Last year while most of you were champing at the bit for the Raiders to draft JaMarcus Russell, I was feverishly preaching that the Raiders needed to draft either Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. Then, my reasoning was that with Andrew Walter already on the roster, a horrible offensive line, and no running back on the roster capable of putting fear into a defense to keep them from blitzing every down, the Raiders HAD to get a big-play running back.
A year later and it looks like you all have caught up to me by raising the fervor for McFadden, but now I'm in disagreement...again. You see, after last season things have changed. Okay, so the Raiders still have Walter on the roster, but you got your wish last year when they drafted Russell. Even though, I think Andrew Walter is going to tear up the league when he gets the chance, I'll concede that you guys were probably right about Russell. He's as good as advertised, but so was Peterson and Lynch.
So what's different? Why don't I believe that we still need the home-run hitter that I so passionately argued for last year? The Raiders took care of that last year. Michael Bush, selected with the first pick of the fourth round in 2007, IS that guy.
Not only is he the guy that can take the Raiders to new heights, the team's offensive situation is completely different. Going into last year's draft, they were arguably the worst offense ever. This year, they go into the draft with the sixth-best running attack in the league and an ever-improving passing game. With Russell at the helm, Walker running routes opposite Curry, and Fargas pounding tough yards while Bush makes his mark, the Raiders need anything but another running back!
If you say they need an offensive lineman, sure I'll agree. If you tell me they need a defensive end...okay, that makes sense. Even if you were to tell me they still need a defensive tackle, I'd have to listen. The problem is, you're telling me that the Raiders need a fifth running back, and that, my friends, doesn't make sense to me.
If they cut Jordan, which is expected, and then trade Bush or Fargas—then yes, they should draft McFadden. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Raiders are not drafting McFadden! This year, I'm going to preach that they should trade down, but I'm not going to rule out drafting either Long or defensive tackle if/when any of them are available with the fourth pick.
If Al Davis can work a trade to get two first round selections and a second or third round pick, that would probably enable the Raiders to select a good receiver, defensive tackle, and a defensive end. So I'm going to fly in the face of logic and defy all of the so-called draft experts and call it right now: The Raiders are trading down in the draft (probably to Dallas) and they are going to stockpile a few picks in return. However, I did think they'd pick Peterson last year too.
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3 months ago
The difference between D Mac and Michael Bush is the "Danger-Factor". Where Michael Bush can be very productive, D-Mac maybe more dangerous, as he's a back that can score from anywhere on the field. I feel he'll strike more fear in defenses than Bush.
from 3 months ago
Why would you add a #4 pick as a RB, when you need DL and OL more? We have 3 RB's already that can play.
from 3 months ago
The Raiders will draft McFadden because Al Davis knows that if he slips by the Raiders hell be drafted by the Chiefs who are in need of another big time back...Al Davis loves speed but not when its rushing for 220 ypg twice a year against his team...
3 months ago
The difference between D Mac and Michael Bush is the "Danger-Factor". Where Michael Bush can be very productive, D-Mac maybe more dangerous, as he's a back that can score from anywhere on the field. I feel he'll strike more fear in defenses than Bush.
3 months ago
Rob, i also think Bush will surprise alot of people this year. we had a good run offense last year this year it will be great.. "Big Al" is back in the house if he can trade the #4 pick for the draft picks you list above he may do that unless Cris Long is still on the board he will be the pick.. Jim (Raider Fan 40years and counting)
3 months ago
I can see why you'd want Dmac, he's an exciting player and a great talent, but he's no slamdunk in the NFL by any means. if you're gonna spend a top 5 pick on someone, it had better be a sure thing like one of the Longs. Gholston or Dorsey, Mcfadden will never be a true feature back despite his abilities because he can't run for tough yards like AP or even Fargas, sure, he'll be a great weapon in this league, but he doesn't have the longevity or the toughness of an every down back, also RBs have a very short shelf life so a lineman or LB is better value anyway. also, have you looked at the guy lately? he's an broken calf waiting to happen, he runs very upright and has the skinniest legs I've ever seen in my life, it's a wonder he wasn't injured in college
I agree with Rob on this one, he isn't worth a top 5 pick, especially for a team that's stacked at RB and employs the one size fits all zone blocking system
from 3 months ago
Mcfadden will never be a true feature back despite his abilities because he can't run for tough yards like AP or even Fargas, sure, he'll be a great weapon in this league, but he doesn't have the longevity or the toughness of an every down back, also RBs have a very short shelf life so a lineman or LB is better value anyway.
