Free agency era killed the Raiders greatness

(AP Photo)

Al Davis stands as a living legend. However, with the moves the Oakland Raiders have made thus far this offseason, it is clear that the complexities of the modern NFL financial system seem to have escaped him.

Once upon a time, the NFL's rules were akin to Major League Baseball's reserve system. During this era, if a team wanted to retain a player, they would offer a contact and it would be a done deal. Davis could reward the players that he liked with rising salaries and keep others on the team for substantially less. He didn't have to worry about how the remainder of the market would perceive his players, because the only way a player could switch teams was if he was cut or if he was traded.

During this time period, the Raiders were one of the most dominant teams in the league. Once free agency was introduced, in the late eighties, the Raiders fell off their perch of greatness. During the salary cap era of 1994-2009 the Raiders have had a total of 4 winning seasons.

Instead of the paradigm where the franchise could retain their player just by giving them a contract, the rules of the game became much more complex as the salary cap era coincided with the advent of full-on free agency.

In 1994, the introductory year of the salary cap, theRaiders had a 9-7 record. They would not see another winning record until the 2000 season kicked off three straight years of winning, and their plight since losing Super Bowl XXXVII has been a thrice told tale of woe.

Davis built his early teams on their ability to dominate. He didn't have to worry about other teams offering deals to players because that was against the rules. He was able to retain Hall of Fame caliber players from their rookie years through to retirement. He could also bring in the talented players who didn't fit in elsewhere because there was strong veteran leadership to keep the team focused on football during practices and games. (What happened after practice was the stuff of legend.)

Once the rules changed, and it became a matter of tags and tenders and long term contracts with guaranteed money, it became a different story. The Raiders cold not just simply hold on to their talent by handing out contracts.

Whilst Bruce Allen was in the front office, he was able to navigate the process and the Raiders were able to ultimately have a period of sustained success in the first three years of the new millennium. During this time, the 'Als' Davis and Allen were successful in both bringing in free agents and maintaining near the salary cap. However, after the Super Bowl defeat, Allen hightailed it out of town, and the Raiders front office has been a mess ever since.

The moves thus far this offseason provide a clear illustration of the need for assistance in the front office. The moves seem to be almost random, with no apparent strategy.

Richard Seymour was given the exclusive rights franchise tag which drives his one year price up an estimated 15-20% due to the differences in calculations between the regular franchise tag and the exclusive rights tag. This additional expenditure ensures that no other team can make an offer to Seymour, but it also strips the Raiders of an opporutnity to let Seymour go elsewhere and receive multiple first round picks.

On the tender front, there is no rational explanation for giving Stanford Routt a top tender. It would be highly unlikely a team would give up a second round pick for the services of a cornerback who was passed over for a starting position last year for an unknown in Chris Johnson. He could have received the much more inexpensive original round tender, and kept him with a second round pick as insurance.

The restricted free agent with the most market value, Kirk Morrison, was given an original round tender which is basically a slap in the face of a player who has started every game since he was drafted, and led the team in tackles each of the last four years. Even if Morrison is not in the future plans, he is a valuable enough commodity that he could potentially draw a second round offer.

Other than Routt and Morrison, the Raiders have given out primarily second round tenders. Thomas Howard, Ricky Brown, Hiram Eugene and Jon Condo all received the second round tender offer. This is three special teams players and a starting linebacker all receiving the same tender. A tender that is less than a nickleback and more than the starting mike linebacker.

It is moves like this that have led the Raider Nation to call for Al Davis to bring in a general manager.