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Thoughts from the Dark Side
Most at rookie camp face uphill battle to become Oakland Raiders
Out of all the players at rookie minicamp last weekend, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush were a distinct minority. Bush and DMC are locks to survive all the cutdowns between now and opening day. Tyvon Branch, the Oakland Raiders’ first pick in the fourth round is likely to survive. Beyond him, nothing is close to guaranteed. The later draft picks and teh undrafted free agents will be waging a fierce battle to have hope that they will make the cut.
The late round guys are hoping to be another Ron Curry, whilst the UDFAs are all hoping to go the rout of James Jett, Tommy Kelly, and Chris Carr and make an NFL team after being passed over through the entire draft. These are the long shots. Appearing at the camp this past weekend doesn’t even guarantee them a spot in training camp come August. They are on the thinnest of high-wires, just hoping that they do not fall off.
One intriguing prospect is Marcel Reece out of the University of Washington. Reece has the size and speed that Al Davis covets in a receiver. Reece is 6′4″ 240 and ran a 4.42 40 at the combine. That freakish combination of size and speed will definitely be to his advantage as he works his way towards continuing his Raider dream. A big factor will be how well he listens to the coaching staff and how hard he works. His size and speed can’t be coached, and Al knows that.
Every little thing these rookies do goes towards either helping them make it into the practice squad at least, or send them towards a career asking “Can I help you find something?” at Target.
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21 Responses to “Most at rookie camp face uphill battle to become Oakland Raiders”
May 13th, 2008 at 7:08 am
After looking up the draft picks and the rookie FA’s, it really looks like there could end up being a lot of young talent on the team, and a practice squad that can develop into some soild contibutors and depth. Without having many draft picks and most being late picks, I feel like this draft may be better than of the Raiders last five. Bush and Henderson may prove that last years was good, but look for Shields and Branch to possibly push Higgins to the practice squad.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:56 am
yes speed and size KILLS in the NFL… arman shields will definetely be like an upgraded version of ronald curry, and hopefully more of these rookies will prove nicely.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE Mr. Jailbird Chris Henry join up man… yes he is a huge liability, but i know Al can mold the trouble maker with a nice contract to keep him on the straighten arrow. wouldn’t you all agree?
May 13th, 2008 at 8:11 am
We’d probably be the only team to take on that that risk and if it’s for minimal coin, why not? He’s young and would be a nice insuarance policy for Javon. He’s a bad boy but not in the Randy Moss mold, this guy comes to play.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:35 am
exactly, he just has issues with the law… that can be changed… Al is definetely the one to do it. the kind of field stretching the man can bring… him and drew carter sprinting down field while curry(or shields) and javon being the posession receivers would be guaranteed targets for the rocketman russell!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Everyone deserves an oppurtunity so i think Chris Henry would be a good pick up. But my question is wont he be suspended before the start of the regular season at least for 6 to 8 games?
May 13th, 2008 at 9:27 am
most likely yea…but for a future downfield threat… if al gives him a contract potentially worth a lot with little guarranteed money, once he gets processed thro the law and the commissioner, he’ll have HUGE success in oakland 100% guarranteed.
May 13th, 2008 at 9:38 am
but at this point its a pipe dream, i’m sure Al has already looked into it… i swear i remember seeing on NFL network something about henry needing a court order(cuz of probation obviously) to be able to visit an “unnamed team” …. so hoppefully he wants to visit oakland. *FINGERS CROSSED*
May 13th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hey we have 84 guys on the roster right now. Pretty soon we have to cut that down to 80. Then we will cut that down to 53. Anyone have any ideas who we keep? I’m sure we could all name 30 or so starters. But what about the unknown players. Anyone of them could step up. Who knows mabey one of them steps up and the Raiders end up cutting a starter. Remember lasts years 53 man cuts? I was shocked to see DD and our 3rd round draft pick there. There was a few other shockers but can’t remember them right now. PRESEASON IS ONLY 2 1/2 MONTHS AWAY!!!
May 13th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Chris Henry will be supended for one full season. I don’t think we have the roster space for that. We did just let go one guy and signed a DE/DT by the name or Morant (its not Jonny the WR). June first is comming up, wonder who is gone at that time?
