**Official 2018 Oakland Raiders Thread sponsored by Child's Play: Return of Chucky**

[spurraider21]

also raiders already let aldon smith walk a while ago

[spurraider21]

raiders cut Obi Melifonwu... 2nd round pick just a year ago. super exciting prospect at the time given his size/speed at the position, but never able to stay on the field. missed training camp/preseason both years and thus was never able to get coached/developed, so he's still pretty raw.

hope he recovers and becomes a player, but raiders patience wore thin. can't blame them, but its another knock of McKenzie's drafting. not that you can predict injury, but using high draft pick for raw "upside" players who become useless unless they get a ton of teaching reps.

mckenzie certainly on the hot seat, still riding the lottery of the 2014 draft class.

[Avante]

The Raiders have five other safeties in camp right now, they can't be expected to hang onto a guy who can't contribute. Smart move.

[spurraider21]

The Raiders have five other safeties in camp right now, they can't be expected to hang onto a guy who can't contribute. Smart move.

i'm amazed that you stayed on topic and didnt give some stupid list about "greatest raiders safeties of the 1940's.

but i agree with your point. draft pedigree only carries you so far. its a shame obi didnt pan out... but between Joseph/Nelson/Gilchrist they have viable starters, Gruden has been talking up Erik Harris all offseason, and Luani is a core special teamer. they just didnt have enough room to give Obi another year.

[spurraider21]

on another note, its kinda sad to hear from just about every beat writer that Doug Martin is considered a lock to make the roster. It's conceivable that he has some gas in the tank and could bounce back (we saw that with Lynch), but if Marshawn is going to be the main guy, and Jalen Richard is going to be the likely 3rd down/receiving back, then Martin isn't really moving the needle. Chris Warren has been the talk of camp and has been incredible so far in the preseason. Warren is the between the tackle bruiser, so he's not really competing with Richard, but rather with Lynch/Martin.

I get that Marshawn is "the guy" for now, but I really think they should consider cutting Martin and keeping the younger, higher upside player in Warren. Having a veteran backup RB (who will likely not see too many touches) to a veteran starter is just sorta wasting a roster spot at the expense of keeping a young talent. Warren could be a viable starter for a few years after Lynch hangs em up. Martin? not so much.

[Avante]

i'm amazed that you stayed on topic and didnt give some stupid list about "greatest raiders safeties of the 1940's.

but i agree with your point. draft pedigree only carries you so far. its a shame obi didnt pan out... but between Joseph/Nelson/Gilchrist they have viable starters, Gruden has been talking up Erik Harris all offseason, and Luani is a core special teamer. they just didnt have enough room to give Obi another year.

Stupid is ignoring your teams history. Dude, the 40's? The AFL kicked off in 1960.

Obi was out of U of Connecticut, but.....highly thought of coming out of the NCAA, he was ranked in top 4-6 (depend on who was doing the rating) safeties entering the draft. As you mentioned he had that size/speed combo working for him. But, not sure "raw" applies.

Gruden will let it be known he expects you to be there if not.....see ya. So this does send a message to all those who milk an injury.

[Avante]

on another note, its kinda sad to hear from just about every beat writer that Doug Martin is considered a lock to make the roster. It's conceivable that he has some gas in the tank and could bounce back (we saw that with Lynch), but if Marshawn is going to be the main guy, and Jalen Richard is going to be the likely 3rd down/receiving back, then Martin isn't really moving the needle. Chris Warren has been the talk of camp and has been incredible so far in the preseason. Warren is the between the tackle bruiser, so he's not really competing with Richard, but rather with Lynch/Martin.

I get that Marshawn is "the guy" for now, but I really think they should consider cutting Martin and keeping the younger, higher upside player in Warren. Having a veteran backup RB (who will likely not see too many touches) to a veteran starter is just sorta wasting a roster spot at the expense of keeping a young talent. Warren could be a viable starter for a few years after Lynch hangs em up. Martin? not so much.

I totally agree. Warren is 6-3 250 and left Texas with a gaudy 5.7 average. This could be the real "BEAST"for the Raiders in 2018. One of his Texas seasons he averaged over 6 yards a carry, and he's no ....out in space...type.

Martin was let go for a reason, and while he's had a couple solid seasons he has never been consistant.

[spurraider21]

I totally agree. Warren is 6-3 250 and left Texas with a gaudy 5.7 average. This could be the real "BEAST"for the Raiders in 2018. One of his Texas seasons he averaged over 6 yards a carry, and he's no ....out in space...type.

Martin was let go for a reason, and while he's had a couple solid seasons he has never been consistant.

yeah. it's not even that i necessarily think Martin is going to play poorly this year, but even if he plays well, it would be in a very limited backup role, and the value in that is not good enough to let a potential future starter get signed elsewhere. i have read elsewhere that they may consider keeping 4 running backs (lynch, martin, richard, warren)... but that's a lot of running backs, and i think they should just let martin go if warren continues his strong preseason play. but from everything i've read, that seems unlikely

[Avante]

yeah. it's not even that i necessarily think Martin is going to play poorly this year, but even if he plays well, it would be in a very limited backup role, and the value in that is not good enough to let a potential future starter get signed elsewhere. i have read elsewhere that they may consider keeping 4 running backs (lynch, martin, richard, warren)... but that's a lot of running backs, and i think they should just let martin go if warren continues his strong preseason play. but from everything i've read, that seems unlikely

You need at least 4 RB's and that is usually the norm. That actually is the way to go there.


