Who Are The Raiders?

Who are the Oakland Raiders? If we take time to look at some of their current personnel and several of their decisions, do we really have a full understanding what this team is doing on and off the field? Today, I’ll take a closer look at the Raiders and try to answer some of my own questions.

My Dilemma

I’m confused.

I’m confused as a former player, an analyst and a fan when it comes to the Raiders right now — and this is not a piece about the draft because that’s in the past.

What I’m confused about is the course of action this team is taking, and I’m trying to figure out where they are ultimately headed.

Sure, reports out of mini-camp were pretty cloudy, and we can only put so much emphasis on spring camps, but from my vantage point as an ex-player, the last thing you want to do in spring mini-camps and OTAs is take a step backward.

But it has to go a lot deeper than that, right? I can’t report on a Tuesday morning something I hear out of Oakland, can I? Of course not, because I feel there are some issues buried in Oakland that haven’t been talked about and haven’t been put out in the open.

This team doesn’t have an identity when it comes to its offense, and that concerns me in May because this is the time you start to put your team together and start to prepare for the season ahead, and I just can’t figure out what the Raiders are up to.

The Quarterbacks

What is Oakland doing with JaMarcus Russell? Seriously, I’m asking because, from what I hear, I’m not the only one who’s concerned that this club doesn’t really have a plan for him.

If you think of the vertical passing game, then Russell is your man. And if you think of drafting Darrius Heyward-Bey — a track guy who can sprint down the field — then Russell is your man.

But then why would Oakland bring in Jeff Garcia — a quarterback who has west coast offense written all over him. Garcia can’t make the throws that Russell can on deep balls. There’s no chance.

It seems to me that there are two different philosophies trying to work together in Oakland. One is the vertical passing game that caters to Russell, and the other is the west coast system that caters to Garcia. The Raiders are built to throw the ball down the field when you look at their wide receivers. They’re a big-play team with speed at every skill position — and I’m not knocking that. Because as an ex-defensive back, I knew during my playing career that the Raiders were going to chuck it down the field — always — and that’s a long day’s work for a DB.

But why two different types of QBs? And if Garcia is what they say he is — a back-up — then what’s the plan for Russell? Do the Raiders have one, or do they just keep adding more speed and hope he continues to throw it deep? That would work, but then, they just made another move that doesn’t make sense when it comes to developing Russell and putting together a system.

More Confusion

The Raiders went out and signed veteran fullback Lorenzo Neal the other day — a player who’s the perfect fit for a two-back, west coast offense.

The Raiders, or the current Raiders from my view, are built to run the football out of one-back sets. So why bring in Neal? Why bring in a punishing lead blocker (trust me, this guy is downright nasty in the hole) if you draft and sign players who can stretch the field on the outside?

And why bring in a player who’s a better fit for Garcia and his style of play?

I don’t care that the Raiders drafted Heyward-Bey at No. 7 last month. I really don’t, but I would be concerned if they didn’t use him right — and that means not getting him the ball down the field as much and as often as possible.

And that’s why I’m confused, because I find it hard to believe that the Raiders have a scripted plan for Russell.

What do they have in terms of expectations? Do they want him to be a “quality” NFL player, or do they want to see him prove and produce like the No. 1 overall selection in the draft should?

Because once you have the quarterback, then you build around that quarterback. You give him the tools, like Heyward-Bey, and you decided to go with an offense that caters to his skills.

Look, this argument can be used out in Washington as well. How many times have we heard this offseason that Jason Campbell is a poor fit for the west coast offense? A hundred? Then why are the Redskins still using it, and why are the Raiders signing players who will transform this deep-ball quarterback into a guy who hands off to a downhill running game and throws short-to-intermediate passes?

If that’s the plan, fine — go with it. But then why draft a wide receiver if you’re going to pound the ball down people’s throats? And why pound the ball down people’s throats if Russell is the guy we all think he is? Because this points to the Raiders making a move to Garcia if Russell does indeed struggle.

Yes, May is exactly what it is — a time to prepare. But looking at Oakland, it just doesn’t seem to know quite what it’s preparing for.

And as a Raiders fan, that would concern me.

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