Oakalnd Raiders Pre Camp Battles

With training camp around the corner, Tom Cable and the Oakland Raiders are looking to turn things around. In this slideshow, we will evaluate each area of offense and defense.

After seven straight years of losing it seems that the Raiders have said "Enough is enough" and decided to maintain continuity within the organization by retain Cable and keeping most of the staff from last year.

Positive additions include Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator and the return of defensive line coach Mike Waufle (from when our defensive line was good).

Quarterback

The offense came alive with #5 last year. When Bruce Gradkowski took the helm the offense played with great improvement.

They shocked the NFL with surprise victories over playoff contenders Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Gradkowski injured both knees against Washington last year and went down and out for the season, leading to questions about if he had enough durability to be a full time starter.

Charlie Frye took over starting duties but didn't do as well, which led to signing Kyle Boller, who had played in Hue Jackson's system in Baltimor to compete for the QB position.

However, the most notable addition was trading a 4th round 2012 pick for Jason Campbell who seems to have taken control of the offense and seems to be the favorite to start. The subtraction of Jamarcus Russell was the biggest improvement of all.

Starter: Campbell
Backups: Gradkowski, Boller

Running backs

Long time Raider RB Justin Fargas was release at the end of the season after he failed a physical.

2008 first round pick Darren McFadden has been often injured and has yet to live up to the hype that followed him out of college and to the NFL.

My favorite to win the job is 2007 4th round pick Michael Bush, who would've been a first round pick if it wasn't for breaking his leg his senior year.

He was the only Raider running back to reach 100 yards rushing in a game last season and he did it twice. He has the last three Raider 100 yard rushing performances.

Bush also led the Raiders in rushing last season averaging 4.8 yards per carry on 123 attempts for 589 yards.

Veterans Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright were brought in to compete for the third running back position.

I give the edge to Cartwright due to his ability to return kickoffs as well. There has been talk that Cartwright may move to fullback and that might save a job for Bennett (at least for the first four games).

Starter: Bush
Backups: McFadden, Bennett

Fullback

Last year's starter Luke Lawton will be suspended for the first four games for violating the league's policy on substance abuse.

The Raiders signed two undrafted rookies: Manase Tonga and Chane Moline (in picture who was actually on my mock draft board).

Newly acquired running back Rock Cartwright has been rumored to move to the fullback position because of his ability with new quarterback Jason Campbell, with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden as locks to be the top two running backs.

Third year man Marcel Reese has been on the practice squad the last two years and called up at the end of the season and with Lawton to miss the first four games, he just might make the team out of camp.

Starter: Cartwright
Backup: Reese at first, but Moline or Tonga could be called up if Cartwright is injured before Lawton comes back.

Tight End

Zach Miller is a lock to start at the tight end position.

He has the potential to be a Pro Bowler this year if he and Jason Campbell (or whoever the quaterback ends up being) develop good chemistry.

Miller was the go to guy all last year no matter who was throwing him the ball.

Tony Stewart has been a key contributor on special teams and will likely earn the second or third spot.

Second year man Brandon Myers made some good plays on special teams last year and was actually drafted to be primarily a blocking tight end. However, in last year's preseason, he showed the ability to be a receiving threat as well.

I think he has a chance to be the number two tight end, but will likely end up number three. Nine year veteran John Owens joined the team this offseason, but has been very unproductive and will likely just be a camp body.

Starter: Miller
Backups: Myers, Stewart

Wide Receiver

The #81 you see is not Tim Brown, it's Chaz Schilens.

Schilens was a 7th round pick in 2008 that showed good promise at the end of his rookie campaign, but was injured in camp last year.

However, when he returned he was a major upgrade to the receiving game. 2009 first round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey had a disappointing rookie year.

In 11 starts he posted nince catches for 124 yards and one TD; this is what top notch receivers do in one game, not one season.

Through OTAs they say he has improved, so hopefully it will carry over to the season.

Louis Murphy ended up being the big standout of the 2009 draft class who posted 34 catches for 521 yards and four touchdowns to lead all the receivers.