What?
I love the idea of trading down to dallas and I've been the biggest fargas fan in my section but
Adrian Peterson was hurt going into the draft got hurt in the season and was hurt in his college career.
Fargus was hurt in college and is hurt every year!
RUN DMC IS MUCH TOUGHER AND IS MORE OF A HOMERUN HITTER!
Dallas offered Miami their 2 first rounders Marion Barber and a latter pick 3rd or 4th round per our buddy Adam "I don't write for the Broncos anymore" Scheftner.
I love this trade for us but I would see if we could swap that 3rd or 4th rounder for flozel the hotel Adams!
Then I'm all in!
3 months ago
Do you think the signing of Kalimba Edwards will take Chris Long and Vernon Gholston off of our draft board?? I agree we dont need D Mac!! Bush is going to be great!! I also think that we need more draft picks so that we can build a great team... and that it would be a fine to move down the draft in the first round to get more picks!! Great article!! GO RAIDERS 2008!! :D
3 months ago
MAX is right, this fervor for McFAD'n is maddening to me. DMAC is not the bruiser we need. Bush is closer to Wheatley only better. Our back field is set guys & the O-line will be fine. IT'S THE SYSTEM!!!
We do need more D and Al is taking care of that. It seems Carr is gone, so be it. His loss. I wish, I wish, I wish Al would trade down for MORE picks but... I ALSO wish to meet Queen Elizabeth too, so she can knight me sir Snoopy but take a guess guys (IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN)
Bossman AL never trades down in the 1st round and if he does? This would be the 1st time! Al wants success NOW and wasting number 1 picks is not his style. Oh as we all know he doesn't always hit it but, neither do the rest of the teams so give the man a break...
I still believe in Al and in his coach, Lane "the kid" Kiffin I'm STILL in!!!
from 3 months ago
Mr, great comment and I agree totally with you.
3 months ago
This is Guaranteed, if Cris Long is on the board at #4 the Raiders will pick him "NO MATTER WHAT".. Jim
3 months ago
If you look at the deal Fargas was given, it is very trade friendly after this season. Rhodes is also tradeable as well. There's no reason not to suspect that Al covets McFadden.
To not believe that McFadden is the real deal is just silly. McFadden is a big play threat that the Raiders need, combined with Bush would make a potent thunder and lightning duo.
But to declare Bush as our future running back without knowing how he will perform is stupid. Bush still has a huge question mark around him and it's not guaranteed that he will be the stud he was in college. Plus, if Bush ends up performing well, who's to say he isn't tradeable as well with his low cap number?
In the NFL, you're always upgrading. Justin Fargas did well last year, but he still hasn't finished a season uninjured. So what if we finished 6th best in rushing, we finished as the 3rd best defense the previous year and we all know how that turned out. Having McFadden would only enhance our running attack and help out our franchise QB.
However, if Chris Long is still available, which I doubt, he'll be a Raider.
from 3 months ago
You make some good points, but your remark about there is no guarantee that Bush will be the Stud he was in college. You could say the same for Run DMC.
3 months ago
RB is a "plug and play" position, if Al thinks he has the pieces to win this year, that's where he goes.
Def' players tend to take more time to develop. If the team is thinking long term that's where they go.
IMO, DMac would be more of a weapon to help the passing game than the running game. With Bush in the back field, Walker and Carter on the ends, Dmac in the slot and Miller at TE, What defense would you call as a coordinator?
If any team is drooling over DMac, and wants to ensure they get him, they may feel the need to jump Oakland, and Grab him before another team makes that trade with Al. Then what? DL? LB? Trade down?
