NFL FanHouse

Jon Gruden: 'If Warren Sapp Doesn't Go Into the Hall of Fame, Check the IQ of the Voters'

Michael David Smith — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: Buccaneers, Raiders, NFL Hall of Fame, Oakland, Tampa Bay

Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden and former Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp haven't always seen eye to eye. Sapp has said that he thinks Tony Dungy deserves more credit than Gruden for the Bucs' Super Bowl title, and Gruden didn't shed any tears when Sapp left Tampa Bay for Oakland.

But if there was any bad blood between them, it's gone now. At a retirement party for Sapp over the weekend, Gruden had this to say:

"If Warren Sapp doesn't go into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, you'd better check the IQ of the voters. No disrespect to anyone, but he's the favorite guy I've ever coached."

I would be fine with Sapp getting into the Hall of Fame, but I don't think he's a sure thing, and I'll be quite surprised if he gets in on the first ballot, considering that he's coming up at the same time as several players who I think were better, including Brett Favre, Michael Strahan and Jonathan Ogden.

It might be a good idea to check the IQ of the Hall of Fame voters, but Sapp not getting in wouldn't be the reason.

Jon Gruden: 'If Warren Sapp Doesn't Go Into the Hall of Fame, Check the IQ of the Voters' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Arrested, Another Sought, in Javon Walker Robbery Case

Sportz Assassin — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, AFC West, NFL Injuries, Oakland, NFL Police Blotter

One man has been arrested and other is sought after in the Javon Walker robbery case. The robbery left Walker unconscious on a Las Vegas street last week.

Police said Arfat Fadel, of Las Vegas, was accused of multiple felonies, including kidnapping, robbery, battery and conspiracy in a June 16 robbery. Lt. Clinton Nichols said Walker lost about $3,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry in the robbery.

"Mr. Walker was in town to have a good time, as many of our visitors to Las Vegas do," Nichols said. "As he will readily admit, he probably had a little too much to drink and he did not pick up on the clues that Mr. Fadel was someone he probably should not have been with."

A picture of the alleged assailant was released. He is still at large.

Nichols says that Walker got out of a friend's vehicle and got into Fadel's Range Rover (the other man was also in the car). The two then assaulted and robbed Walker before pulling over and dumping him onto the street. It isn't known why Walker got into Fadel's car.

The interesting thing, here, is that this goes against Walker's story. He says he was was assaulted and robbed at his hotel room, dragged out to the street and left unconscious. He has been called out on this already, so it will be very interesting to see why, exactly, he lied.

One Arrested, Another Sought, in Javon Walker Robbery Case originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If Brandon Marshall Goes to a Club in Las Vegas, How Does It Involve Javon Walker?

Josh Alper — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Raiders, AFC West, Denver, Oakland

There's definitely a lot we still don't know about what led up to Javon Walker getting beaten up in Las Vegas early last week. His story about a random group of thugs accosting him seems fishy, to say the least, in light of his champagne spraying in the Body English nightclub earlier in the evening. Not knowing exactly what happened, however, doesn't mean we can just assume a course of events.

Norm Clarke, an eyepatch-wearing columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is doing just that however in part of a column titled Latest Walker Twists.

And just when the story couldn't get any weirder -- on second thought, the hunch here is that it's going to get much wilder -- Walker's former Denver Broncos teammate Brandon Marshall showed up Friday at Tryst.

Clarke then mentions Marshall's role in the fracas that preceded Darrent Williams's murder in Denver last year. What Clarke doesn't deem worthy of mention is that there's no evidence placing Marshall with Walker at Body English nor any apparent connection between Marshall visiting a different club in the same city and what went down with Walker.

I fail to see how this makes the Walker story any weirder. Thousands of people went to clubs in Vegas on Friday night, are all of them somehow culpable in whatever befell Walker?

If Brandon Marshall Goes to a Club in Las Vegas, How Does It Involve Javon Walker? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bellagio Disputes Javon Walker Story

Michael David Smith — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:24:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland, NFL Police Blotter

The story making the rounds about the Javon Walker assault and robbery, as first posted on TheDirty.com, is that Walker was knocked out cold at 5:30 a.m. in his Las Vegas hotel room, taken outside and dropped on the street, unconscious.

