The Final act?
The above linked article is to the Inside Bay Area Raiders blog and today Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune looks at 5 veteran Raiders on the verge of being cut.
I also take a look at the list.
Adam Treu - Center - Treu is the one who to me is most likely to be cut. The reason being that when Jake Grove got hurt the coaching staff turned to Corey Hulsey a guard who has never started at Center for his replacement and not Treu who is the team's longest-tenured player and has started at the position.
Treu has been saved in the past by his long-snapping ability but that is not the case this year. Chris Morris - a late round draftpick - is a center and long-snapper who could take over that chor if Treu is let go.
I'd put the odds of Treu's exit at better than 70%.
Marques Tuiasosopo - Quarterback - Tui is a Jon Gruden draftpick. He doesn't fit the system as well as he would a West-Coast system and I think they brought Jeff George in for a reason, which is that Tui's days are numbered. He would be better off seeking to be a success elsewhere.
I wouldn't be shocked if he left and for Tui it might be the best thing to happen to him. He's just not the right QB for the Raiders system and that's not going to change.
I'd put his odds at being cut at 65%.
Bobby Hamilton - Defensive End - I'd hate to see Hamilton go. He's a good character guy in the locker room, he's a good run defender which you need in the AFC West and he's a proven success. Kevin Huntly and Brian McNeill are both question marks and I think that you can almost be too young on defense and that's why Hamilton should stay.
Having said that, I don't know what the Raiders will do here. Hamilton has played a lot of third team which can't be good for him.
I'd put the odds of him being cut at 55%.
Danny Clark - Linebacker - I think it would be a mistake to cut Danny Clark. He can play special teams, he is a quality Linebacker and if we suffer an injury at that spot there could be trouble. He's also a team leader and you can't have too many of those around.
I think that his chances of being cut are high but not too high. I think that he should stay and be an insurance policy although Kirk Morrison is doing a great job in Clark's former starting spot at Middle Linebacker.
I put the odds of him being cut at 45%.
Zack Crockett - Fullback - Crockett is one of the best short-yardage backs in the NFL the Raiders are not strong at the running back spot to begin with and if Lamont Jordan were to get hurt only Crockett is the type that could run with power. He's also a popular player and a team leader on offense. He's 33 years old which is getting up there for a back but he's not being expected to carry the load. I believe that he hasn't played a lot this preseason because coach Shell already knows what he can do and is saving him for when it matters.
I put the odds of his being cut at 35% or less.
My predictions:
Tuiasosopo, Treu and Hamilton are cut.
Crockett stays and Clark is the big question mark.
I lean towards Danny staying but that is partly wishful thinking.
I also take a look at the list.
Adam Treu - Center - Treu is the one who to me is most likely to be cut. The reason being that when Jake Grove got hurt the coaching staff turned to Corey Hulsey a guard who has never started at Center for his replacement and not Treu who is the team's longest-tenured player and has started at the position.
Treu has been saved in the past by his long-snapping ability but that is not the case this year. Chris Morris - a late round draftpick - is a center and long-snapper who could take over that chor if Treu is let go.
I'd put the odds of Treu's exit at better than 70%.
Marques Tuiasosopo - Quarterback - Tui is a Jon Gruden draftpick. He doesn't fit the system as well as he would a West-Coast system and I think they brought Jeff George in for a reason, which is that Tui's days are numbered. He would be better off seeking to be a success elsewhere.
I wouldn't be shocked if he left and for Tui it might be the best thing to happen to him. He's just not the right QB for the Raiders system and that's not going to change.
I'd put his odds at being cut at 65%.
Bobby Hamilton - Defensive End - I'd hate to see Hamilton go. He's a good character guy in the locker room, he's a good run defender which you need in the AFC West and he's a proven success. Kevin Huntly and Brian McNeill are both question marks and I think that you can almost be too young on defense and that's why Hamilton should stay.
Having said that, I don't know what the Raiders will do here. Hamilton has played a lot of third team which can't be good for him.
I'd put the odds of him being cut at 55%.
Danny Clark - Linebacker - I think it would be a mistake to cut Danny Clark. He can play special teams, he is a quality Linebacker and if we suffer an injury at that spot there could be trouble. He's also a team leader and you can't have too many of those around.
I think that his chances of being cut are high but not too high. I think that he should stay and be an insurance policy although Kirk Morrison is doing a great job in Clark's former starting spot at Middle Linebacker.
I put the odds of him being cut at 45%.
Zack Crockett - Fullback - Crockett is one of the best short-yardage backs in the NFL the Raiders are not strong at the running back spot to begin with and if Lamont Jordan were to get hurt only Crockett is the type that could run with power. He's also a popular player and a team leader on offense. He's 33 years old which is getting up there for a back but he's not being expected to carry the load. I believe that he hasn't played a lot this preseason because coach Shell already knows what he can do and is saving him for when it matters.
I put the odds of his being cut at 35% or less.
My predictions:
Tuiasosopo, Treu and Hamilton are cut.
Crockett stays and Clark is the big question mark.
I lean towards Danny staying but that is partly wishful thinking.
Labels: NFL, Oakland Raiders, OCC Opinion
posted by Casey Trowbridge at 8/30/2006 09:09:00 PM
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