Who knows? fun to speculate though. For some reason I don't see us taking DMac, Unless we trade a RB in a draft day trade.
I like our 2nd round pick, some CB named Hall, and our 3rd round pick a OL named Henderson ( I hear their pretty good ,and their contracts are already done!)
from 3 months ago
I agree with you, but we traded our 2nd for Hall man.
from 3 months ago
I know ORF,
I was just being sarcastic, and making the point that, we recieved good players for those picks.
3 months ago
Finally a thinking man. We were 6th in rushing last year and 31st in stopping the run. McFadden isn't going to fix that. Can't afford all of that money tied up in running backs either. Trade down. We still need a lot of things and only a few choices in this draft. Those 6th and 7th round picks very seldom help.
3 months ago
hmmm..maybe instead of having a rb that slams right into a lb we could have one that makes a move and takes it the distance......then by having the lead the run D just got a whole lot better and teams will have to beat us by throwing at aso and hall
from 3 months ago
That is the truth. With DMac, the opposing teasm will have to p[lay from behind, which puts less pressure on our D-Line because most teams will go to the air
3 months ago
Good Read Rob I agree with not needing Dmac. I like him and he is talented but already have 4 running backs on the roster and don't need 5. If the Raiders keep the #4 pick the targets are Chris Long, Vernon Gholston, Sedrick Ellis or the discussed trade down but remaining in the top 10 nothing lower.
from 3 months ago
Jeff, I agree with you too.
3 months ago
If we can't stop the run we won't be able to stop the pass we need a bad a## dl/de,not a player to take up space.. What guarantee is there that DMac is any better than Bush (none) but we do know we can run the ball as it is now and we will be able to pass and stop the pass too... Whats left "STOPPING THE RUN" i have not seen DMac do that yet,he may be good but unless he can stop the run why take him...
3 months ago
Remember a guy called Reggie Bush. We were in awe with his college production yet the NFL is a what have you done for me lately league. We are a culture intrigued by sensational hype. McFadden is no sure thing thats why they should trade down or get a DT or DE period.
I still like Michael Bush a guy who runs hard, hell he might run angry with a big chip on his shoulder more than I can say about Reggie Bush. No way as stated in the above article will the Raiders trade Fargas. Davis loves USC blood. I can see them getting Ellis with 4th pick. I personally think Jake Long is the safe financial friendly and fills a need pick.
from 3 months ago
Jake Long stop me if I heard this one before. Can't miss Left Tackle out of middle America great work ethic strugles with speed rushers. hum who does that remind me of this is not Art Shell or Orlado Pace or even Joe Thomas he looks alot like..... No I can't say it! .....The G word!
Dallas offered Miami their 2 first rounders Marion Barber and a latter pick 3rd or 4th round per our buddy Adam "I don't write for the Broncos anymore" Scheftner.
I love this trade for us but I would see if we could swap that 3rd or 4th rounder for flozel the hotel.
Flozel "the hotel" Adams-Pro bowler!
Marion Barber The hardest working running back next to Micheal "Baby Hammer" Bush!
Plus 2 first rounders Lb and WO
3 months ago
So then what do you want to do!
None of the top dt's are run stuffers!
They are gap penetraters! (like um Darryl Russel was God bless)
Look at the last game of the season when we stoped LT all day.
Plus Joseph is a run stuffer.
Run downs Burgess, Sands, Joseph, Kelley
Pass downs Burgess, Warren, Kelley, Edwards
Plus we replace Stu with Gabril
Fabian with Diangelo
We are one lb away!
the Run D was not that bad we had a much worst problem with turn overs the difference in every game we lost but I think 2.
The other 2 big problems you can't fix buy weeks in the 2nd week when no one is hurt and you can't use them / schedule screwing us!
The number one problem the NfL Refs and the 4-5 games a year they screw us on!
Here is to trying to overcome the Zebras The NFL and the 12 Teams in front of us plus the Playoffs!
"Playoffs...Playoffs .... I just hope we can win a game!"
