Anthony Carroll’s Friday Raiders mailbag

By Anthony Carroll  |   Friday, June 30, 2006  |  Comments( 11 )

Oakland Raiders
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Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for Realfootball365, responds to fans' questions and comments submitted via RaidersLive.com:

In the first installment of my weekly mailbag, a good number of loyal Oakland Raiders fans responded. Unfortunately, not all of their entries could make the cut. However, all are encouraged to submit future questions and comments.

Tony, 28, Colorado Springs: A lot of people have made a big deal out of the fact that Jerry Porter and Randy Moss missed the last voluntary minicamp. Do you feel like that is really an issue or that there is a connection between those two being the ones missing?

AC: I don't see this as a major concern. Naturally, Shell would have liked to see the entire team attend; however, missing a voluntary camp in early-June shouldn't hurt the team in the grander scheme of things. Despite a long, questionable history for Moss, Porter's absence is the more noteworthy of the two. The 27-year-old already turned a get-to-know-you meeting with Shell into a "get out of my office" episode, so you would expect him to make every attempt to patch-up the sore spot. Heading into his seventh season with the Raiders, this could be Porter's last opportunity to hurdle the 1,000-yard bar. In that respect, missing the camp may hurt Porter individually more than the entire team. On a team so deep with talented wideouts, it wasn't the wisest decision.

Andy Hermida, 32, West Palm Beach, FL: Could solid offseason moves and a weak out-of-division schedule (except for the Super Bowl teams) be enough to get the Raiders back into playoff contention?

AC: This offseason has been silently solid for the Raiders. Aaron Brooks' mobility instantly upgrades the quarterback position, while defensive end Lance Johnstone should provide a great situational rush up front. Defensively, the draft was nearly perfect, minus a young defensive tackle addition. Huff is the defensive playmaker Oakland needs badly at safety, while Thomas Howard and Darnell Bing will be two interesting talents to watch develop in year one. As for the schedule, it is imperative that Oakland starts off well. The team hasn't won an opener since 2002, making their September 11th primetime meeting with San Diego a more important matchup than meets the eye. Philip Rivers will be placed in an unforgiving situation in Oakland, and the defense must capitalize on his inexperience and fully utilize their home-field advantage. After the opener awaits Baltimore, Cleveland, and San Francisco--all three of which are highly winnable games. As I see it, the first four meetings on the Raiders schedule are more important than the final 12 if they are serious about making the playoffs. Setting the tone early is crucial for an eager offensive cast and young defensive unit.

Jeff, 43, Los Angeles, CA: I'm a Raiders fan and have been for multiple years. I would love to see the Raiders re-sign Grady Jackson. The question is, why are people sleeping on DT Rashad Moore? Here is a guy known for doing the dirty work in Seattle and having the size and ability to be very disruptive in the middle of the defensive line.

AC: Coming from the NFC after sitting out the entire 2005 season, Moore's name doesn't instantaneously raise the average fan's excitement level. However, he is definitely a player to watch closely. Reportedly, coaches liked what they saw from Moore in the team's second minicamp in late May. At 6-3, 324 pounds, he possesses great size and initial quickness, running the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds as a rookie. If he can remain healthy, Moore will be worth well over the $460,000 that the Raiders paid for him. That "if" is a major one, however, which is why veteran Grady Jackson would be another welcoming addition to the defense.

Ubiquitous, 40, N. California: The Raiders seem to be stockpiling wide receivers with good size and speed. Could this possibly be signaling the end for Jerry Porter?

AC: Thirteen, to be exact. The Raiders have thirteen wide receivers on their offseason roster, twelve of which would love to consume Porter's spot. Of course, Moss is the king of the crew, and Porter should theoretically be a lock for that second spot. However, two consecutive underachieving seasons under the 1,000-yard echelon have greatly hurt his chances at permanently solidifying the No. 2 role. Throw a screaming match and missed practice into the mix and the near future looks uncertain for Porter. Either way, I see Porter remaining in Oakland for the 2006 campaign. Where he plays in Walsh's system, however, is something that could easily change. Doug Gabriel is built almost identically to Porter--without the attitude--and his 1,105 receiving yards in limited playing time over the past two seasons warrant considerable attention. If Ronald Curry remains healthy, he could also make a push for the spot; however, for now, Porter remains second to Moss.

Want to be in next week's mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com for a chance to enter Anthony Carroll's Friday Mailbag.

Anthony Carroll can be contacted at acarroll@realfootball365.com
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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal...
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CommentsComments: 11  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
CHRIS PETRICONE		09:02 AM
06/30/2006
A.C. ROCKS ON THE RAIDERS. LET'S GIVE CREDIT DUE, YOUR ARTICLES KEEP ME COMING BACK ON A DAILY BASIS. NOW ON TO THE RAIDERS, I...
No.2
asher		11:15 AM
06/30/2006
Good Q/A session. I especially agree with the first 4 games being the most important. I remember how the close losses at the...
No.3
Darrel Wilson		11:58 AM
06/30/2006
Yes thanks A.C. for your unbiased views on the Raiders. Go knock some sense into SI please. I like reading your reports and...
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