Al Davis Wants a "Do-Over"

Usually when you hear the term “do-over” in regard to player acquisitions, it’s related to the NFL draft and a team not receiving the anticipated production from their young draftees.

By December, there are plenty of GMs wishing for that do-over, after witnessing the performance of their chosen ones in comparison to those passed over. It’s a common thought, with evaluations often incorrect and franchises entering new seasons with the same old holes to fill.

But in the case of the Oakland Raiders, the worst decisions weren’t made in the draft. Al Davis’ errors came before any April names were called, misfiring in the opening months of 2008.

Before the 2008 season ever began, Davis was already having second thoughts about acquisitions made.

I suppose the periodic references of “crazed old man” eventually led him to re-evaluate some of those checks bearing his scribbled name on the bottom line. Davis acquired Javon Walker, DeAngelo Hall, and Gibril Wilson, while also making Tommy Kelly the highest paid defensive tackle in the league, and 10th highest paid player overall.

And during this process of collecting popular NFL names, and extending the contract of a Raider “no name”, old Al was refusing to sign Nnamdi Asomugha to a long term contract.

In talking to fans of the Raider Nation, they backed every offseason move, even providing argument for each being proper. That’s both dedication and disillusion. Peering into that black hole obviously obstructs the vision, but hindsight easily clears the clouds of agreement and acceptance.

When you put it all in perspective, and include the Raiders having the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft, Al Davis signed five players to combined contracts totaling more than $270 million, and $100 million in guarantees. What did the Raiders get in return? They improved by ONE game, finishing with a season record of 5-11.

In November, the Raiders released one of the most overrated cornerbacks in the NFL, DeAngelo Hall. This was Davis’ first do-over, coming just seven months after acquiring him from Atlanta for second and fifth round draft picks. By February, Nnamdi is finally getting his contract.

Again, he’s correcting an earlier mistake, but unfortunately it took the poor performance of Hall before Davis could see the value. The third fix is somewhat puzzling, with the Raiders releasing Gibril Wilson, who was  the most productive player from last year’s haul.

It’s a Jekyll and Hyde routine that has engulfed the Oakland franchise. Jekyll sees a priority and addresses it with a new three-year deal for a lockdown corner. Hyde allows a one-legged receiver (Javon Walker), with just 15 receptions in a 16-game season, to survive longer on the roster than the team’s second leading tackler (Wilson).

And since a do-over can go in any direction, with those old to the roster becoming new again, don’t be surprised if Jerry Porter is clad in silver and black for the upcoming season.

Porter demanded a trade last year, and then bolted to Jacksonville for big bucks. Now released by the Jags, he may come crawling back to Al. It’s a match made in heaven. You have a receiver that earned nearly $1 million per catch in 2008, and a spendthrift owner willing to reward players on name alone. 

And of course, if it doesn’t work out, we’ll just do it all over again in 2010. The willingness to keep trying until you get it right is a commitment to excellence, indeed.

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