Raiders football: there's more to receiving than receiving

When I think that Jerry Porter is now a Jacksonville Jaguar, it makes me weep. Jerry was the unsung receiver. Constantly in the shadow of Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Randy Moss.

I remember a game against Denver where all anyone could talk about was how dominant Champ Bailey was and Jerry shamed him on more than one occasion that game. Straight ran off on him.

I remember tiptoe catches on the sidelines and in the end zone. When Jerry Rice made catches like that, the color guy goes on and on about his discipline and his work ethic. When Jerry Porter does it, people don't even take notice.

Now, we're stuck with Ronald Curry, who might be the worst starting receiver in the league. He won't come back for an under thrown pass. He won't fight defenders for the ball. Oh sure, when you hit him in stride, he's got it and gone—but there's more to it than that. Then there's Javon Walker. Green Bay and Denver let him go and their coaches aren't stupid, even if Shanahan is running a meat market for running backs and receivers in Denver.

I wish the Raiders had done more to keep Jerry Porter and then used a late pick to find a diamond in the rough like Wes Welker. I don't believe early picks should be used on offensive picks simply because defensive players have a better history of coming into the league and making an impact.

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