RB Michael Dyer is an interesting signing

Recent UDFA signing Michael Dyer is a very interesting acquisition, this steamroller of a running back has REAL talent but unfortunately foolishness earlier in his career has put a proverbial spanner in the works.

He even broke one of Bo Jacksons Auburn rushing records early in his career, before it all started to go wrong. Whatever issues he has had, from our point of view, they are in the past and lets start afresh. So what does this kid offer?

He’s powerful.

Quite fast (a 4.6 second 40 time I think, but 4.4 earlier in his career, so he can probably get this back with proper conditioning work).

Got good hands

Could be a steal as a UDFA….indeed if it wasn’t for his troubles earlier in his college career he’d have been a first or second rounder, all kids deserve a second chance so lets see if the Auburn Michael Dyer (as a player) can return:-

(or even the high-school genius:-

Tiny bit of clarity on UDFA, its Robertson Daniel (not Daniel Robertson)

A little bit of clarity on one of the Oakland Raiders UDFA signings, the BYU CB that we signed is called Robertson Daniels and not Daniel Robertson as I’ve seen it misquoted in a few places.

This kid is long and fast, and with a bit of coaching could be a really good player. What I really like about BYU CB Robertson Daniel is his man-coverage skills, couple these with his raw materials and we could have a real player on our hands. My ideal CB would be plus six foot tall and run a sub 4.5 40 time, he does both of these things, unfortunately he’s raw, but that is what training camp and coaching are all about. We don’t have huge depth at CB, hence any standout performer in camp will likely make a push for the roster, lets see what Daniel Robertson has to offer.

Love the UDFA signing of Milton Williams

So we signed a lot of players over the draft weekend, and I will get to analyzing them all one by one, but first I thought I’d bring to your attention a bit of a super-sleeper that very few of the ‘experts’ have mentioned – Milton Williams.

In the raft of UDFA signings one of the unpolished gems that we picked up was Milton Williams, a WR from Delaware State. This kid is big, is athletic (makes a great jump-ball target), has good hands and runs real fast, see for yourself on his highlight film (below).

One thing that really stood out to me is that our new WR also has experience as a punter, always worth having cover in the squad for other positions. I’d be very interested in us maintaining work on his punting as you never know when injuries will hit.

It may take some time, as it tends to with UDFA, but this kid has real potential and I will be watching closely for him in training camp….expect flashes on genius.

With the Fourth Pick of the 2015 NFL Draft the Oakland Raiders Select….

…. ?

So we are here again, the 2015 nfl draft is looming and (if your anything like me) your mind is racing as to who the Oakland Raiders are going to select. This is a curiosity that is particularly stimulated by the immense success of the 2014 draft, where potential stars Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson and Justin Ellis were acquired (I’m also confident that Keith McGill will also star this year).

Purely from a talent perspective its Leonard Williams, Amari Cooper, Dante Fowler and Kevin White, in that order.

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2015/4/27/8499925/2015-nfl-draft-profile-amari-cooper-alabama-wide-receiver

From a need perspective, blended with talent, I’d even go the same, although I would be tempted by amazing trade down options as some other teams could be tempted to throw crazy offers at us, as the Bills did last year, which would be worth doing for a long drawn out talent pool.

My ideal pick in Leonard Williams, an oddity that could happen at no.4 if 2 QB’s go 1 and 2, plus the Jaguars address their biggest need of DE, either way I’m happy with Williams, Cooper or Fowler.

http://panicbutton.sportsblog.com/posts/2069919/what_are_the_odds_leonard_williams_falls_to_the_raiders_.html

Raider’s Tame Lions

So there we have it, we still do actually know how to win, it wasn’t easy though and not everybody excelled. Very simply the 27-26 victory over the Detroit Lions came about thanks to a 2Q Darren McFadden run, a 3Q Jake Murphy catch (from Derek Carr) and then a sweet 19-yard pass from tough-as-nails third stringer Matt McGloin to the increasingly impressive Brice Butler.