To believe that story, we'd have to believe that the hotel's security was awfully lax. And now a spokesman for that hotel, the Bellagio, is insisting that it didn't happen the way it's been reported:

"The facts that have been reported regarding the incident involving Javon Walker are incorrect. I am unable to provide further detail out of respect for the Metro investigation which is currently underway."

I have to say, I find the story awfully hard to believe. How on earth could these guys carry Walker, unconscious, from his hotel room to the street without any witnesses or security cameras picking it up?

Via PFT.

Bellagio Disputes Javon Walker Story originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguars and Raiders DQd for Cheating...At Mascot Competition

Stephanie Stradley — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Jaguars, Texans, NFL Fans, Oakland

Over at CBS Sportsline, they are engaged in one of those silly off season NFL contests to drive more page hits their way. Fans are to vote for the "Most Fierce NFL Mascot."

Billy Buffalo recently beat the Texans Toro but will be facing a bye in the next round because of voting irregularities in the matchup between Raider Fans and Jaxson De Ville:

"This is not because [Billy Buffalo] scared off the competition, but because Jaxson De Ville and the Raiders fans were involved in conduct detrimental to the integrity of the Mascot Competition.

So, Billy will be allowed to spend this week signing autographs, playing with kids and eating Buffalo wings. He'll face off against either Poe [Ravens] or T.D [Dolphins]."

I guess in the Roger Goodell era of getting tough on bad conduct, integrity is crucial, even in stupid mascot competitions. Apparently, both teams' fans used various macros and whatnot to do automatic voting for their mascots. Do you find it surprising that Raider and Jaguar fans would cheat at this? Or is this not really cheating but rather just the proper enthusiasm that good fanbases show?

Personally, I think you can take judicial notice that Raider Fans are much scarier than a big goofy Jaguar who resembles Chester Cheetah. (See YouTube above). Though admittedly, Cheetos-stained fingers are quite the menace and should be avoided at all costs.

Jaguars and Raiders DQd for Cheating...At Mascot Competition originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Javon Walker Robbed of $3,000 in Cash, $100,000 in Jewelry

Michael David Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:06:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

We have more details about that large amount of cash and jewelry that was stolen from Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker this week, and it turns out that although the cash wasn't out of the ordinary, it was a very large amount of jewelry.

The cash Walker lost was about $3,000, he told police. That's about what I'd expect a rich guy out in Vegas to be carrying, and not a big loss for a guy with his income. But the jewelry he had stolen, he said, was worth $100,000. That's something that even a guy with a $55 million contract will notice.

Walker was reportedly spraying champagne around shortly before he got robbed, something he was also doing shortly before his teammate Darrent Williams was murdered.

Walker reportedly suffered a broken bone in his eye socket and a concussion. It is not clear whether he'll be healthy enough to play in time for training camp. The Raiders have had no comment.

Javon Walker Robbed of $3,000 in Cash, $100,000 in Jewelry originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Javon Walker Found Unconscious in Vegas

Michael David Smith — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:44:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

Fox 5 in Las Vegas is reporting that Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was found unconscious this morning near the Vegas Strip.

Walker was found to have an orbital fracture and was listed in fair condition this afternoon. It is not clear how he got the fracture.

Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review Journal previously reported that Walker was seen at the Tryst in the Wynn hotel/casino Vegas on Saturday, "spraying the crowd with some of the 15 bottles of Dom Perignon Rose champagne he ordered."

Walker signed with the Raiders this off-season after suffering through an injury-plagued 2007 with the Denver Broncos.

Via PFT.

