Oakland Raiders 2009 Preview

The Oakland Raiders are one of the NFL’s disaster franchises and there are few reasons to believe anything will change this coming season. The Raiders removed the interim tag from head coach Tom Cable and are betting that he’s the right decision long term, they signed Jeff Garcia to further confuse their quarterback situation and made questionable draft and free agency moves. Their Super Bowl odds are among the lowest in the NFL and since they are a complete mess from head to toe, many pundits would say those 75-to-1 odds are accurate.

Offseason Transactions

Aside from bringing in Garcia, the Raiders did little to address their many weaknesses. They surprised a number of times, such as when they cut ties with their quality safety, Gibril Wilson, or when they drafted lesser-known wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey ahead of Michael Crabtree.

One good pickup might be the addition of veteran linebacker/defensive end, Greg Ellis, who should help the team’s pass rush. Also, the addition of Lorenzo Neal should pave the way for Darren McFadden’s first 1000-yard season.

The Raiders needed plenty help at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and at safety but the team did little to address that.

Offense

The Raiders offense is a mess. While they are still banking on JaMarcus Russell being their future franchise quarterback, he continues to show minimal promise. On top of that, to confuse matters, the Raiders signed 37-year-old Jeff Garcia, who openly stated he only wanted to play for a team where he can start. It makes no sense for the Raiders to start him ahead of Russell, since it will sacrifice their future in return for winning a few extra games this year.

The running game is healthy with McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush, but the offensive line is a work in progress. Ironically, Robert Gallery is one of the few reliable players nowadays on the line, which is an ominous sign.

Defense

The Raiders defense is just as mixed a bag as the offense. There’s a lot of money invested in the defensive line, especially for Tommy Kelly ($18 M last year), but they rarely get pressure on the quarterback. Former Pro Bowler Derrick Burgess has declined, which has left this front line without a consistent threat.

The linebacking corps is stocked with Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison, both of whom could have Pro Bowl potential, and the Raiders have one of the best cornerbacks in Nnamdi Asomugha.

Everywhere else, though, they are just average. Tyvon Branch and Hiram Eugene are below average safeties while former first-round pick Michael Huff has been a non-factor.

Outlook

The Raiders have no identity and even though they continually draft at the top of the first-round, they are still waiting on a lot of talent to pan out.

Is Garcia their starter? Is it Russell? Who will catch passes for this team? Where will the quarterback pressure come on defense? Who are the leaders on this squad?

With so many questions and a coaching staff that provides much more there is no reason to trust this team for any sportsbook betting neither for futures nor week-to-week.