Questions remain as the Oakland Raiders prepare to host the Denver Broncos: Oakland Raider Analysis

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September 4, 2:37 AM

by Patrick Patterson, Oakland Raiders Examiner

 

 

Rookie receiver Chaz Schilens has to come up big

The Oakland Raiders have already tweaked their 53 man roster just days after its original form was released. The Raiders have signed wide receiver Ashley Lelie and released defensive tackle William Joseph. There is also a buzz that the Raiders may resign full back Luke Lawton who was one of their final cuts. There is a lack of depth at certain positions, and questionable depth at others. If the Raiders hope to have a winning season, they need to answer those questions and fast.

Here are the five questions hanging over the Oakland Raiders as of 4 September, 2008.

1. Is there enough depth at the offensive tackle position?

Depth? There are questions about the starters, let alone depth. Both Kwame Harris and Cornell Green can run-block, but there are questions on their ability to protect JaMarcus Russell in the passing game. Paul McQuistan, who was the best tackle last season is a reserve guard for some unknown reason. The reserve tackles are mega-bust Mario Henderson and who's that? Seth Wand. If either of the starters go down, there will be some serious trouble of Oakland.

2. Is there is enough depth at wide receiver?

The Raiders have starters Javon Walker and Ronald Curry who compliment each other quite well. Walker is a deep threat, whilst Curry is a move the chains type possession receiver. Both of them have had injury problems in the past, and there are concerns about Walker's hamstring leading into the opening game. The Raiders recently acquired Ashley Lelie who has been mediocre at best in his stints in Denver, Atlanta, and San Francisco. Behind those three is a combined one year experience and four catches among the inconsistent Johnnie Lee Higgins, camp standout Todd Watkins, and seventh round pick Chaz Schilens. If Lelie can find a groove and the tandem of Curry and Walker can stay healthy, it gives the young receivers a chance to grow into their roles. HIggins is the weakest link in that chain, and could easily be surpassed by either Watkins or Schilens or both.

3. Is there enough depth at defensive tackle?

The Oakland Raiders have had trouble stopping the run on defense for the past several seasons. The key to stopping the run is the defensive tackle position. It was a weak link coming into the offseason, and the Raiders have done little to upgrade it. Tommy Kelly is moving from end to tackle, where he will be taking over the role of the retired Warren Sapp. Gerrard Warren and Terdell Sands are the remaining defensive tackles on the roster. Kelly is coming off of a season ending ACL injury, and Warren and Sands have both been injury prone in their careers. William Joseph wasn't the answer, but the Raiders could really use an extra wide body in this role.

4. Who are these guys at linebacker?

Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard are both knocking at the door of the Pro Bowl. Behind the "Law Firm" of Morrison and Howard, the Raiders have Ricky Brown starting as the other outside linebacker. Brown's greatest contributions thus far have been on special teams. Their reserves are Isaiah Ekejiuba who along with Brown and the now retired Jarrod Cooper formed the heart of the Raiders kick coverage teams, the often injured Sam Williams who has spent more time on the injured reserve than on the field, and Jon Alston. The Raiders use a lot of nickle and dime packages, where Morrison and Howard are the only 'backers on the field, but if either of them go down the Raiders are in a world of trouble.

5. What the hell is going on in Raider-land?

The Raiders kept William Joseph through the first round of cuts only to cut him three days later when the signed Ashley Lelie, leaving the Raiders paper thin at defensive tackle. Not that Joseph didn't deserve to be cut, as he hadn't played well in the preseason, but it seems odd to keep him an extra day or two only to replace him with a player from a completely different position. That was not the most bizarre move to come out of Alameda this week. The Raiders signed fullback Luke Lawton who they had released on Saturday and cut Robert Thomas whom they had kept on Saturday. Not only is this odd in giving up a linebacker for a fullback, but why in the world was Thomas kept and Lawton cut on Saturday only to interchange them? The only thing that makes close to sense in this is that it took time to reach the injury settlement with Thomas.

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