Latest NFL Photos

Archie Manning, center, is flanked by his NFL football quarterback sons Peyton, left, of the Indianapolis Colts, and Eli, of the New York Giants, during a Nerf Father's Day promo Saturday, June 14, 2008, in New York. Archie Manning used to play a game with his sons called "Amazing Catches," where he'd throw the ball just out of their reach and they'd have to make a diving grab. Peyton and Eli have had a lot of amazing passes lately in winning the last two Super Bowl MVP awards. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin)

Buffalo Bills' Marshawn Lynch makes a catch during football minicamp at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Thursday, June 12, 2008. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

New York Giants safety James Butler, left, races cornerback R.W. McQuarters off the field at the end of the morning practice at the NFL football team's minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Darcy Johnson, right, catches a pass as rookie cornerback Terrell Thomas looks on during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress stretches during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants defensive back Geoffrey Pope smiles as he walks out to the afternoon practice session at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss attempts to catch the ball as safety Sammy Knight, rear, and cornerback R.W. McQuarters (25) defend during practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants rookie tight end Eric Butler leaves the morning practice session with his helmet on backwards at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin smiles as he heads out to afternoon practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants center Shaun O'Hara walks out to the afternoon practice at football minicamp Thursday, June 12, 2008, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Javon Walker Found Unconscious in Vegas originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Case for Warren Sapp in the Hall of Fame

Michael David Smith — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:54:00 EST

Filed under: Buccaneers, Raiders, NFL Hall of Fame, Oakland, Tampa Bay

Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune writes today that he'll be enthusiastic about voting for Warren Sapp for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Here's his argument in a nutshell:

Defensive tackles aren't supposed to finish with 96.5 sacks and another 200 or so quarterback pressures.

As Monte Kiffin or Dungy will be quick to tell you, the Tampa 2 defense doesn't work without serious pressure up front.

Sapp, so quick and smart off the ball, was the catalyst for that heat until he departed for Oakland as a free agent in 2004.

As the Tampa Bay representative on the Hall of Fame Committee, it could be my privilege to argue Sapp's case in 2013.

Sapp was a fine player and I do think he'll get in the Hall of Fame, but I don't think he's even among the top six players who will become eligible for the first time in 2013.

To me, the top six would be Brett Favre, Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden, Junior Seau, Larry Allen and Bryant Young. Assuming all six of those guys really are retired and will become eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2013, I'd have a hard time voting for Sapp ahead of any of those guys.

I think Sapp will eventually get in, as much because he's a big-name, memorable player as because of his production. And for many years that production was impressive, so I won't be opposed to it when it happens. But to me, Kaufman's case serves as a reminder that there are a lot of players whose cases are better.

The Case for Warren Sapp in the Hall of Fame originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Sign Darren McFadden, Finally Stop Dragging Feet on Rookie Contracts

Michael David Smith — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:59:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

The Oakland Raiders are turning over a new leaf.

After years of taking their sweet old time signing their first-round draft picks, the Raiders have moved quickly this year, signing running back Darren McFadden to a six-year, $60 million contract with $26 million guaranteed. That's a big increase over what last year's fourth overall pick, Gaines Adams, got from the Buccaneers: Adams signed a contract worth about $46 million and about $19 million guaranteed.

Getting the deal done in early June is a major change for the Raiders, who almost always wait until July to get their deals done -- except for last year, when the acrimonious negotiation with JaMarcus Russell dragged out until September. And it's a good sign that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin will have plenty of time to mold his young offensive players into a cohesive unit.

Raiders Sign Darren McFadden, Finally Stop Dragging Feet on Rookie Contracts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, Mike Ditka to Call Broncos-Raiders MNF Game on ESPN

Michael David Smith — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:04:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Raiders, NFL Media Watch, Denver, Oakland, ESPN

ESPN has announced this year's second-string Monday Night Football team, and it's the same as last year's second-string Monday Night Football team: Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic and Mike Ditka.

The NFL season's kickoff weekend features two Monday night games. The first, Vikings-Packers at 7 p.m. Eastern, will be called by the usual ESPN crew of Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser. The second game, Broncos-Raiders at 10:15 p.m. Eastern, gets the Greenberg-Golic-Ditka trio.