He made some big catches with the most notable being against Pittsburgh to win it. He also had some called back that should've been ruled good.

Johnnie Lee Higgins was primarily used as a punt returner, but is the Raiders leading receiver over the last two years and his hands were an improvement over those of DHB.

However, with the drafting of Jacoby Ford, Higgins's job may be on the line and could likely get traded out of camp, unless they opt for six WRs of the final roster.

Nick Miller, who signed with us last year as an undrafted rookie free agent was supposed to be the kick off returner, but an injury to his shin cost him the season and since he made the final cut last year, he is not eligible for the practice squad.

Rookie Jacoby Ford was drafted to compete for return duties, but may steal some time at WR as they were impressed with his hands in his first OTA and all others after that.

Todd Watkins is also returning but is unlikely to make the team.

Starters: Schilens, Heyward-Bey
Backups: Murphy, Ford, Higgins, Miller

Offenive Line

Left Guard Robert Gallery is the primary lock to make the team. He struggled with injuries last season, but seems healthy enough this year and could make a push for the Pro Bowl.

Left Tackle Mario Henderson struggled towards the end of the season, but still has a chance to be the man here.

Rookie Jared Veldheer is said to be making a big push here.

At Right Guard, Cooper Carlisle currently holds the job and seems to be slowing down year by year. Rookie Bruce Campbell could surplant him if he shows the neccessary promise needed on the outside line.

At Right Tackle, penalty machine Cornell Green will now suit up for the Buffalo Bills.

A familiar face is said to be a favorite to win the job and that is Langston Walker, who left us a few years ago fro Buffalo, but returned after not making Buffalo's team last year.

However, there is competition; veteran Khalif Barnes was re-signed and if healthy could push for either tackle position. There is also veteran Erik Pears, who was thought to be an upgrade last year but showed nothing.

The main position I'm worried about is the center.

Samson Satelle has shown me nothing, but is the favorite to start. His biggest weakness was against the big nose tackles in the 3-4 defenses and two of our division rivals run the 3-4 and Denver is rumored to be changing to a 3-4 as well.

Rookie Veldheer has been working at the center position as well and could win the job. You can't count out Chris Morris either, who was the starting center prior to the injury to gallery which led to Morris shifting to guard and Satelle became the starter. Brandon Rodd, Allen Smith, and Alex Parsons are practice squad canidates, but could turn some heads in camp.

Veteran Daniel Loper only has ten career starts in five years and might make it as a back up, but that could be a longshot.

Pro Bowler Jon Condo is a lock for the long snapper job.

Starters (LT to RT) Henderson, Gallery, Satelle, Campbell, Walker
Backups: Veldheer, Rodd, Morris, Parsons, Barnes
LS: Condo

Defensive Line

This area is interesting.

Veterans Greg Ellis and Gerrard Warren were released at the end of the season. Richard Seymour was traded to us at the end of camp last year and signed his franchise tender.

2nd round pick Lamar Houston was rumored to move to DE since he seems undersized to be a good defensive tackle in the NFL.

Stopping the run has been a major issue for us the last several years and a big defensive tackle was thought to be at the top of our need list for the 2010 season. After we didn't draft one, Tom Cable said that he had a surprise for us at the position.

Some thought it was the undrafted rookie Kellen Heard, who weighs in at 355. Others thought that it could be last year's undrafted defensive tackle Desmond Bryant who showed lots of athleticism to make up for him being undersized.

I thought Seymour would move to defensive tackle and Houston and 2nd year man Matt Shaughnessy would start at defensive end. Then we signed Big John Henderson and I think he will be the big man we need to compliment Tommy Kelly in the middle.

Kelly is praised by many opponents as a beast in the middle that could be one of the best with the right cast around him and I think Seymour and Henderson will help free Kelly up. Houston showed a mean streak that we've been lacking since our last winning season in his first OTA and all others after that. He seems likely to win the left end starting job.

Shaughnessy will push him for this position as he eclipsed Ellis last year. With the acquisition of Henderson, it seems likely that Bryant and veteran William Joseph will be the backups and Heard will now go to the practice squad unless he makes the same impact Bryant did last year.

