Oakland Raiders Needs: New Defense or New Leadership?

In 2006, the Raiders had the third-ranked defense in the NFL.

In 2007, not so much.

A big reason why they weren't as successful in 2007 as 2006: poor coaching!

I don't believe the players are totally buying what Rob Ryan is trying to sell.

Rob is just a puppet on a string like all the other coaches on the Raider's staff. It just so happened they saw some success in 2006. Lucky!

I do give the players some credit for playing well—some of them. There are a few things I believe the Raiders can do to possibly see the success (or luck) of 2006 in 2008:

1. Sign Nnamdi. Nothing else to say. Keep him!

2. Can Stuart Shweigert, Stanford Routt, and Fabian Washington. They are horrible and won't do much under the Raiders. Move Michael Huff to safety to replace Shweigert.

3. Sign Pacman. He has some issues, but it hasn't stopped Al in the past from signing guys like him. He's a great player and can do wonders for the secondary.

4. Keep the linebackers. Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard are the most underrated linebackers out there and should have been in the Pro Bowl anyway.

5. Finally, the Raiders should keep their same D-line and maybe sign a strong DT in free agency.

If the Raiders keep the same defensive group with a few new add-ons for the secondary, I don't see why they can't have some success in 2008.

Then again, how can you have any success when your team is controlled by a 78-year-old ego-maniac owner?

You can't!

As I've said before and will keep saying until it happens: The Oakland Raiders will not be a good team again until Al Davis steps down.

Period.