I thought the three Mikes were fine last year (aside from the one unfortunate moment caught on camera), although I wish Greenberg and Golic wouldn't be quite so reverential toward Ditka: They act like he's a god, not a colleague. If the three of them can just talk football without reminding us every five minutes that Ditka is a Hall of Famer, they'll be fine.

Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, Mike Ditka to Call Broncos-Raiders MNF Game on ESPN originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good News for Darren McFadden and His Agent: Raiders Want to Sign Him Soon

Michael David Smith — Sat, 31 May 2008 12:07:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

The Oakland Raiders are known for dragging their feet in contract negotiations with their first-round draft picks, and that reputation was cemented last year with the debacle that was the JaMarcus Russell holdout.

But the Raiders say they're turning over a new leaf, with a team official telling the San Francisco Chronicle of a contract for first-round pick Darren McFadden, "I would think we'll see something in June."

That is very good news for McFadden. Realistically, the only way the Raiders can be confident that they'll get a deal done with McFadden quickly is if they are willing to give him the contract he's asking for. Last year's fourth overall pick, Gaines Adams, got a contract worth about $46 million and about $19 million guaranteed, so the Raiders must be willing to go a good deal over that.

Note: If they do get McFadden done in June, it'll be the earliest the Raiders have signed a first-round pick since Napoleon Kaufman signed on May 25, 1995.

Good News for Darren McFadden and His Agent: Raiders Want to Sign Him Soon originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 31 May 2008 12:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Bush the Wild Card for the Raiders

Michael David Smith — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:42:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

If he hadn't broken his leg in the first game of the 2006 college football season, Michael Bush might have been a first-round draft pick in 2007. Instead the Raiders got him in the fourth round, and he spent that entire year rehabbing from the injury.

Now he's healthy (the photo was taken at the Raiders' minicamp on Friday, when Bush ran at full speed), but can he get on the field with Darren McFadden now the main man in Oakland? He tells the Sacramento Bee what he thought when McFadden was drafted:

"At first I was like, Why do we need another back?, because, at the time, we did have Dominic, and LaMont still on the roster, and (Justin) Fargas and me," Bush said. " ... It kind of bothered me, but it didn't because he can help us. ... I'm glad that he's on our side."

McFadden says he was watching the Louisville game when Bush broke his leg, and he seems to think highly of Bush. When you draft a running back with the fourth overall pick, you're planning to hand him the starting job, but I like the options the Raiders have with having McFadden and the 245-pound Bush as a 1-2 punch. If Bush is as good a player as people thought he was two years ago, the Raiders have two of the NFL's most talented young runners.

Michael Bush the Wild Card for the Raiders originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 May 2008 06:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders' Rob Ryan Cuts His Hair

Michael David Smith — Sun, 11 May 2008 07:48:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is one of the NFL's most recognizable assistant coaches because he's the only one with long hair. At least, he used to be.

Ryan recently got a haircut, and it had nothing to do with the NFL's proposed rules change banning long hair -- that one applies only to players. Instead, he did it for charity.

Asked about his decision to donate his hair to Locks of Love, which turns donated hair into wigs for people suffering from long-term medical hair loss, Ryan said, "Why not? Clean up my act."

I also can't help but think that part of his decision was an effort to make himself look more like the stereotypical head coach, which Ryan wants to be. Fair or not, appearance matters, and there are undoubtedly some NFL owners who would hold Ryan's hair against him when considering him for a head-coaching job. That won't be a problem anymore.

Raiders' Rob Ryan Cuts His Hair originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 May 2008 07:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can Mike Williams Ever Make It in the NFL?

Michael David Smith — Sat, 10 May 2008 09:23:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, Raiders, Titans, NFL Draft, Detroit, Oakland, Nashville

When the Detroit Lions drafted wide receiver Mike Williams with the 10th pick in the 2005 NFL draft, most people thought it was stupid because the Lions had used Top 10 picks on wide receivers in the last two drafts.

As it turned out, it was stupid because Williams wasn't any good. He caught 37 passes in two seasons in Detroit, had some crucial drops in key moments, got morbidly obese and horribly out of shape, and was shipped to Oakland last year.