Onto Brice Butler, this kid was the key positive take-away from the Lions game, in fact much of camp to date, as has been young CB T.J.Carrie (who by the way put up an excellent punt return today). Butler has great hands, is really really fast and simply looks like he should be starting alongside Rod Streater and James Jones.

Recent displays from our receivers have, however, given me less reasons to be impressed with Andre Holmes and Greg Little recently, and really want to see Juron Criner push them. My WR’s to make the 53 at present are James Jones, Rod Streater, Brice Butler, Darius Moore (as he offers something different) and then whoever impresses most out of Holmes/Criner/Little going forward (who drops the least at this rate!!).

I actually thought Matt Schaub looked good in this game, his passing is crisp (something we haven’t seen here for a long time – I don’t miss Terrelle Pryors one little bit) and he remained calm despite some slightly lackluster line play. The performance of the starting OL definitely worried me, although the Lions at times were blitzing on mass, bringing 7 players straight up on Shaub at times….despite this he looked good.

Other big plus, TE Mychal Rivera – what great moves he showed on that pass from Schaub, I see them putting up great numbers together this year….there is one for the fantasy sleeper picks for 2014, Mychal Rivera, getable for $1 in auction drafts or often on the waivers after the draft (as long as no Raiders fans are in your auction).

Roll on Oakland, we beat a team many sages have challenging for the superbowl this year.

Getting us out out of a Tight-End

With David Ausberry having just had surgery and Nick Kasa likely out for the season we are in a little bit of a proverbial pickle. But don’t panic Raider-Nation as RaidaLove has a couple of ideas, chiefly the possibility of us picking up a free agent…..”but there aren’t any out there” I hear you scream….well lets look at the possibilities:-

(1) Kyle Auffray – the Cleveland Browns just waived this kid, who was previously on the NE Patriots roster… “if he was that good surely they’d hold onto him?” – number one I’m not called Shirely, and number 2 have you seen the TE’s on the Browns and Pats rosters. Auffray has great size (6’6″ and 255 lbs), speed (timed at 4.6 seconds over 40 yards), is a decent blocker and has good hands, to be honest I can see him starting for us not simply being a backup. Another thing I like about this kid is that he can also play backup punter!!
http://www.thefootballeducator.com/kyle-auffray-tight-end-every-teams-radar/

(2) we wait until the roster cuts, and pick one of the numerous talented TE’s that are bound to be cut (watch Detroit). This could be a great strategy, particularly as it means we also give Brian Leonhardt and Jake Murphy a bit more time. Murphy has reportedly been impressing in camp, but his drop against the Vikings in the first pre-season game do worry me

(3) we trade for someone, I guess this would definitely work, particularly if trade someone we are looking to cut….any ideas here readers?

(4) we make do with Murphy, Leonhardt and Rivera….another distinct possibility, particularly as Ausberry is reportedly recovering well (Kasa looks like he’s out for the season)

(5) We switch multi-talented FB/RB/HB Marcel Reece out wide a bit more often – this could be the real gold (and a great sleeper for fantasy leagues), and what I envisage them doing, once again particularly if Ausberry heels quick.

Let me know your thought Raider-nation, and we can really get to the bottom of this particular ‘tight-end’.

It’s Oh So Quiet….

It might be very very quiet in Oaktown right now but don’t think nothing is happening behind the scenes. The Raiders are still preparing, improving and building, even if alot of these improvements are mental (and not physical). The shackles of yesteryear are easing and the fight is returning. Players like Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, Khalil Mack, Austin Howard, MJD, Matt Schaub, Tarell Brown and James Jones give us a more professional edge.

It is on the lines, both offensively and defensively, that I think the greatest improvements will be seen, and these will spread (like rapid-fire) across the team. Not only will MJD and Darren McFadden find running lanes, and hence put up greater numbers, but so too this will lessen the pressure on the QB and the WR’s, improving their own performances by default.

