MVN: Most Valuable Network

In another edition of Thoughts from a Reader's Side, L-Dizzle takes a look at free agents that are being tossed away by their old team that could become treasures with the Oakland Raiders. His list includes a couple of Colts in Anthony McFarland and Rob Morris, A Patriot in Rosevelt Colvin, and a Chief in Kendrell Bell. L Dizzle gives good reasons on why these guys should be brought to Oakland and locked in a room until they are signed.

One Team's Trash

By L Dizzle

Special to Thoughts from the Dark Side

There have been quite a few players cut in recent days to make room under the salary cap to sign free agents. This years FA class is one of the thinnest in recent memory at every position. While I hope the Raiders are active in the market, there are few players out there worth the kind of money that they will undoubtedly command. The most common reasons players are chosen as a cap casualty are youth movements, recent injuries, and of course salary outweighing production. Here are the players I think the Raiders should take a close look at. In fact they should be on a flight to Alameda right now with a pen in their hand practicing their “Yes Mr Davis…” speech and ensuing handshake.

DT Anthony "Booger" McFarland

McFarland missed the entire 07 season from injury and recently failed a physical because of it and was cut. McFarland came to the Colts in a trade with the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2006. He missed last season with a torn patella tendon. He was part of the house that Dungy built in Tampa and that Gruden aquired which led them to their Superbowl win (sorry to bring that up guys). He played along Sapp and gave that Bucs team one of the best Run defenses in the league for many years. He has averaged 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks in every season he has been healthy. The year he came to the Colts they won the Superbowl. Al likes guys with multiple rings and in this case I would agree whole heartedly. Besides, with Corey Williams getting the franchise tag put on him by the Packers, the FA market at DT is nearly non-existent and certainly not worth wasting big money on.

MLB Rob Morris

Morris participated in only 57 plays on the Colts defense last year. He also failed a physical and was cut along with “Booger”. Morris is a former No. 1 choice of the Colts who was an excellent run-stopper. During the Colts Super Bowl year in 2006, he moved to strong-side linebacker late in the year and helped improve the team's run defense with his tackling ability and toughness. Strong side is where we are lacking at LB and Morris would be a perfect compliment to Howard and Morrison who are fast and great in coverage. And since run defense is his Morris’ specialty, and the Raiders had the 2nd worst run defense last year, this team would be the ideal destination for his services. The Law offices of Howard, Morris and Morrison would be laying down the law quite nicely as I see it.

LB Rosevelt Colvin

Drafted by the Bears out of Purdue in 1999, Colvin spent his first four seasons in Chicago and established himself as a pass-rushing threat from his outside linebacker position. He registered 10¬? sacks in both 2001 and 2002.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Colvin. Colvin lead the Patriots with seven sacks in 2005 and 8¬? sacks in 2006. His 52¬? career sacks rank fifth among active NFL linebackers.

Last season, Colvin started 10 of his first 11 games before being shut down with a foot injury. Yet again a guy with mulitiple rings as a starter who was cut by a team that doesn’t know the meaning of the word “loyalty”. Luckily for Rosey, AD is the NFL equivelant of Ellis Island; “Give us your sick, your poor, your recently injured and dumped for salary cap relief”.

LB Kendrell Bell

His last really good season really good season was in 2003 with the Steelers with 99 tackles and 5 sacks. While picking Bell up would not be an impact signing for his play on the field, he would add some depth as well as compete for the starting job. Most importantly though, it is always good to bring in a guy who can give us a bit of insight into the inner workings of a division rival. He would probably come pretty cheap too so no harm in bringing him in and see if he can improve this team.

L Dizzle is a frequent reader of and occasional contributer to Thoughts from the Dark Side, and his opinions are his, and do not necessarily reflect those of MVN.com or Thoughts from the Dark Side, but they are a welcome addition. If you would like to contribute to a Thoughts from the Reader's Side, please contact me at mvnraider at yahoo.com.