Teams Las Vegas Raiders - The Black Hole

[Exe Gesis]

Yeah they negotiated with Colony Capital for a while as well and look how that turned out. Spoke to three different sources in the last 6 hours who all have said that Oakland has next to no chance to keeping the Raiders. Seriously, at this stage what else is Kephart and the political people in Oakland going to say? "Oh yeah, we don't have much of a chance, if any, to keep the Raiders, but we're going to continue to try!" Come on, man.

The Raiders need to keep negotiating with Oakland to show that it's impossible to get a new stadium in Oakland. That will be proven by the end of the year. LA becomes firmly in the picture, which is where I've been told the Raiders expect to be playing in 2016.

All signs point that way. But i believe in my bones that the two teams in LA will be Rams and Chargers, with the Raiders staying in NorCal.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Yeah they negotiated with Colony Capital for a while as well and look how that turned out. Spoke to three different sources in the last 6 hours who all have said that Oakland has next to no chance to keeping the Raiders. Seriously, at this stage what else is Kephart and the political people in Oakland going to say? "Oh yeah, we don't have much of a chance, if any, to keep the Raiders, but we're going to continue to try!" Come on, man.

The Raiders need to keep negotiating with Oakland to show that it's impossible to get a new stadium in Oakland. That will be proven by the end of the year. LA becomes firmly in the picture, which is where I've been told the Raiders expect to be playing in 2016.

"Colony Capital was never serious, they were a political ploy of Quan's, and she funneled a few million dollars to them to keep up the ruse.
It was criminal."

 

[Exe Gesis]

Here's a story from KUSI, a San Diego news channel, about Floyd Kephart and the attempt to get a deal between the Raiders and Oakland:

Local business man to help keep Raiders in Oakland

Posted: Feb 27, 2015 6:22 PM PSTUpdated: Feb 27, 2015 6:24 PM PST

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) - Pressure is mounting as both the Chargers and the Raiders look ahead to the possibility of moving to Carson.

San Diego still does not have a viable plan after 13-years, and Oakland has one, and it is financed by a San Diego businessman.

Floyd Kephart is Chairman of Renaissance Companies which advises hedge funds, private equity firms, and financial institutions from his office in Rancho Santa Fe.

Oakland's plan is a stadium and redevelopment on 200 acres of land jointly owned by the city and the county.

Floyd Kephart was hired to secure the financing which is in place. The only thing holdup up a deal is the politicians reaching agreement on the development part of the deal.

"The city and county's bureaucratic processes of agreeing between the two of them," said Kephart.

A draft agreement was circulated Thursday night, and the city has responded.

"My guess is, we end up with that agreement being done in the next two weeks. When that agreement gets done, then there will be direct negotiations with the Raiders," he said.

By contrast, the Chargers will not even see a plan for another couple of months.

Not only are the Rams well ahead of the Chargers, so are the Raiders.

"The big difference here is that we don't need voter approval. We're not borrowing any money. The Raiders are doing everything in their power to stay in Oakland," he said.

Including significant financial commitments, and a smaller 55,000 seat stadium to protect their fan base by keeping ticket prices down.

"Scale of one-to-ten, we're at an eight on being able to get this done in Oakland, and I really think it's gonna happen," he said.

If the Raiders are close to a deal, why partner with the Chargers in Carson?

Because both teams need an alternative in case any deals collapse.

Both teams have strong ties to their communities, both want to stay, but so far, neither has received the political support they feel they deserve.

It is about leverage which is why the NFL has kept Los Angeles open, to give teams leverage against their cities to get a new stadium under threat of leaving.

"That's what I think, yeah, I don't have any basis for that other than both teams made virtually the same kind of response," said Kephart.

Beyond that, the Raiders have a huge, and national brand they want to protect, and it can only be protected if they stay in Oakland.

 

[Chewy316]

All signs point that way. But i believe in my bones that the two teams in LA will be Rams and Chargers, with the Raiders staying in NorCal.

You can choose to believe that as much as you want. Chances of that happening, very minimal.

 

[Chewy316]

"Colony Capital was never serious, they were a political ploy of Quan's, and she funneled a few million dollars to them to keep up the ruse.
It was criminal."

Yet when Colony Capital signed up, Quan and co were jumping up and down saying that this was the white knight who was going to deliver a new stadium for the Raiders in Oakland.