Now Oakland has let him go, and he's in Tennessee, where he says he's in good shape and down 30 pounds to 242, or only about 10 heavier than he was at USC. New offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger says he's excited about what Williams can bring to the offense.

I just don't buy it, though. The last time Williams looked like a good football player was at the 2004 Rose Bowl. I think Williams' football talent has atrophied.

Can Mike Williams Ever Make It in the NFL? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 10 May 2008 09:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oakland Raiders Cut Dominic Rhodes

Michael David Smith — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:51:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Oakland

Two days after drafting running back Darren McFadden, the Oakland Raiders have informed running back Dominic Rhodes that he's being released.

The move, first reported by ESPN's John Clayton, was a necessity for the Raiders, as the team was in danger of going over the NFL's salary cap. Rhodes had a $1.75 million salary for 2008, which is now off the Raiders' books.

Thus ends an ugly year for Rhodes as a Raider. He served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, and finished his time in Oakland with 302 yards on 75 carries. He'll likely catch on with some other team for a salary around the league minimum, but the days of anyone offering him a $1.75 million salary are long gone.

Oakland Raiders Cut Dominic Rhodes originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, Arkansas Razorbacks Running Back

Michael David Smith — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:18:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Draft, Oakland

Even though he's going to a team with a bad offense, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is my very early favorite to be the 2008 NFL Rookie of the Year. The combination of the production he showed in college and the raw talent he showed in post-season workouts makes clear that this is a special talent.

And yet there are questions. Some analysts think he's not the best running back in this draft in terms of on-field ability; others say he's going to be an off-field headache.

But the former is more a result of this being a good year for running backs than of any serious knocks on McFadden. And as for the latter, McFadden has faced a lot of criticism for his off-field conduct -- some of it valid, much of it not. Perhaps the strangest thing was when NFL scouts started to wonder if maybe they didn't want him because he'd had children out of wedlock. I seem to remember another out-of-wedlock father winning the league MVP last season.

Anyway, Raiders owner Al Davis has never been afraid to draft players with character concerns. McFadden will look good in silver and black.

Previously on FanHouse:
Fantasy Spin: Darren McFadden to the Raiders
It's One Thing to Speculate, but Would Al Davis Actually Draft Darren McFadden?
Oakland Writer Makes the Case for Raiders Drafting Darren McFadden

4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, Arkansas Razorbacks Running Back originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oakland Raiders Moving to L.A. in 2011? Or Vikings, Chargers, Bills or Jaguars?

Michael David Smith — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:10:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Los Angeles, Oakland

This is obviously very premature and speculative, but following up on the news that billionaire developer Ed Roski wants to build an NFL stadium in the Los Angeles area, The Hater Nation has an interesting point:

the stadium could start construction this fall and be ready by 2011. The same year the Raiders could get out of its lease in Oakland.

Hmm. The Raiders left Los Angeles to return to Oakland in 1994, and the speculation that the Raiders would leave Oakland to go back to Los Angeles started almost immediately afterward. But most of that speculation hasn't been backed by anything as strong as a billionaire developer saying he wants to build an NFL stadium in L.A.

There's also speculation that the team to relocate to Los Angeles could be the Vikings, Chargers, Bills or Jaguars. My best guess is that the Bills wouldn't move to Los Angeles because the NFL would rather see them move to Toronto if they're going to move at all, but that the Raiders, Vikings, Jaguars and Chargers -- probably in that order of likelihood -- could all move. One way or another, the NFL wants to put a team back in L.A., and if there's a good stadium deal in place, Al Davis would love for that team to be the Raiders.

Oakland Raiders Moving to L.A. in 2011? Or Vikings, Chargers, Bills or Jaguars? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans Pick Up a Carr

JJ Cooper — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, Titans, Oakland, Nashville

He's not an even replacement for the soon-to-be-gone Pacman Jones, but the Titans did a nice job of bargain hunting by snagging restricted free agent Chris Carr from the Raiders.

