“As far as being close to a playoff team, it’s more than that. We’re close to a championship team. There’s a lot of work that needs to be put in and a lot of hurdles that we need to get over, but we need to be heading into this season thinking more than just playoffs.” — Carson Palmer to the Contra Costa Times.
This isn’t going to be me lambasting Carson Palmer for that headline-inducing comment. Why else would Palmer have come out of semi-retirement to quarterback the Raiders if he didn’t believe that they’re “close” to a championship team? And what exactly does “close” mean? He didn’t make any bold predictions — he simply implied that this Oakland team should have a championship mentality.
Fair enough.
I understand that point of view. But I disagree with the notion that this team is on any sort of brink.
The problem is that the Raiders are in at least a miniature state of flux. They have a brand-new general manager and their third head coach in as many years. This’ll be their first full season sans Al Davis since 1962 and they’re already making odd changes that may very well prove to be counterproductive.
For instance, why return to the very same zone-blocking scheme that seemed to shackle Darren McFadden during the Tom Cable era?
This is a team that still hasn’t finished above .500 since 2002, surrounded by a trio of divisional opponents that seem to be getting better, and dealing with one of the biggest salary cap dilemmas in the league. They were forced to release starting cornerback Stanford Routt earlier in the offseason (Routt signed with the division-rival Chiefs) and now face a similar situation with starting linebacker and pass-rushing specialist Kamerion Wimbley.
They might be able to shave off approximately $25 million and get under the $120-million cap without gutting the roster, but there’s a decent chance they lose at least one more veteran. And with that in mind, they won’t be able to join the free-agent party at all.
No biggie, right? Free agency is overrated. Sure, but what really aches the Raiders is the fact that the team currently holds only two — two! – 2012 drafts picks, one in the fifth round and one in the sixth. They’re likely to be awarded an additional compensatory pick or two for losing Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller and Robert Gallery last year, but they still won’t pick until the end of the third round in the best-case scenario.
Without free agency and the draft and with a few holes already needing to be filled, how does an 8-8 team improve?
I just don’t see it happening. But crazier things have taken place in this league, which is part of the reason I can see where Palmer’s coming from.
And with a $43-million salary, I’d expect nothing else from the guy.
I would disagree with your claim that their moves are “counter productive”. Reggie mckenzie came from the packers where he was head of football operations, while he was there they won a superbowl, went 15-1 and had the league MVP. I will agree its a state of flux and that’s nothing but to be expected, because the raiders are now going to finally become a modernized team, which they can’t do unless they first clean up al Davis’s mess. While the raiders did go 8-8 last season, they were 4-1 when their roster was healthy. Any other team that lost their starting QB and running back would have a tough time in the nfl too. That’s like taking away Tom Brady and benjarvis green Ellis on the patriots, Eli Manning and amad bradshaw on the giants. While there is decent back up running backs on both teams benjarvis green Ellis doesn’t fumble, which is so key in the nfl and can decide a win or a loss. Neither team lost both at the same time. It’s hard to say either team would have made it to the super bowl being especially without their starting qb. How can you not see the 8-8 raiders improving? Palmer will do nothing but get better, they have a good crop of young receivers, and in my
opinion better management than the last decade. It starts from the top down, not the other way around and that is why the raiders will improve. And finally I will disagree with your implication that the raiders division is going to be tougher. The chargers have missed the playoffs 2 years in a row on a steady decline, losing a game to the raiders both years( swept 2 years ago), they split the 2 game series with the chiefs, the loss coming from being without their starting QB, then losing DMC in that game. Palmer threw 3 picks while boller also threw 2 or 3( don’t remember the exact number), the raiders lost 28-0 because each interception turned into points. Take away those interceptions and it’s 0-0. Once again the raiders split the series with the broncos one with their starting QB and running back and one without, and they still could have won it since they were in the lead
for much of that game. Oh an two years ago the raiders went 6-0 in the division. Division play isn’t the problem, it’s playing teams outside the division where the majority of the losses come from. I’m not forgetting how poorly the defense did, setting records in penalties which will change with the new management, and the raiders have the potential to pick
up a good defensive player or two in free agency. Finally, what odd changes are you speaking of? Since you stated no specifics please enlighten me.
I elaborated with one specific odd change: Why go BACK to a zone blocking scheme when it’s been established that Darren McFadden struggles with it.