3 months ago
Don't cite Reggie Bush's NFL career as a reason not to draft D-Mac. Trust me, if Reggie Bush played for us last year, in that zone blocking one-cut and go scheme, he would have had a lot more yards than Fargas.
Reggie Bush just needs the right system, and New Orleans offense isn't it.
from 3 months ago
Reggie Bush played for us last year, in that zone blocking one-cut and go scheme, he would have had a lot more yards than Fargas. Wrong
Gong Wrong answer
The zebras would've cost him 5 td's on holding penalties along!
3 months ago
Playoffs!
Playoffs!
3 months ago
D Mac is the real deal but we do not need him. Trade down for the #10 and #34 picks unless C. Long is available which he just might be considering Parcels love affairs with guys like LT, that is old school LT as in Lawrence Taylor. The fins take Gholston, Rams take J. Long, Falcons take QB Ryan, and we draft C. Long.
3 months ago
One option for Al that no one seems to have thought of is that if we do that trade with Dallas (minus Barber), we could trade that #22 pick for someone's high 2nd and third and have three good Day One picks. Then we could go BPA at a need position with each one. I agree about Ellis and Dorsey not being classic run stuffers. Those guys are there but are seen as too one-dimensional to be a very high draft pick. Everybody wants D-linemen who get sacks (see the Giants). The run-stuffers come up later in the draft. We could, for example, take a good DE in R1, a Sam OLB in R2 and a run-stuffer in R3 or even R4. We could take OL or WR if we want with the other pick. These could all be very good players for us and add to the core of terrific young players already on the roster.
3 months ago
D-MAC AND BUSH WOULD BE A NICE 1-2 PUNCH FOR THE NEXT 6 TO 8 YEARS, AND EVEN THOUGH FARGAS IS COMING OFF A CAREER YEAR I WOULDN'T COUNT ON HIM BEING THE FUTURE BACK OF THE RAIDERS, RHODES HAS JUST ONE YEAR LEFT ON CONTRACT ANWAYS AND STILL COULD BE TRADED OUR CUT WITH JORDAN BY TIME TRAINING CAMP ROLLS AROUND, IT'S OBVIOUS AL IS GOING OUT IN FREE AGENCY AND FILLING THE DEFENSIVE POSISTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED SO HE CAN DRAFT MCFADDEN!
from 3 months ago
That is the Message I'm understanding, but these others do not comprehend
3 months ago
Al also likes Heisman trophy winners, and being a two time runner up, I'm sure has Al's attention. Maybe al wants to turn him into a WR.
3 months ago
all this trade down business...history tells us we are no trading down plus this draft is not full of sure homerun hittters so i dont see many teams trying to trade up...i love the talk of chris long coming but i highly doubt it just as i doubt miami can pass on him. we all know parcells loves defensive freaks and i dont see gholston going that high sincce his resume doesnt match that of c long...on field production is waht really matters. with tht being said i see gholston falling to us and we can only hope this dmac love affair is only a ploy to attract teams wanting to move up for him..we need another unproven rb like we another hole in the head, michael bush was a steal just like jonathan stewart is gon be a steal this yr...we are on the right track and i hope this pick is gonna be on the defensive side cuz zone locking does not need a big name back, fargas is a one cut back which zbs requires, bush is the pounder, rhodes a scat back and returner=no room for another plus echemandu who was a work horse in the preseason....LONG, C(if hes available), GHOLSTON, DORSEY, ELLIS(GO TROJANS!!!)..is how id say we should draft at #4
3 months ago
You guys are in denial.....McFadden is the Pick
3 months ago
Great article! Al Davis is doing exactly the right thing in building a defense that will take the pressure off of JaMarcus Russell. With a defense that will get the ball back, the offense (and our new QB) will be able to play within itself and build its own momentum. Russell will be well protected by Tom Cable's cutting edge blocking system, Justin Fargus will pick up where he left off last year, and we will see the benefit of bringing Michael Bush back so slowly. I also think Rob Calonge is right about the Raiders trading down unless the exact defensive player Al Davis wants is still on the board.