The Raiders decided to not match the Titans one-year offer, which tells a little about how much the Raiders valued him. He's more of a returner (career averages of 24.1 yards per kick return and 5.9 per punt return) than a corneback, although he could fit in as a nickel or dime back. Carr has four career starts during his three-year career, so this is a minor move, not a long-term fix.

The biggest impact may be in changing the Titans draft plans. As Total Titans points out, the signing of Carr makes DeSean Jackson, a wide receiver with outstanding return skills, a little less appealing as a first-round pick. Since there are three or four wide receivers who all could fit into the mix for the Titans first-round pick, that doesn't necessarily change the Titans priorities, but it might tweak who they will draft.

Titans Pick Up a Carr originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Mock Draft: Oakland Raiders Select RB Darren McFadden No. 4

Ryan Wilson — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Draft, Oakland

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

Since going to the Super Bowl in 2002, the Raiders have had a top-10 pick in three of the last four drafts, including the first-overall selection last year. In 2008, Oakland holds the fourth pick. Owner Al Davis has his franchise quarterback in JaMarcus Russell, and his deep target in Javon Walker. All that's missing is a big-play threat out of the backfield. Which is why Darren McFadden is coming to the Raiders.

Are there other needs? Absolutely -- you don't win 19 games in five season without having some glaring weaknesses. Even though Robert Gallery was taken second overall in 2004, the offensive tackle position is a liability.

Gallery never established himself on the left, protecting the quarterback's blind side. And off-season acquisition Kwame Harris doesn't exactly instill confidence in, well, anybody that Russell won't suffer multiple concussions this season. Oakland would have to think long and hard about passing up Ryan Clady here.

Then there's the defensive line. Oakland spent an ungodly sum to re-sign Tommy Kelly, but with Glenn Dorsey already off the board, Sedrick Ellis is also a consideration. He's probably not the fourth-best player in this draft and Oakland is very familiar with stretching for picks (hi, Fabian Washington!).

The Raiders also need to find some depth behind Russell, but I can't imagine they'd use their first-round pick to do it. Of course, if you had to choose any team that might even consider taking a back-up quarterback at No. 4, it would be the Raiders, so who knows.

As for McFadden, he's exactly what Davis loves: blinding speed and the ability to score from anywhere on the field. Sure, Oakland still has LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes, and they just re-upped Justin Fargas, but let's be honest, none of these players are so good that there's no room for McFadden. The Vikings, with Chester Taylor, somehow managed to make it work in Minnesota and I suspect the same will happen in Oakland. Unless Davis decides to take Russell's back-up, Matt Ryan, after all.

The Skinny
Team Needs: RB, OL, DL, QB
Player Selected: Darren McFadden, RB
Also Considered: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State; Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC; Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College*

Previous Picks: No. 3 Glenn Dorsey, Falcons

Next Pick: No. 5 Chiefs

* Joke. I think.

FanHouse Mock Draft: Oakland Raiders Select RB Darren McFadden No. 4 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Schedules Colts-Bears, Raiders-Broncos in Prime Time Week 1

Michael David Smith — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Bears, Broncos, Colts, Raiders, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, Oakland

The NFL has now released the full slate of four prime time Week 1 games for the 2008 season, with a Super Bowl XLI rematch on the first Sunday night of the season and an AFC West rivalry game to conclude kickoff weekend.

The first Sunday night prime time game will be the Chicago Bears at the Indianapolis Colts, September 7 at 8:15 Eastern on NBC. In addition to being a rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl and yet another national television appearance for Peyton Manning, it will be the first regular-season game at the Colts' new Lucas Oil Stadium.

The second game of the Week 1 Monday Night doubleheader will be the Denver Broncos at the Oakland Raiders. The game will begin at 10:15 p.m. Eastern on September 8, meaning Oakland and Denver fans will actually get to see their team start a Monday night game after they're home from work, but East Coast fans who have to work Tuesday morning can plan to skip it.

The previously announced Week 1 prime time games are Redskins at Giants to start the season on Thursday, September 4 and Vikings at Packers on Monday, September 8.

NFL Schedules Colts-Bears, Raiders-Broncos in Prime Time Week 1 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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