Joseph was actually on and off the team last year, so I don't know what they really think of him. Ryan Boschetti was brought it last year and didn't make the team. He re-signed this year and is likely a camp body.

Jay Richardson's job could be on the bubble as he has yet to develop into a pass rusher. Jaguar bust Quentin Groves was traded to us and could compete at linebacker or defensive end.

Practice squad regular Greyson Gunheim could make a push for this job as well along with undrafted rookie Alex Daniels.

Starters: Houston, Kelly, Henderson, Seymour
Backups: Shaughnessy, Bryant, Heard, Richardson

Linebacker

I thought we finally found our missing link in the linbacker core last year when Trevor Scott converted from defensive end to wide line backer and Howard moved over to second line backer.

Morrison had been the leading tackler all his years as a Raider, but a lot were down field and as mentioned in the previous slide, run defense has been a problem for a while now.

This led the Raiders to draft MLB Rolando McClain which led to the trading of Morrison to Jacksonville for a 4th round pick this year.

Prior to the draft the Raiders traded a 3rd round pick for Kamerion Wimbly who played OLB in Cleveland's 3-4. Many thought that he would rotate in and out on the defensive line, but Cable announced that Scott and Wimbley would be the starters at wide linebacker and second linebacker.

Howard still remains on the roster and can either surplant one of these as the starter or just be a situational player; I think Howard could still start on this team.

Travis Goethel was drafted in a late round and will likely be a special teamer and backup at MLB or SLB. Ricky Brown is likely to be just a backup MLB as he suffered numerous injuries the last 2 years if he makes the team.

Second year players Slade Norris and David Nixon will be around for competition but neither showed much last year. Sam Williams is the veteran of the bunch and has been a walking injury most of his career.

Starters: Scott, McClain, Wimbley
Backups: Howard, Goethel, Norris

Safety

Tyvonn Branch made a huge impact leading all DBs in tackles last season. Had he had an INT, then he might've made the Pro Bowl. Branch has been the best SS we've had since Ronnie Lott.

I really like second year man Mike Mitchell, who hits like Jack Tatum and could be a possibility to start. I honestly think Mitchell is a better fit at strong safety than FS and that Branch could play either, but Branch played to well at SS to lose that job. Playing free safety is a possibility for Mitchell though.

Last year's starter Michael Huff, who was the #7 overall pick in the 2006 draft, had more career interceptions last year than he did his first three years.

The problem is that he only had three and they were in the first two games giving him a career total of four. He's also been a liability in tackling and was actually benched two years ago in favor of Hiram Eugene, who is mainly a special teams player.

Jerome Boyd was an undrafted rookie that signed with us and showed some promise in preseason and spent the season on the practice squad.

Starters: Branch, Mitchell
Backups: Boyd, Huff

Cornerback

Nnamdi Asomugha is a lock to make the team.

Chris Johnson holds his own at the other corner as Stanford Routt has been hit and miss his whole career.

He was a restricted free agent and was tendered at a first and third round pick, which is kind of high if you ask me since he hasn't been a primary starter.

We've been lacking depth at this position for quite a while. Rookie Walter McFadden seems to have what it takes to earn the 4th corner spot and Jeremy Bly is a practice squader if anything.

Starters: Asomugha, Johnson
Backups: Routt, McFadden

Special Teams

Shane Lechler and Sebastian Janikowski are locks to make the team as well as deep snapper Jon Condo. Lechler and Condo were both in the Pro Bowl last season.

The big battles will be in the return game. Jacoby Ford, Nick Miller, and Johnnie Lee Higgins are all wide recievers and this will factor into who the odd man out will be as for who gets the 4th and 5th WR spots.

Runningback Rock Cartwright is an experienced kick off returner and this could be his edge in making the team as either a fullback or tailback.

Normally on a final roster, you go two deep across the board and three deep at Quaterback and running back and if you are three deep at other positions then it is because of special teams.

This camp should be exciting and I am ready to WIN in 2010!