Oakland Raiders Could Be Sunk by Injuries

Mike Mitchell has a pulled hammy for the second time, Chaz Schilens breaks his foot, Jon Alston gets plantar fasciitis, Kirk Morrison dislocates an elbow, and now, Nnamdi has a fractured wrist.

Who is going to replace him at CB if it comes to that?  Stanford Routt is a liability with his penalties and ineffectual play.  Remember, this is a guy who played very little defensive back at the University of Houston. He was drafted relatively high by Al Davis because of his track speed.  He's been a project from day one, and he has never improved.

In fact, let's just say it: He sucks as a player, and his attitude sucks too. We know this because of the incident when he refused to enter the game on a special teams assignment.

It is hard to believe that a professional football player would refuse to obey an instruction from the head coach. You have to believe Routt felt secure in doing so.  Whatever his reasons, it does not reflect well on him.

So who is left that can play CB?

John Bowie is not a good option. The only reason he is still on the roster is because Al Davis refuses to acknowledge he got a raw deal in the Randy Moss trade. Bowie ended up being a draft pick obtained in that trade.  It’s like squeezing blood from a turnip, as the saying goes.

Justin Miller (also injured currently) plays CB, but his role is more for kick returns.

Darrick Brown has been a laughing stock in previous camps but seems to have improved a bit. We might see him if Nnamdi can't go.

Strong Safety prospect Mike Mitchell's hamstring injury seems serious, despite his claims that he will be ready for opening day. He's not ready to play, anyway.  He has been bad in coverage in practice.  The bottom line is that he's not ready to make an impact.

Fans focusing on his big hitting ability are missing the point of what a strong safety needs to do; you have to be a complete player in reading your pass coverage and run assignments. He’d get burned if he played.

So right now, Tyvon Branch is all they have at strong safety, unless Michael Huff is pressed into duty. We already know that is not the best place for him.

We might see Huff anyway at free safety because starter Hiram Eugene’s injury seems a bit serious as well.

Linebacker is another liability. The only safe bet is the weak side where Thomas Howard plays very well and seems healthy.  Middle linebacker is soft with Ricky Brown playing there in the absence of Kirk Morrison.  Brown is good in pass coverage, and he is okay against the run but gets mowed down by bigger backs and blockers.

Jon Alston's emergence as a decent strong side linebacker was set back by a serious foot injury.  Other than Brown, there isn't anyone on the roster who can play a decent strong side LB.

Newcomer Slade Norris is struggling, and he also is injured. Other newcomer David Nixon is doing about as well as Norris and can’t be relied on to hold down that spot. Journeyman Morlon Greenwood was brought in more for special teams.

Tom Cable has his hands full already with too many issues and can’t plug these roster gaps so easily. It’s a game of attrition now.