Raiders Face Franchise-Defining Position Battles On Offense

The Oakland Raiders face a critical, franchise-defining season in 2009. After an “interesting” start to the off-season, to say the least, there is no question the team will face plenty of skepticism from fans and media alike. With this in mind, position battles going into the summer and throughout training camp will be watched even closer than usual. Lets take a look at some key positional battles on the offensive side of the ball that may make or break the 2009 season for the Raiders:

OFFENSE

 Quarterback:

 This will most certainly be the high profile battle of the off-season. Ask the front office, coaching staff or players, and you will likely get a response signifying great confidence in JaMarcus Russell. But you don’t sign proven veteran Jeff Garcia if you believe you have your guy already. For the Raiders to feel good about themselves going into the season, it will be pivotal for Russell to assert himself as the clear No. 1. Otherwise, the team may lose any semblance of an identity. Should Garcia have a significantly better summer than Russell and win the starting job, it will be hard for management (and this writer) to accept taking a $60 million hit 2 years into the process, as well as giving up on what was thought to be the new face of the franchise for years to come. Other options at quarterback for 2009 are newly acquired Bruce Gradkowski and former starter Andrew Walter. 

Importance of position battle to season (scale of 1-10)

Offensive Line:

 Tom Cable can attest to the importance of a consistent and reliable offensive line. Last year, the line had some bright spots but must improve dramatically in 2009. The hiring of Jim Michalczik as the new offensive line coach was a step in the right direction, especially considering the Raiders will now have two offensive line coaches capable of mentoring a unit that needs to get better quickly. One of the biggest acquisitions of the off-season was signing former Jacksonville Jaguar Khalif Barnes. Barnes is expected to make an immediate impact and could become a stable presence at the crucial left tackle spot. With Jake Grove now gone to the Dolphins, Samson Satele was brought in to solidify the center position and is considered to be a great fit for Cable’s system. As for the rest of the line, Robert Gallery continues to man the left guard and must improve as he was pushed around at times last season. The right side of the line features Cooper Carlisle at guard and Cornell Green at tackle. Green faces off the field issues currently, and could be released by the team if he is found guilty of battery charges. This would be a big blow to the team considering he is the likely starting right tackle. If Green isn’t available, Mario Henderson would likely assume the role. Meanwhile, Carlisle was the Raiders most consistent lineman last season and should be again this year. He is a huge bright spot at right guard. Other linemen competing for time are John Wade, Erik Pears, Marcus Johnson, and Chris Morris. 

Importance of position battle to season (scale of 1-10)

Wide Receiver:

The Oakland Raiders have certainly made headlines over the last few years when it comes to the wide receiver position. Jerry Rice and Tim Brown formed a legendary 1-2 punch during the early part of the decade. Then came the tumultuous Randy Moss experiment. Now, although almost every receiver on the roster has a sub-4.4 40 time, there are also legitimate question marks about the production that this unit is capable of. That is not to say that the group isn’t able. On the contrary, many of the young receivers have loads of potential, but it remains to be seen if they can form chemistry and adjust to new roles. The first legitimate question that needs answering is what the Raiders can expect to get out of Javon Walker. The good news is that when right, the 6’3’’ Walker is a legitimate No.1 guy capable of 1,000-yard seasons. The bad news, recently Coach Tom Cable confirmed that Walker is out for training camp with yet another knee surgery. Question two takes us to the 2009 NFL Draft. The Raiders looked towards the draft this year in order to find a potential go to receiver. While many (and I mean many) thought we would see Michael Crabtree in silver and black, ownership decided on super-speedster Darrius Heyward-Bey. This pick clearly represents an organizational philosophy that speed kills, and the Raiders will live or die by it. With the addition of Heyward-Bey, the Raiders are getting a potential home-run threat along with Johnny Lee Higgins that could give JaMarcus Russell a chance to show off that huge arm. Heyward-Bey was short on production at Maryland catching only 13 touchdown passes in his career, but his 6-2 frame and 4.2 speed were too much for Al Davis and co. to pass up. The draft is also where the Raiders acquired University of Florida standout Louis Murphy. Murphy is obviously a proven winner, and possesses the combination of size and speed that the Raiders love. Murphy has a chance to break into the lineup if he can pick up the offense quickly, but like Heyward-Bey, he must show that he can be consistently productive since he saw only limited action at Florida. Question three involves how much progress the receivers from last year will make in 2009. The aforementioned Higgins is an excellent return man, and showed great strides at receiver late in the year. If Higgins improves during training camp as much as he did during he 2008 season, the Raiders will have a great young receiver. One name that the Raiders are very high on is Chaz Schilens. Some experts believe Schilens is the reason that the Raiders chose not to draft Crabtree, believing that Schilens is a faster, bigger version with more upside and the same route-running abilities. Time will tell if Schilens lives up to those expectations, but the San Diego State product is a tremendous blocker and did start in games late last year showing great ability. If you are looking for a true number one guy in this group, you may be disappointed. More than likely, tight end Zach Miller or even versatile Darren McFadden fits that role more right now, but the receivers are young, fast and with time, could develop into a great unit.

Importance of position battle to season (scale of 1-10)