As for the article including Kephart quotes, it's a very slanted article with no mention from one of the biggest problems in the equation, which is the county. Kephart can say that the county will be on board within a fortnight. In fact, there have been multiple Oakland politicians telling members of Save Oakland Sports (among others) that the County will be on board "extremely soon." Only problem is they've been delivering that line for the last 12-18 months, if not longer. Just like they've been harping on saying that the Raiders would sign the letter of intent (to remain in Oakland) over 12 months ago, and that when it wasn't signed, that it was "just a formality" and would be signed "extremely soon." I guess they have a small vocabulary those pollies in Oakland!

Mark Davis, Marc Badain, and Dan Ventrelle, among other Raiders execs, have lost hope in getting a stadium done in Oakland. That much is certain. They are firmly focused on getting a new stadium done at the Carson site in Los Angeles. Politically however, they need to convince the NFL that there is no chance of getting a deal done in Oakland. That's why they're still negotiating, albeit, as 2 sources told me today, it's more like "going through the motions" than anything else.

It's going to get very ugly later in the year when things come out publicly that Mark is looking to move the team.

 

[manureid]

If we keep shedding salary cap space (Branch) we are going to have to spend BIG TIME. We MUST have some big (or a number of) FA's in the pipeline.

 

[Woodson]

With just five tackles registered in six games before suffering a bicep injury forcing the Raiders to put the ex_Steeler LB on IR… it's just part & parcel of the roster management process…

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12405190/oakland-raiders-release-lb-lamarr-woodley-week

He served the Steelers well.. but when injuries kicked in disrupting his form… and then having the audacity to ask for more $$$$$ the Front Office said..

now here's the conundrum.. 2nd rounder OLB Jason Worilds who is coming off a Franchise tagged campaign of 7.5 sacks (led sacks with DE Cam Heyward) and 59 combined tackles.. (slightly down from 2013) plus 3 turnovers.. is a FA testing the market. Raiders interested??

Turns 27 on March 3rd.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Suh, Jerry Hughes, Maclin and Cobb are all free agents. Weren't tagged. If we can manage to get all them things would be looking up. All young and on the way up, not over 30 and has beens.

Also Andre Johnson available in trade. If we can snag him up too. And TE Jordan Cameron also a free agent. Same with niles paul. All young.

Also when Mariota is available at pick four, trade with the Eagles adding LeSean Mccoy.

We'd have gotten all the vet wr help carr needs, the dt we need, an edge rusher, and a rb. Can then invest our picks on db ilb etc

 

[Chewy316]

Suh, Jerry Hughes, Maclin and Cobb are all free agents. Weren't tagged. If we can manage to get all them things would be looking up. All young and on the way up, not over 30 and has beens.

Also Andre Johnson available in trade. If we can snag him up too. And TE Jordan Cameron also a free agent. Same with niles paul. All young.

Also when Mariota is available at pick four, trade with the Eagles adding LeSean Mccoy.

We'd have gotten all the vet wr help carr needs, the dt we need, an edge rusher, and a rb. Can then invest our picks on db ilb etc

There's no way we'll land all 4 of those guys you mention up top. No chance. 2 at the most. Everyone I've spoken to, and my own personal opinion, is that the Raiders are going to have to significantly overpay if they are to land any of the top tier free agents. Consider the following:

We have 60 million (or thereabouts in cap space). We don't have any contracts going forward in coming seasons who are going to cap tie us. We can't renew the contracts of Derek Carr, Mack (and that draft class) for another 2 years. Also consider that the cap has increased by around 10 million each year the past 2 years, and that trend is set to continue over the coming years, as the revenue in the league increases. Also consider that the NFL will be in Los Angeles very shortly, so they'll get even more money in that sense.

So, based on those considerations, I propose that we need to blow the market wide open on a specific player. It's what Mr. Davis loved to do. He hated the cap, so he would overpay certain players to highlight the discrepancies of what is actual "market value." So I would propose we blow Suh right out of the water and offer him a 4 year deal worth 100 million. Front load the first two years of the deal such that 2015 and 2016 would have cap hit numbers of 30 million each. Both those first two years would be fully guaranteed. It sounds ridiculous. But we have the room to do it, whilst still attracting other free agents to come and play here. By the time Carr and co need to be renewed, Suh's contract is in line with top defensive players in the league, whilst the increase in the cap offsets any difficulties with such a demanding contract in the first place. Just something you should think about.

Not interested in Andre Johnson at all. He's 33. We need young players, not old guys. Not keen on Jordan Cameron either. Has a big concussion history, and given what the Raiders went through with Nick Roach, I can see them playing it more safe. I'd rather go after Jermaine Gresham.

