I can't remember the last time I spoke, wrote, or thought those words. My best guess is that Jerry Rice was adorning the silver and black the last time I believed in the Raiders. That was more than a decade ago. Since then they have had seven top 10 draft picks in the last 12 seasons. You would not have guessed that by looking at their roster. Oakland has been among the most inefficient teams you will find since becoming AFC champions in 2002. The draft picks and player signings have been atrocious. There has been little or no continuity in the front office as well. Consequently the organization has been recycling coaching staffs in hope to strike gold, which just hasn't worked out.
However, I'm ready to say they have finally succeeded in making a proper organizational decision, and I'm pulling for them. Now I'm not about to sign on some website and buy a hat or a car flag, but I will keep an eye on them from a safe distance.
This offseason the Raiders decided to sign some faded talent to their team, in an effort to rekindle their fires and reap those benefits. This came in the form of Matt Schaub and Maurice Jones-Drew. Say what you will about these two veterans, but I feel as though trying to get anymore production from them is like trying to draw blood from a rock. Someone in the front office had the foresight to draft a quarterback, and I applaud that person. However that's not the decision I'm praising. The real praise has yet to come.
As well all know, coaching stints in the NFL have become shorter and shorter. If a staff gets 4 years with a team today, they have overstayed their welcome or they have won some games in January. The Raiders have elected to start that quarterback they drafted in the second round after he outplayed Schaub in the preseason. The Oakland Raiders get it. They recognize that if there is no respectable incumbent quarterback, the rookie deserves the start. Find out what the unknown is and see if you stumbled upon a franchise player. We know Matt Schaub is not the guy, just ask the Houston Texans.
The Raiders watched what Seattle did with Russell Wilson. Seattle signed Matt Flynn and drafted Wilson in the same offseason. Wilson outplayed Flynn in the preseason and the Seahawks rewarded him. Wilson helped bring them a Super Bowl ring.
Three quarterbacks were taken in the first round this year (Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles). These men all outplayed an unproven incumbent starter. The Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars have all decided to bench the rookies. That is doing a major disservice to each team. For all intents and purposes, we know these three teams aren't playoff bound. We also know those unproven incumbents are not the long term answer. Why take the first round talent out of the huddle?
We have heard this phrase all too often from coaches, "Nothing is more valuable to a young player than live, in game reps." By taking Manziel, Bridgewater, and Bortles off the field these teams are essentially wasting time. If you are drafting a quarterback in the first round, you more than likely need him to play. These teams are a quarterback away from being in a playoff conversation. If the rookies stay on the bench, those teams will stay irrelevant.
I'm not going to say the Raiders made a commitment to excellence in starting Derek Carr, but they made a commitment to the future. I can respect a franchise that invests in the future.