May 13th, 2008 at 11:59 am
well then like i said, for future sake… just give him a deal for the 09 season then ya know, do whatever you gotta do to keep him on ice until then i guess. yea man preseason is super close, i’ll definetely 100% be at that niners raiders game… i cant wait to see dmac go up against willis… that’ll be his test, if the man can cut on willis, he can on ANYONE… because as much as i hate to admit it, patrick willis is the man of the future for LBerz.
ps. i see that dave dalby is in the hall of fame potentials! thats aweosome, i knew him IRL and went to his funeral… i was actually jsut hangin out with his son over the weekend… grew up with them. the man deserves hall of fame entry DAMNIT!
May 13th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Marcel Reece looks good. 6-4 240 4.4??? Thats a huge receiver no? Haven’t really heard anyone say something on this kid.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Henry suspended for a year? Let him go if he makes it out of that year alive and out of jail, then we can talk about signing him. I wouldn’t want him with us and a year of free time, with his track record, he will never make it. He is a great talent however, he is a liability. Why do you think other teams aren’t lining up for his services?
May 13th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
need a De to play alongside Jay Rich to stop the run. Really hope scott could be that guy as he is raw w/ all the physical attributes. I hear great things about arman shields as possibly being our fifth receiver
May 13th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
inone yer forgetting about derrick burgess.. hes the starter no matter what(health permitting) i guarrantee it. jay rich is good yes, but has a lot of competition
and yes.. that’s what i was sayin azraider… henry is a liability .. but hes too d@mn good … if he gets back into the nfl, raiders are the only team willing to take a risk like him.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Great video find Patrick! Marcel Reese was listed as a runningback which had many people wondering why we were signing yet ANOTHER runningback but he is clearly a receiver and a pretty good one. Not only that but he is so big he could almost play tightend which ups his value. Every player should have a video like this posted online for viewing. It really helps their stock as well as helps fans get to know them. Thanks for finding and posting this for us Patrick.
Dan: Higgins will not go on the practice squad. I can see him being released definately seeming as how it is clear that he has been replaced in nearly all of his duties but if he is released, another team will swipe him up that is in need of what he can prospectively bring to the table. The practice squad is for no names that slip through the cracks.
OGKUSH: You really think Arman Shields will DEFINATELY be an upgraded Ronald Curry? I think there is a really slim chance he can play at Curry’s level let alone be an upgrade. Curry is damn good receiver. Don’t insult him by suggesting that a completely unproven small school prospect will “definately be an upgrade”. Oh and about Chris Henry I would like to see us take a chance on him. Although he has been quoted as saying the two teams he wants to go to are the Cowboys or the Saints. But just so you know the term is “Straight and Narrow” not “Straighten arrow”. That gave me a laugh though. And nice work on giving Dalby some pub. He is getting no votes in the HOF campaign because he is a center and everyone is in love with the “skill positions”.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Dalby took over for Jim Otto with no dropoff.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:39 am
LDizzle its time to stop taking everything so literal, and let people make their points. I know Higgins would not go to the practice squad, but was simply using it to illustrate a point that he had better step up. Ronald Curry needs to step up as well. A soild receiver, but has dropped alot of easy catches, and yes he has made some great catches, but these come few and far between. OGKUSH is merely saying that this guy has the natural talent and maybe the heart to put him on the pine. I know the benches are not made of pine, but “put him on the nylon” does not have the same ring. Unlike a battle you and Oakfosho had a couple months ago I enjoy hearing what others have to say on my opinion, but look broad scope.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Most of these kids have a college degree. They will not be at target! Come on! That was rude! Patrick Patterson, you could of ended it with something better.
May 14th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Can you please give the coach a little credit and stop saying Al. Al Davis had nothing to do with Reece making the team. I know how Al Davis is about trying to put his stamp on things, but he had nothing to do with this. Start giving the coaches some credit please. HIs size and speed can’t be coached and Kiffin and Lofton knows it.
May 14th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Fabian, It was meant as an expression. Most likely they will get a chance to play in the AFL or the CFL, but some say flipping burgers, I just used a different example. I did not expect to be taken literally.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Hey Fabian flipping burgers is certainly more respectible than what some former players are doing aka Troy Hambrick selling crack. And what about the guy they call the “beer man” because he was a beer truck delivery driver before getting called up (his name escapes me at the moment). Then there was Danny Clark who worked at the airport tossing luggage before he finally stuck on an NFL roster. It happens man.
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