Don't see the Eagles giving up McCoy. I highlighted the reasons why in a previous post. I could see the Eagles trading two 1st rounders and two 2nd rounders to get up to pick 4. Will it happen? I'm not sure. Jacksonville are the wildcard. They've put their pick up for trade, so the Eagles could conceivably look there instead. Any draft possibilities will be impacted by free agency, so maybe we can review this in a month or so.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Suh Cobb and Maclin and no Johnson is a good fetch.

I personally don't like Cameron but on the cheap he'd be worth getting, but Gresham is another option, tho he's more of a blocking TE which is ok too given we have Rivera as the move TE.

We've got plenty of cap for those players and overpay to get them we should

As for Mccoy, there were rumors from inside the Eagles late last year that Tom gamble was preparing a trade proposal with the Raiders that entailed Mccoy re: moving up for Mariota if he was there at four.

 

[Blacky]

I want what you're smoking

 

[Exe Gesis]

I want what you're smoking

It's called clean fresh air.

 

[Exe Gesis]

It's no wonder that Roseman fired Gamble, and then the s**t hit the fan, and Lurie had to fix the power struggle that had been going on.

Roseman disagreed with the idea of trading up, trading the farm for Mariota, and getting rid of a franchise RB in the process. And I heard it from a source of sources as far back as late last year that Gamble was working on such proposals.

And here you have Roseman coming out just days ago basically confirming that....see bolded bit below....

------

Eagles exec V.P. of football operations moves office out of football operations
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2015, 4:17 PM EST

AP
It’s been a strange offseason for the Eagles. And it just got a little stranger.

In January, owner Jeffrey Lurie resolved a power struggle between coach Chip Kelly and G.M. Howie Roseman by giving Kelly more power and Roseman a promotion (possibly after clunking their heads together like Moe Howard). Roseman emerged not as the G.M. but as the executive V.P. of football operations. Although Kelly now has final say over the roster and the draft, Roseman manages the team’s salary cap and contract negotiations.

It has the potential to be awkward, with new V.P. of player personnel Ed Marynowitz necessarily serving as the liaison between Kelly and Roseman. At a minimum, it will involve more walking.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the office of the executive V.P. of football operations has moved out of football operations, to the business end of the NovaCare Complex. Roseman previously was located only two doors down from the head coach; Kelly for the last two years and Andy Reid before that.

The move underscores the reality that the executive V.P. of football operations doesn’t really have much if any power over football operations. Which makes his comments from last week regarding the folly of trading up even more conspicuous, especially if the guy who now has the power to do so in Philly chooses to do so.

 

[andana]

MJD retired. Be difficult to replace.

 

[Exe Gesis]

 

[Exe Gesis]

GG ranting.....

------------

strap yourselves in, bite on a strip of leather, and prepare yourselves for tomorrow's continued free agent snubbing of the Raiders.

Im sure Reggie didn't even put forth a tender for Jerry Hughes. So many really good 'FAs' out there, RM put his two eggs (cobb, suh) in the one basket, didnt even aggressively court the plethora of worthwhile players out there across all kinds of positions that we definitely could've done with, that instead other teams have snapped up already.

Linked to Taylor Mays lol

Why didn't Reggie throw the checkbook at Torrey Smith? Why is he going to the Niners instead?

"Garafolo reports that the Raiders are making a “strong push” for Hudson as they try not to “whiff” in the first stage of free agency"
Oh there's already been a ton of whiffing. Thanks Reggie *thumbs up*

Worilds and Graham still available, but not one report links us to either.
Thanks Reggie

We can dream. They'll all sign with other teams.

So much for JDR's FA persuasions. If we don't land Knighton you can put a brown paper bag over JDR too.

Who we've been linked to in the last 3 days....
Cobb -- re-signed with Packers
Suh -- took the Dolphins offer instead
Gresham -- also being courted by other teams, but isnt that good.
Julius Thomas -- would rather play for Bortles and the Jags apparently
Mays -- courted by other teams, but lol at RM for even being interested in him
Odrick -- also being courted by other teams
Knighton -- also being courted by other teams
Hudson -- Chiefs still looking to lock him up
Iupati -- others also interested in him, but has lost a bit of his edge.
That's ALL we've been linked to. Hooray.
Meanwhile, there's a ton of really worthwhile FAs out there who we could've really done with, but we've not even been linked to, and have either re-signed with their teams, or accepted offer sheets with other teams.
Didn't even engage in trade for Brandon Marshall, either. No reports of interest in the ton of WRs out there like Crabtree, Torrey Smith, Harvin, etc etc.
Good job Reggie *thumbs up*

No reported link to other WRs like Mike Wallace, Crabtree either.

We need WRs. Our entire crop of them is sh|t and should all be replaced (bar Jones). But you know RM wont even try, he'll be snapped up by another team, and even if he offered him a great deal, Crabtree would turn it down to play for another team.

