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Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.The 2008 season might go down as one of the most bizarre campaigns in the history of the Oakland Raiders. Lane Kiffin and Al Davis clearly didn't get along, while Kiffin pulled off the impossible task of making Davis look like a sane, rational person.
A team spokesperson nearly decked a beat writer; the punter was, reportedly, punched out by a defensive lineman; and the team on the field finished with a losing season, failing to win more than five games for the sixth consecutive year. Just a disastrous season in every way imaginable.
Having said that, Tom Cable has been named as the team's sixth head coach in the past eight seasons, while the offseason has been off to a surprisingly decent start.
A year ago, the Raiders spent a ton of money on Gibril Wilson, Javon Walker and DeAngelo Hall, while the results on the field were embarrassingly bad. Heading into this offseason, the Raiders were looking at the possibility of losing two of their best players in cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and punter Shane Lechler. As it turns out, Davis found a way to keep both players from hitting the free agent market, while also re-signing another starter, Chris Johnson, to a long-term deal.
Assuming Davis doesn't lose his mind like he did a year ago and sign Nate Washington for $100 billion, this offseason is already more productive than a year ago. That said, there's still plenty of holes that need to be addressed.
Free agents: Ricky Brown (RFA), Jon Alston (RFA), Rashad Baker (UFA), Drew Carter (UFA), William Joseph (UFA), Ashley Lelie (UFA), Justin Miller (UFA), Sam Williams (UFA)
Draft picks: 1 (7), 2 (8), 3 (7), 4 (8), 6 (8), 7 (7)
Needs
1. General manager. Come on, Al. Do the right thing.
2. Wide receiver. Ronald Curry has already been released and Javon Walker could be next. The only receiver to catch more than 20 passes in 2008 was rookie Johnnie Lee Higgins (22). Tight end Zach Miller is the most reliable pass catcher on the team, having hauled in a team-high 56 passes.
3. Offensive line. Besides needing somebody to throw to, quarterback JaMarcus Russell could also use some protection. At one point during the '08 season Kwame Harris and Cornell Green, the team's starting offensive tackles, were No's 1 and 2 in the NFL in false start penalties.
4. Safety. Gibril Wilson has already been released after not being worth a contract that made him the third highest paid safety in the NFL, while 2006 first-round pick Michael Huff has been a disappointment.
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