Running backs (4)
With the NFL becoming a passing league, most teams still keep four backs on the 53-man roster due to injury history at the position. Most NFL teams employ a backfield by committee approach and most teams include a fullback in this number.
Special teams play a huge role in this number as well. Most running backs have speed and can be a force on special teams.
One of the best in the NFL is Jacksonville Jaguars running back Montell Owens. Though he is listed as a fullback now that Greg Jones has departed, Owens was seen as a special teams demon and Pro Bowl player. This increases his value and keeps him active on game day.
If a team like Jacksonville dresses a fullback for the game, it will probably dress three other running backs as well. The starter, the primary backup and a special teams player should all dress on game day.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Flacco seems to really like his new weapons, particularly. They developed a fast rapport. Still need more from the stud TE but he's slinging it with confidence again

[spurraider21]

You need at least 4 RB's and that is usually the norm. That actually is the way to go there.


Running backs (4)
With the NFL becoming a passing league, most teams still keep four backs on the 53-man roster due to injury history at the position. Most NFL teams employ a backfield by committee approach and most teams include a fullback in this number.
Special teams play a huge role in this number as well. Most running backs have speed and can be a force on special teams.
One of the best in the NFL is Jacksonville Jaguars running back Montell Owens. Though he is listed as a fullback now that Greg Jones has departed, Owens was seen as a special teams demon and Pro Bowl player. This increases his value and keeps him active on game day.
If a team like Jacksonville dresses a fullback for the game, it will probably dress three other running backs as well. The starter, the primary backup and a special teams player should all dress on game day.

thats the key, though. the raiders already have a fullback (keith smith) who is a roster lock. usually teams will keep 3 traditional "running backs" and one fullback.

[Avante]

thats the key, though. the raiders already have a fullback (keith smith) who is a roster lock. usually teams will keep 3 traditional "running backs" and one fullback.

The old Jim Brown the greatest RB ever, when he was actually a FB. I always clump RB/FB together as that guy did.

[spurraider21]

The old Jim Brown the greatest RB ever, when he was actually a FB. I always clump RB/FB together as that guy did.

the meaning has changed. you know that.

[Avante]

the meaning has changed. you know that.

We will hear RB/FB totally ignored all of this season at every level of football. And it's always been that way.

No team has two "FB" and teams like the Colts, Bengals, Dolphins, Niners, Rams, Falcons, Redskins,Eagles, list no FB at all and all will keep 4 RB's.

Teams need players who can run for special teams, that means WR, DB's and RB's.

It's does go like this.....

Running backs (4)

[spurraider21]

We will hear RB/FB totally ignored all of this season at every level of football. And it's always been that way.

No team has two "FB" and teams like the Colts, Bengals, Dolphins, Niners, Rams, Falcons, Redskins,Eagles, list no FB at all and all will keep 4 RB's.

Teams need players who can run for special teams, that means WR, DB's and RB's.

It's does go like this.....

Running backs (4)

i know that some teams carry no true "fullbacks" and keep 4 running backs

i'm telling you that the raiders have one true "fullback" and that is keith smith. his roster spot is assured. and so if the raiders were going to go with the traditional "4 running backs (including fullbacks)" model, then they would only have room for 3 other running backs (lynch, richard, and one of martin/warren)

[Avante]

[QUOTE=spurraider21;9518251]i know that some teams carry no true "fullbacks" and keep 4 running backs

i'm telling you that the raiders have one true "fullback" and that is keith smith. his roster spot is assured. and so if the raiders were going to go with the traditional "4 running backs (including fullbacks)" model, then they would only have room for 3 other running backs (lynch, richard, and one of martin/warren)[/QUOTE

Watch them keep a FB and four RB's. , the Eagles will be keeping five RB's unless they change things.

Usually one of your RB's can bang the line and block. Why have a slower player which a FB is?

[spurraider21]

Watch them keep a FB and four RB's. , the Eagles will be keeping five RB's unless they change things.

maybe they will, at the expense of another roster spot.

Usually one of your RB's can bang the line and block. Why have a slower player which a FB is?

because keith smith does it much much better than doug martin or chris warren.

remember what tony richardson did for priest holmes, or lorenzo neal for tomlinson

[Avante]

Got it.

Lorenzo Neal belongs in the HOF, what a monster. I worked with his uncle Willie Neal who ran on the same 4x1 team with Tommie Smith at Lemoore HS, the school Lorenzo attended. Lorenzo's dad a preacher.

I'd want more TE's, use them as lead blockers with that threat of will they block or go out for a pass. And let them run the ball just to plant that seed.....also.

[spurraider21]

Got it.

Lorenzo Neal belongs in the HOF, what a monster. I worked with his uncle Willie Neal who ran on the same 4x1 team with Tommie Smith at Lemoore HS, the school Lorenzo attended. Lorenzo's dad a preacher.

I'd want more TE's, use them as lead blockers with that threat of will they block or go out for a pass. And let them run the ball just to plant that seed.....also.

yep. this is basically what Marcel Reece was for the Raiders for a few years. although they listed him as fullback, he was as much a passcatcher as he was a lead blocker

[Avante]

yep. this is basically what Marcel Reece was for the Raiders for a few years. although they listed him as fullback, he was as much a passcatcher as he was a lead blocker

Actually Reece was a WR coming out of Washington. FB...???

[spurraider21]

Actually Reece was a WR coming out of Washington. FB...???

and yet he was the raiders fullback for several years

[Avante]

and yet he was the raiders fullback for several years

I know, that was....why the move to FB? When to we see college WR's becoming pro FB's?

[spurraider21]

Breno Giacomini released
Raven

[spurraider21]

are the raiders really going to this up with Khalil Mack?

[Robz4000]

Heard the Raiders are on the verge of sending Mack to the Seacucks.