonus if he makes the team. I do agree we need another LB but not another CB. Keep in mind that Huff can easily play CB if necessary. I also believe we are ok at OG (Boothe, McQ, Carlisle, Grove, and even Newberry).

CV Raider: BMW will need to prove his worth (and health) to make the final 53 man roster. My dream scenario is Bush at 100% and Jordan cut. IMO Fargas has earned a roster slot for his ST & change of pace back role. This guy plays with so much heart & determination and came on strong at the end of last season.

RaiderNate: Nice job with the 53 man team and starting roles. 1 major disagreement I have is Huff as a back up. He should be a starter at either SS or FS.

CJ-here is my list. I went as far as to rank thei...

2007-05-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

CJ-here is my list. I went as far as to rank their position on the depth chart. The only change for me was Zack Crockett in, and Antaaj Hawthonre being cut. I think Zack will be cut as well, if we sign a FA/ vet DT, or pick one up that was cut. Then I think Zack will be designated to the practice squad, and brought back up when LaMont goes down with another injury that will land him on the IR in week 8 (for the 4th season in a row). Anywho, here's the list:
QB (3)
01 - JaMarcus Russell-#3
02 - Andrew Walter-My pick for starter for beginning of ’07 season
03 - Josh McCown-#2, could be #1 if Walter is injured, or is a bust

RB (4)
04 - LaMont Jordan-#2
05 - Dominic Rhodes-My pick for starter
06 - Justin Fargas-#3
07 - Michael Bush-#4

FB (3)
08 - Justin Griffith-#1
09 – Orenthal O’Neil-#2
10 - Zack Crockett-#3

WR (6)
11 - Jerry Porter-#1
12 - Ronald Curry-#2
13 – Doug Gabriel-#4
14 – Mike Williams-#3
15 – Will Buchanon-#5
16 – Jonny Lee Higggins-#6, mostly special teams

TE (3)
17 - Zach Miller-#1
18 – Tony Stewart -#3
19 - John Madsen-#2

OL (9)
20 - Robert Gallery-starting LT
21 – Barry Sims-backup T
22 – Cooper Carlisle-starting LG
23 - Jeremy Newberry-Long Snapper
24 - Paul McQuistan-backup G
25 – Kevin Boothe –starting RG
26 - Jake Grove-starting C
27 – Cornell Green-starting RT
28 - Mario Henderson-backup T

DL (8)
29 - Derrick Burgess-starting DE
30 – Terdell Sands-backup DT
31 - Warren Sapp-starting DT
32 - Tommy Kelly-starting NT
33 – Kevin Huntley-backup DE
34 – Quentin Moses-starting DE
35 - Jay Richardson-backup DE
36 – Larry Brown-backup DT

LB (5)
37 - Kirk Morrison-starting MLB
38 - Robert Thomas-starting LOLB
39 - Thomas Howard-starting ROLB
40 - Sam Williams-backup LB
41 – Kyle Shotwell-backup LB

CB (5)
42 - Nnamdi Asomugha-starting LCB
43 - Fabian Washington-starting RCB
44 - Stanford Routt-nickel CB
45 - Chris Carr-backup CB
46 – John Bowie-backup

S (5)
47 - Michael Huff-backup CB/S
48 - Eric Frampton-backup S
49 - Stu Schweigert-starting FS
50 – Darnell Bing-starting SS
51 – Jerrod Cooper-backup SS

P/K (2)
52 - Shane Lechler-starting P
53 - Sebastian Janikowski-starting K

Cuts:
QB
Josh Booty
Jeff Otis

RB/FB

ReShard Lee
Echemandu Adimchinobe

WR
Carlos Francis
Johnathan Holland
Chris McFoy
Johnnie Morant
Alvis Whitted

TE
James Adkisson
Courtney Anderson
Tony Jackson
Fred Wakefield
Randall Williams

OL
Ben Claxton
Jon Condo
Eddie Keele
Chad Slaughter
Adam Treu
Mark Wilson

DL
Tyler Brayton
Bryant McNeal
Josh Shaw
Antaaj Hawthonre

LB
Ricky Brown
Kurt Campbell
Chris Clemons
Isaiah Ekejiuba
Charlton Keith
JJ Milan

CB
Marquise Cole
Kenny Patton
Duane Starks

S
Hiram Eugene
Chris Johnson
Kris Richard
BJ Ward

Good List Calico!,While I have a few differences, ...

2007-05-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

Good List Calico!,

While I have a few differences, your list is as good as any other at this point in time!.