Then onto defence the DL looks formidable, with young and old talent making for a strong rotation. This coupled with our already excellent LB-corps, which with the addition of Mack and a fit again Burris and Maiave just got even better, will prove very hard to run upon. A good run defence makes the pass defence’s job easier, and with talent like Brown and Rogers coming in to support Charles woodson and Tyron Branch (and hopefully a fully fit DJ Hayden) I expect big things from the Raiders, or at least my usual pessimism is now finally on the wane.

….I for one was simply pleased to read that Jeron Mastrud had signed with the Chicago Bears and so wouldn’t be polluting my eyes any more in silver’n black.

Fantasy Breakouts @ Oakland Raiders

I know a lot of people, myself included, are big fantasy football fans and are always looking for potential sleepers and I feel that we have a few ourselves. My own favourite are auction leagues, because I think that is where the real skill lies, but I put this list together for all leagues, plus I considered only standard scoring leagues (so bear that in mind if your league is a bit odd). Anyway here is my list of potential Oakland Raider fantasy stars in 2014:-

* Darren McFadden – DMC has all the tools and we have massively upgraded the OL this offseason, so if he can stay healhty (always a big IF with DMC) then expect big fantasy numbers from McFadden, plus very few non-Raiders will go for him. I do, however, also recommend picking up my next recommendation too, as they could split carries and at this point it isn’t clear who will take the majority of the running burden.

* Maurice Jones-Drew – MJD should thrive behind our bigger stornger OL, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if MJD goes over 1,000 yards in 2014, but draft DMC also incase he takes the bigger burden.

* Matt Schaub – I expect a bounceback year from Schaub, but don’t worry unless your league has other Raider fans in it Schaub should still be available late.

* Rod Streater/Denarius Moore/Andre Holmes – its hard at this point to know who Schaub will prefer firing the ball too, but all the Raider WRs could potentially benefit, keep these kids in mind for late in the draft and you could do very well.

In very deep leagues you might also want to consider David Ausberry, Mychal Rivera and Marchel Recce too, all talented long-shots depending on the size of your league. 

Killer CB ?

The Kansas City Chiefs have releases Brandon Flowers, their pro bowl CB, as they desperately seek cap room and increasingly follow the league preference towards bigger CB’s. This at the same time as we learn that DJ Hayden has an injury that will likley keep him out until training camp leads me to the conclusion that we should target Flowers.

Flowers is a talented CB, of that there is little doubt, true he struggled in 2013 but was that more a system problem than pure talent, as previously he has thrived. I know those Pro Football stats are a very unreliable indicator, but in 2012 they had Flowers ranked as the league’s 7th best CB, the year he made the pro bowl. Unfortunately as the Chiefs switched to more press coverage, Brandon Flower’s displays suffered. With many teams struggling for finances, we could probably pick Flowers up relatively cheaply, a move that I would recommend, particularly considering our paucity of options

If we think the price on Flowers might be a little high another viable option would be Chris Houston, recently released by the Detriot Lions, although there are additional injury concerns attached to this potential pickup (he had toe surgery in May). I like Houston though, particularly his 5’11” size and 4.3 second 40 time, the 2007 second round pick would (if fit) be an interesting aquisition.

Donald Penn impressing early on

The Oakland Raiders are reportedly very happy with former Tampa LT Donald Penn. He’s bringing a very level-headed attitiute to the Raiders OL, and impressing everyone with his quick feet. Not only is Penn huge but he is also incredibly mobile and will surprise many who expect a reduction in performance at LT….don’t Donald Penn is an uptick at LT.

http://www.raiders.com/media-vault/videos/Penn-Were-Not-Going-to-Take-Any-Stuff/46e81e27-c3d3-4376-b8b6-4e905e33b9a3

Unfortunatley Donald Penn is 31, so realisticlaly can’t have more than another couple of seasons in the tank, but this should be more than enough time to see in Menelik Watson will be ready to step in as his eventual replacement.

(note: Penn says “I see signs (that Mack will be a strong passrusher)….the way he puts his foot in the ground, to change direction, he could be a DB”)