Keep the great articles coming Rob!
OaklandRaider2K
Calabasas, Ca
3 months ago
Sorry, let me clarify, Bush is coming off a nasty leg break. Broken legs like that have been known to ruin careers. That is why Bush has a huge question mark and a bit too much of optimism behind him. While McFadden is not a certainty, he is worth the risk.
The optimism should lay with having a great rb duo for the next 4 years or the possibilty of a major trade.
If we want the trade with Jones and he's still gun shy, pick McFadden and let him mull it over the next 18 picks if he decides to pull the trigger. Either way, we get what we want.
3 months ago
I agree with this article. The raiders need to focus on suring up the defensive line with possibly the best secondary on the NFL teamst will focus on the run against us and that is a weakness. Last year we had many fourth quarter leads that we could not protect because our secondary had to play up to focus on the run giving them no chance. D-Line in the draft
3 months ago
I agree with the article, we dont need McFadden, with Bush, Fargas and Rhodes, we have plenty of horses to run (Cable is like Bug-eyed Shanahan, any decent back can run with his scheme - and Bush and Fargas are miles better than just decent) - plus what do you think a RB like McF is going to demand in comp, we did that whole 'who blinks first & miss a season' last year with JR; I hope we get some monster big guys up front (OL and DL)- we got the QB, the RBs, the WRs and now the CB's and S's in place -- if we can get ahold of some prime beef up front on both sides of the ball, and with an offensive master like Kiff, we gotta great recipe for success this season --
raidermike88p
3 months ago
Ok, think about it. The Raiders need D line and WR most. You can't always draft needs because things change. The Raiders best move would be to trade down with Dallas and take their 2 first round picks. There are very good WR and DT waiting to be drafted in those spots (Balmer, bryant, Sweed jackson. If they don't trade down, its got to be D mac. The other rb shake out, mayeb a draft day trade for a 2nd or 3rd round. We need to get better. Dmac and jruss would be a great combo for years to come.
3 months ago
JUST LIKE WHEN THE COLTS DRAFTED PEYTON MANNING AND THEN GAVE HIM EDGERRIN JAMES AND THE COLTS BUILT THERE OFFENSE AROUND THOSE TWO, CAN YOU SAY JAMARCUS RUSSELL AND DARREN MCFADDEN GET READY BLACK HOLE HERE COMES D-MAC 60 YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN!
3 months ago
at first i wasnt thinking the raiders would go offense in the draft but after all the mostly defensive free agent additions its begining to look like they are thinking offense in the draft and most likely either mcfadden or jake long
3 months ago
mcfadden would clearly be an upgrade over any running back currently on the raiders roster they should draft him no questions asked why draft a deensive player to a team with a top ranked defense already doesnt make since to waste the 4th pick on defense they need offensive help way more no wr would be worth that high so either jake long or darren mcfadden make since that high
3 months ago
Charles Woodson had his leg broke. He had his 2 best seasons in Green Bay. T.O broke his leg and then played great in the Super Bowl(Eagles lost though). There is a list of others. Try to be positive.
3 months ago
Bush is also a lot faster than most people know. Before his injury he was running at 4.43 40 times. Carrying his size and pushing speed like that would make McFadden a waste of a pick, IF he could get back to that...
3 months ago
It's easy to have a bad run defense when the Linemen stay on the field longer than most other teams. The defense is good, we need to hold on to the football, to give our D time to rest. Giving them more drive to stop opponents teams
3 months ago
I agree.Why go for another HB when they already have a running back right now that could be their franchise back with the right blocking.Which is why they need to draft Ryan Clady if he's still available in the first round.They have one of the worst lines in the league with one of the best young halfbacks in the league.He had an alright tear last year.He didn't have a year like Adrian Peterson because he didn't have good blocking.Adrian had decent blocking.He had good enough blocking for them to give him a big enough hole to break through and gain yards.If they end up picking up a lineman in FA,they should gor for a DL to fill the gap that was made with Warren Sapp retiring.
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