Obviously, we will all have a few differences. My concerns with your list would be that I don't see us keeping 6 recievers if we keep 6 running backs. If Bush is good to go, I see us more likley we keep 5 RB's (bye bye to Jordan or Fargas). If Bush needs more time, I see him on the IR and we would then keep the five listed and still only have 5 RB's. If we carry 6 RB's as projected, I see one less reciever on board with Williams the likley cut. While I hope otherwise, I'm not sure even Kiff can get Williams to function at this level. I will gladly step up and say my bad if he picks it up for Kiff and makes the squad. I see the additional offensive roster spot being spent on another defensive spot like a LB for special teams (such as Ekujiba (spelling?)).

Either way, heres to Kiff and the 07 Raiders.

As always, WIN, LOSE, OR TIE, RAIDERS TILL I DIE!!!!

We need a 6th LB and a 6th CB: Bowie to practice s...

2007-05-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

We need a 6th LB and a 6th CB: Bowie to practice squad and Starks as number 5 (he'll get injured again early anyway but is a good vet for us).

Maybe Ike as our 6th LB for ST help, a big area of concern for Kiff, but if we can pick up a good LB to compete against Thomas and Williams, Williams is gone which is what I care about! Ricky Brown is a sleeper here also.

Brayton is def. gone, Brown is gone, and DE Richardson is Practice Squad...we'll pick up another DT after 6/1 I hope. I think I heard Sam Adams is a bad locker room guy though. Maybe we can grab Kris Jenkins cheap and have Sapp give him weight loss tips :)

TE: Don't rule out Anderson as the #3...he's cheap and has starting experience. Glad we got a real blue chip TE in Miller finally.

LS is too important...Chris Morris V. Treu for that position. Slaughter sucks and isn't a fit. Grove will back up Newberry and OG this year.

Cooper, Bing, or Frampton will be gone. 5 Safety's is one too many. The final decision will likely be ST's (Cooper get's the nod here); so Bing V. Frampton for the Backup SS job. Our D is weird, otherwise Huff would be FS and Bing or Frampton would be the SS. Stu is on island and does well as our last line of defense. I don't know what Rob Ryan is doing back there, but it worked last year (#1 is pass def.), so Huff and Stu are the starters again unless he wants to go with a more traditional Speed FS (Huff) and a Power SS (Bing or Frampton) like most teams seem to do.

Good job with the WR...I'm scared Alvis will find his way back on this team somehow though.

We're lucky because Kelly can play all 4 positions on the DL so that gives us flexibility to drop a couple D Lineman.

On RB/FB: We could practice sqaud Oren O'Neil 1 yr and keep Crockett while dumping Fargas. That gives us flexibility at back up RB/FB/Short Yardage/ST and frees up another roster spot. I love Crockett and he's a positive leader in a young clubhouse.

We're still short on backup OG IMO, but Grove can help there this year. All in all, this is going to be a really big year for the Oline. Either the system was so bad that everyone looked like a converted WR playing OL or we're a couple drafts away from fielding a strong line. Right now, Kiff and Cable are betting on the former. I hope they're right, b/c when I look at the Roster, the only pro-bowler we have is Newberry, and he's injury prone at near the end of the line (pun intended) anyway. Can't wait for pre-season to see what our new O looks like: GO RAIDERS!

I'm gonna type this and duck 'cause I know Chris C...

2007-05-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna type this and duck 'cause I know Chris Carr is a fan favorite. Higgins will handle all the return duties and Carr will be cut. And yes, I saw the Pittsburg game.

There are only a couple of spots/players that I se...

2007-05-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

There are only a couple of spots/players that I see differently.

WR: We don't need 6 WR, 5 should be enough (Madsen can be the "6th WR"). So that means that Williams or Buchanon don't make it. I'd give the nod to Buchanon who is likely a better special teamer than Williams.

LB: I think Isaiah Ekejuiba, a core special teams ace, makes it as the 6th LB.

DL: Brayton likely sticks as a 3rd team DT/DE ahead of Larry Brown.

Thanks for your early look at how this roster coul...

2007-05-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your early look at how this roster could look post the final cuts in August - you took a good crack at it.

My .02 are really more just comments than anything:

1. I don't disagree that guys like Anderson, Brayton, Treu, Morant, and Francis will struggle to make the final cuts. My hope, though, is that the Raiders get compensated for them by trade rather than receiving no compensation by cutting them.

2. Our LB corp looks exceptionally thin to me. I think the Raiders errored huge time by not selecting Des Bishop from Cal instead of the Bowie pick in the 4th round (who was, at best, a 5th-6th round prospect).

