The Offseason.... Or Lack There Of

Whats going on Raider Nation? I am fried from a long work week and thought I would drop by after a month or so from my last post.

How interesting a month can change the entire culture and dynamic of the NFL.

You have "Bounty Gate" that took the New Orleans Saints from NFC Super Bowl potential to NFC Cellar for a year or more depending on the severity of the fines imposed on the players involved ...... to Tim Teblow being traded to the New York Jets, and then on hold, then traded again and then not and maybe by this weekend finally signed. What a circus that will be, now that he is saying he went to actually compete for the starting job. Oh yeah, there was that one guy too..... coming to the AFC West. What was his name? Ahhhh who cares. No factor right?

But nevertheless, its the Silver and Black that is on my mind and the only thing I feel right now is a void. A huge void made by the sudden departure of almost the entire free agent player roster we had on the books. Interesting that we freed up so much cap space by restructuring Seymour and a few others that they would not have gone and just done the rest. Instead players like Michael Bush, Wimbley and a host of others are now on other teams to make their impact and we are left with players that have some stuff to prove. With the obvious exception of McFadden (If he stays healthy), Palmer, Lechler, DHB, Ford, Jano and a few others this is going to be a team of players who really need to prove their worth. After reading the Oakland Tribunes article the other day when they caught up with Reggie McKenzie, it didn't seem that we were going to be much more aggressive in free agency and will try to build out through next year. The money we do have available will be used to sign whatever unselected draft players enter into free agency to league minimum contracts and other drafted players we pick up next month.

So what will the starting line up look like after all of this? I put my nose to the stone for a few minutes to think about this and came up with the following:

Offense:

Carson Palmer

Darren McFadden

Jacoby Ford (Slot)

D. Moore

DHB

Barnes (RT)

Brisiel (RG)

Wiz (Center)

Carslie/Campbell (LG)

Veldheer (LT)

Marcel Reese 

Defense:

Bartell (CB)

Branch (SS)

Huff (FS)

McClain (MLB)

Curry (SLB)

Goethel (WLB)

Shaunnessy (DE)

Seymour (DT)

Bryant (DT)

?????? (DE)

Van Dyke (CB)

 I mean the team can win, but it all depends on the depth behind these guys. I hope that Coach can get the best out of this talent. We won't be the same offense and for sure wont be the same defense, so if we can get a more even playing effort from the defense, it should make up for the loss in play calling we lost with Hue's departure.

Just my thoughts. What are yours? Oh yeah, glad to be back!

Chaotic View