Oakland Raiders: Improving a Defense

The team now has five veteran players in the defensive tackle rotation Tommy Kelly, Gerard Warren, Terdell Sands and William Joseph, Josh Shaw. These guys all have something to prove and 2008 is the time to do it. These guys aren’t the most feared DT rotation in the league but they do have the size and talent to be very effective.

It was mentioned that Terdell Sands lost a member of his family last year. As much as I wouldn’t want to wish that upon anyone, I don’t know if that is true. What I do know is that could be a reason for the lack of focus last year but not for the poor technique displayed after showing so much promise in 2006.

This isn’t being mentioned as an excuse but like WR Javon Walker and anyone else who has lost a family member or close friend when something like this happens it is very difficult to keep your mind on football while grieving.

Going into training camp this is a good snap shot of the two deep depth chart on defense. The competition at every position will be intense. A successful training camp will provide the defense with good mix of youth and experience and an aggressive unit that will stop the run and get after the QB and make noise in 2008. The hope is that a few free agents make the team and at youth to the special teams as well.

DE Derrick Burgess, Trevor Scott

DT Tommy Kelly, William Joseph

DT Gerard Warren, Terdell Sands

DE Jay Richardson, Greg Spires, Tranell Morant

WLB Thomas Howard, Sam Williams

MLB Kirk Morrison, Robert Thomas

SLB Ed Hartwell, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila

LCB Nnamdi Asomugha, Stanford Routt

SS Gibril Wilson, Tyvon Branch

FS Michael Huff, Stuart Schweigert

RCB DeAngelo Hall, Chris Johnson

This is how I see the depth chart going into Training Camp 2008. Someone will become the surprise player of the training camp and don't be surprised if Trevor Scott and some of the undrafted free agent Defensive Ends get a chance to show if they can make the transition to the Outside Linebacker positions.  

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