3. In my opinion, the one thing that stood out the most from your projections is your time table for when Jamarcus starts? 5th game, on the road, v. an AFC rival, and against the #1 defense in the NFL? That just doesn't sound right. Maybe. . maybe .. if the Raiders start 0-4 and the McKown is just awful. But I don't think that will be the case with the two home games v. Detroit and Cleveland in 2 of the first 3 weeks of the season. I think we're looking at best case a starting situation that looks more like the Broncos (Cutler) and Titans (Young) handled it last year - mid-to-late season. My guess? Week #9, at HOME on Sunday, Nov. 4th v. the Texans. Gives Jamarcus some time to prepare for big remaining home games v. the Bears, Broncos, and Colts. And. . helps the Raiders sell out a game that is otherwise a weak draw in the Texans.

Thanks for your blog.

Nice work Jack!Best list I have seen so far...Not ...

2007-05-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Nice work Jack!

Best list I have seen so far...

Not sure if we keep a second Fullback...Guess it depends on Training camp and Pre-Season.

Johnathan Holland likely makes it to IR with his second injury...

Tyler Brayton makes the team. He is Mr. Versatility-exactly what Kiffen is looking for...he might be a backup, but he will be on the team!

While we need help at DT, Larry Brown likely will be cut and put on Practice Squad before we cut Brayton.

Keith S. :{)>

I am always concerned about the consistency of the...

2007-05-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

I am always concerned about the consistency of the 'trio' that handles the kicking of field goals. We all saw how, when shuffling Treu in and out of the center position, our field goal kicking suffered. The timing between the snapper, holder and kicker is very important. Thank goodness for Shane Lechler and his amazing ability to field the bad snaps, both for field goals and for punts, but I do not think carrying a good long snapper is a luxury.

However, I just went back and looked at Grove's college career. In 2003 at Virginia Tech, he added long snapping to his resume, snapping for all six PATs and three field goals.

Newberry is versitile, playing all along the line, but I could not find anything that says he has handled long snapping duties.

Just looking out for that oft forgotten third of our game, the special teamers and kickers. :)

~Ally

Florida Raider: It is a very interesting and a dif...

2007-05-19T22:21:00.000-07:00

Florida Raider:
It is a very interesting and a difficult exercise coming up with the right composite of players for each position group. I would also like to add depth at LB & DL. Do you go with 5 WRs instead of 6 WRs to free up 1 space for a 6th LB? I would be curious to hear your suggestion.

As far as the DT position, I would expect us to add a vet to replace Larry Brown. Big Sam Adams if used right (15 to 18 snaps a game) could be effective for 1 year if he is in good health.

I would expect some big surprises on the final cut down day which typically happens when you have a new HC with more authority than usual.

Thanks for the feedback gang & I value your opinio...

2007-05-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the feedback gang & I value your opinions.

Ally: Keeping Treu for the sole purpose of being a LS is a luxury IMO. I'm sure Grove, Newberry, or another member of the 53 man roster could take on this duty.

Scorpio: I respect Treu's tenure but when you get right down to it, the cuts are difficult. (same thing with Crockett). Treu is coming off an injury plagued season and has little value to the team at this point in his career.

In regards to Gabriel vs. Morant, I think you have it backwards. If the season were to start today, I would have Gabs as our #3 WR. Morant plays soft, fumbles, and blew a golden opportunity at the end of last season. When push comes to shove, Gabriel has produced when given the snaps...Morant is unproven.

Anon: Green is a better fit for Tom Cables Zone Blocking Scheme (ZBS) than Slaughter because of his athleticism, quickness, and familiarity with ZBS from his experience in Denver.

CJ,I admire your prognosticator cojones in putting...

2007-05-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

CJ,

I admire your prognosticator cojones in putting out the 53 man roster pre training camp.

Question

1. Looking at your list I worry about lack of depth on the d-line and linebacker. What are your thoughts on a Sam Adams or someone of that ilk at d-line and another vet linebacker?

Comment

2. Bing you describe as nasty run stuffer etc. how so? The guy has not played a down yet. I feel your vibe about getting Bing or the new rook in at SS and move Huff to FS, unfortunetly it may be wishful thinking at this time and Stu will probably start

Regards

Florida Raider

I like the list but i dont think Cornell Green bea...

2007-05-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

I like the list but i dont think Cornell Green beats out Chad Slaughter for back up OT

yes, i have the same question. treu has been a "tr...

2007-05-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

yes, i have the same question. treu has been a "true" raider for many years.

calico, i agree with most of your projection with one exception: i would keep gabriel over morant.