Why The Oakland Raiders Will Win The AFC West in 2008

As for the offensive-line, LT Barry Sims was only getting older and even the "flop" Kwame Harris is a better option than Sims.  Plus, Oakland has T Mario Henderson from the 2007 Draft to work with, who definitely has far more upside than Sims.  I have my doubts about T Kwame Harris, but at the same time, I have hope.  The reason being is that Oakland in the past was able to rectify the career of T Lincoln Kennedy.  As a Falcon, Kennedy was considered a flop, but was then traded to Oakland where he became a premiere right-tackle for his career.  Here's to hoping that Oakland can do the same with Kwame Harris.  Moreover, the Raiders had the sixth overall running attack in 2007 with three different runningbacks: Justin Fargas, LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes.  The Raiders also nullified the pass-rush of Jared Allen, Aaron Kampman and Denver down the stretch.  Clearly then, the offensive-line was doing something right, and that was with the diminishing LT Barry Sims.  So my thinking is that, between Kwame Harris and Mario Henderson, the Raiders will only improve at left-tackle for an offensive-line that made big strides in the right direction in the 2007 season.

The Draft: 

As for the Draft, my aforementioned flip-flop that Oakland should select Glenn Dorsey should surpirse those of you whom have read my previous articles on why the Raiders should select Darren McFadden or Vernon Gholston.  The reason my opinion has changed is that Oakland has acquired DeAngelo Hall which changes what they need (and their possibilities) come Draft day.  On the possibility that Grady Jackson decides to reunite with Hall and Oakland, the Raiders could then take Dorsey (as I've said) and leave Tommy Kelly at strong side defensive-end.  I've said that, but I repeated it because it is part of the section on Oakland's Draft outlook.  Well, now that Oakland has acquired Hall, they can now trade CB Stanford Routt or CB Fabian Washington.  Here's the thing though.  With CB/RS Chris Carr as an RFOR the Raiders can match any offer made to him.  Thus, if they want Carr, he's theirs to keep.  Which means that Oakland can afford to trade Routt, even though he supplanted Washington for the starting spot in 2007.  The reason that Oakland should trade Routt though is that Routt can garner a higher return (possibly a late first round pick, say, Green Bay, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, the NYG, or a package from Buffalo--the team that's trying to sign Chris Carr).  The Raiders could then select a pash-rushing linebacker like Quentin Groves (if available).  Between Groves, Dorsey and Burgess, the Raiders would have one nasty pass-rush.

The perception is that Oakland is a mess and always will be a mess.  The reality is, in 2006, the Raiders had the 3rd overall defense, and in 2007 had the sixthth overall rushing attack.  Save for a plethora of mistakes by the QB in 2007, the Raiders were often in position to win in 2007 but would allow the big-play or could not make the big-play.  We've seen teams turn things around in one offseason.  So they've spent money.  Big deal.  In baseball, the perception is that teams must spend big in order to compete: So why is it lambasted by football critics (or at least, when Oakland does it)?  The reality is that if Javon Walker and Kwame Harris don't produce, the Raiders can release them after their first year without having to pay the large part of the contract.  Yet, if Harris and Walker DO produce, the Raiders don't have to worry about resigning them.  Idiots can continue to harp that Oakland is a mess and that Al Davis needs to go but the reality is--when Al gets it right, it's great (though his batting average so to speak has not been what it used to be).  I think the Raiders just did just that.

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