'Jim Hardball' on the trading block?

[ThoughtExperiment]

It would be kind of cool if it happened. I wouldn't mind their getting good again. I like when the old traditional powers are in the mix.

 

[dbair1967]

No reason to draft Mariotta, Carr looks legit.

The Raiders are only in the mix because 1)his wife has been insistent that she doesn't want to leave northern California and 2)he would get to run the show there. They have a ton of cap room and they wouldn't be making the move to get Harbaugh unless they were willing to do what it takes to compete.

They could legitimately sign major free agents like Ndamukong Suh, DeMarco Murray, Brian Orakpo, Mike Iupati, and Jeremy Maclin. Yes, all of them.

If they drafted Leonard Williams of USC with that top pick they could have a loaded Rams-like D Line (Williams, Suh, Orakpo) with some talented young LB's (Mack, Moore, Burris) behind them. They'd still have some holes but I'd bet on them being competitive in the AFC.

They may have a ton of cap room, but they don't have any money to pay anybody

Oakland is a disaster. It probably is going to take them leaving Oakland to ever have a chance to compete again, which is unfortunate.

 

[cmd34]

but they don't have any money to pay anybody

Just not true.

They could be making more from their stadium but no NFL team is going broke. The TV and marketing deals ensures that all 32 teams are doing just fine financially.

 

[dbair1967]

Didn't they let the few good players they had leave without even making competitive offers? Isnt that one of the things their fans complained about this offseason?

 

[boozeman]

While it would be great to get a real coach in here, trading for one is not the way to go.