Burress is tempting, but Raiders know better

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Monday, April 06, 2009  |  Comments( 25 )

Oakland Raiders
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While the Oakland Raiders would welcome the addition of a game-breaking wideout like Plaxico Burress, Al Davis and company have learned from recent mistakes. After signing several players wrapped up with on- and off-field issues, the Raiders will likely stay clear of Burress’ troubled past.

The New York Giants grew tired of the ongoing saga regarding Burress and released the former Super Bowl hero in the midst of legal proceedings last week. Burress is facing possible gun charges and could be forced to spend time in prison. Even if he avoids prison, it’s uncertain whether he’ll surface in the NFL next season.

Although Burress is now in search of a new team, don’t expect Oakland to be at the front of the line to acquire his services. The Raiders learned the hard way, but only after signing numerous players with a tainted history.

Following Burress’ issues a year ago (which ended in a season-ending suspension), the Giants' receiving corps was shorthanded and its production worsened. Domenik Hixon finished as the team’s leading receiver with only 43 catches for 596 yards.

Burress features a rare ability to stretch the field and is an outstanding red-zone target. He’s averaged 15.5 yards per catch over the course of his career and has racked up 55 touchdowns. In total, Burress has compiled 505 receptions for 7,845 yards in 128 games.

While the Raiders could certainly use a playmaker on the perimeter, Burress may be a long shot to land in the Bay Area. Yes, he exhibits superior abilities to other wideouts in the professional ranks, but his off-field issues currently outweigh his talents on the field.

Oakland needs help at the receiver position and instead of singing Burress, there should be plenty of options on Day 1 of the draft.

While the addition is tempting, Burress is too big of a gamble at this point for a team that's failed with big-name additions like Randy Moss, Javon Walker, Gibril Wilson and DeAngelo Hall in recent years.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To...
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CommentsComments: 25  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Spoakland		04:59 AM
04/06/2009
While I agree that Burress would be a risk, he might prove to be a valuable addition, to the team that signs him. If Al Davis is...
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No.2
The Shape		06:45 AM
04/06/2009
Do not get this moron Burress!!!!! Now Profootballtalk also has a link of the Raiders interested in OCHO CINCO. No freaking way...
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No.3
09:50 AM
04/06/2009
As I stated under the last article (Week Old, what's up with that?), it's being reported by several sources that Jeff Garcia is...
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