At least Al Davis always engaged in the FA market, and still made plenty of "name" signings despite the great dysfunction and stench that caused players to avoid coming here. Al had a way with players, was a great salesman. It's one half of the job of being a good GM -- attracting and convincing FAs to come here. Whereas Reggie is obviously too dull, lethargic, cheap, to win them over. Mumbling bumbling, often upsetting players that when they leave they tell the rest of the league about how badly treated they were by RM.

Another worthwhile player RM didn't even make an offer to gone to another team.

A team bereft of talent at almost every position like us, we should be aggressively courting 90% of the FAs.

Raleigh and Reggie are just two big sleepy bears.

Reggie would be terrible at a strip club. Unable to make it rain. The girls fleeing from his end of the stage.

80 year old Al Davis woke up mid-afternoon, twilight even, and still managed to get more done in a day than Reggie.

No, none of them.
Knighton to the Bears. Harvin to Chargers. Hudson back to Chiefs. Murray to Colts. Iupati to Vikings/Niners, Odrick to Broncos.

McKenzie connection to Cobb
JDR connection to Knighton
Musgrave connection to Peterson/Harvin
KNJ connection to Malcolm Smith
= Fail to sign any of them.

.............

And well said by someone else....

So the Chiefs, a team that was "pressed against the cap," have managed to franchise Houston, re-structure Hali, bring in Maclin and still be negotiating with Hudson. Meanwhile we have all the cap room in the world and.... *crickets*

 

[Exe Gesis]

Raiders are at a tipping point, no stadium, no credibility in front office, FA potentially a flop, and most importantly no winning seasons.

Could potentially blow up as one big story of the off-season. The parlous state of the Raiders.

 

[GeeCats07]

Haven't heard that much about him, to be honest, which is EXACTLY what you want from your linemen

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/09/report-raiders-reach-deal-with-rodney-hudson/

 

[Chewy316]

Well tomorrow at 7am Melbourne time, free agency will become officially official. The Raiders have two deals completed already (centre Rodney Hudson and LB Malcolm Smith), whilst they are still negotiating with tight ends Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Cameron. Pot Roast and Dan Williams are being considered at DT.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Adam Caplan@caplannfl · 7h 7 hours ago

#Raiders are not expected to use a FB this season. More of an H-back, or F-Back, in addition to TEs. F-Back is from Norv Turner system.

So figure seeing Marcel Reece on the move more in this offense.

Very interested to see how Bill Musgrave runs his offense this season with lots of no-huddle, speed.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Raiders' Rodney Hudson: A scout's view

By Bill Williamson | ESPN.com

Earlier Monday, the Oakland Raiders agreed to terms with former Kansas City Chiefs center Rodney Hudson. The deal will become official Tuesday, and Hudson is expected to sign a five-year, $44.5 million deal, which will make him the highest-paid
center in the NFL.

I got in touch with ESPN analyst Matt Williamson to get his thoughts on Hudson joining the Raiders. He will replace Stefen Wisniewksi,who will leave in free agency. Because of his athleticism, Hudson is a fine fit for Oakland's new fast-paced offensive approach.

Here are Williamson’s thoughts:

“I think he is a great fit in this new up-tempo approach that will require lighter and more athletic linemen, which is exactly what Hudson is. He has gotten better and better since joining the league and may not have peaked yet.”

Still, Williamson said he doesn’t expect the Hudson-Wisniewski swap to make a huge difference in the win-loss column for Oakland. But he thinks the line will be better, and that will help.

Meanwhile, on ESPN’s “NFL Live” Monday, analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth commended Oakland’s ability to get Hudson, whom Schlereth called the best offensive lineman available on the open market. In his pre-free agency grades, ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame front office man Bill Polian didn’t think Hudson was an elite free agent.

 

[GeeCats07]

I really hope we're not in the mix for DeMarco Murray. Would pay overs for a position where we don't need to waste the money.

 

[Chewy316]

I really hope we're not in the mix for DeMarco Murray. Would pay overs for a position where we don't need to waste the money.

They're definitely in the Murray sweepstakes. Been told the Raiders believe they have a very good chance to land him. They have the cap room, they can afford paying him 9 per year no worries.

 

[Exe Gesis]

We signed Roy helu for 2 years

 

[GeeCats07]

They're definitely in the Murray sweepstakes. Been told the Raiders believe they have a very good chance to land him. They have the cap room, they can afford paying him 9 per year no worries.

Uurrg. I know we have to pay people but just not sure it's well spent on an RB. Happy to be proven wrong, of course.