Any special player will help the Raiders. Many sportswriters who don't live and breath Silver and Black, simply watch a few games on national television, read the stat sheet and then summarily say the Raiders have huge offensive and defensive line holes to fill. BS! Whether we take DMAC or one of the stud D-lineman with passrushing/run stopping skills, or an O-Lineman, we will improve if that player has strong skills.

Using a very conservative game plan and assimilating a whole new blocking scheme, the Raiders were in almost every game last year (I think only Jacksonville, Green Bay and San Diego weren't close in the 4th quarter). There is no doubt that they increased their talent level this offseason -- nobody really argues that point -- the only point of criticism is that they "overpaid" for the increase and have picked up previously injured or character flawed players. After being at almost every home game for the last 12 years, reading almost every article about the team, and seeing the results, I believe that they are a run stuffing pass rusher away from having an elite defense. Think about this Defense and some very good players come to mind -- Asomugha, Burgess, Morrison, Howard, Huff, Wilson, D. Hall (have the talent to be probowl players). One stud defensive lineman would send this D over the top.

They have added depth on both lines. Although sportswriters are poo-pooing the Kwane Harris pick up -- they all agree that Tom Cable has greatly improved the O line. To me, Cable has credibility. If the Raiders picked up Harris, Cable believes that he has the ability to play in his scheme. We have not yet seen Mario Henderson and just because a rookie is red-shrted for a year while you are trying to institute a new blocking scheme, doesn't mean bust. Gallery did not make it as a left tackle (so far) but Davis listened to Cable and allowed Gallery to shift inside to guard where he was much more effective. Those who dismiss Cable's eye for talent and who fits into his scheme don't know Jack. Look at the Raiders going from bottomdwellers in rushing to the no. 6th team in the NFL in one year. I think they got the pieces they need. Jake Long is not a fit with Cable's zone blocking scheme. Cable now knows what he has, so does Kiffin. I wouldn't label either Gallery or Harris a bust.

Remember Lincoln Kennedy? Here's what Wikipedia says about his NFL career

Kennedy was the ninth overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft taken by the Atlanta Falcons. He started at left guard throughout his rookie season, but lost the job the following year to another first-year player, Dave Richards out of UCLA. After a disappointing 1995 season, Kennedy was traded to the Oakland Raiders, where he started at right tackle in all but three games of his seven-year tenure there. While wearing the Silver and Black, Kennedy was named to two consecutive Pro Bowls (three career), and anchored the offensive line in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Lincoln was labeled a bust in Atlanta -- but -- in Oakland's offense, he became a stud and stalwart on that line.

My point here is that the Raiders, not any sportswriter, know exactly their evaluation of the O line and D line. If the Raiders choose DMAC, this will help J. Russel by giving him a playmaker to keep the passrush pressure off, if they go D-Line, this will give the Raiders a shut down defense, which will help J. Russel by keeping him from having to force passes because the game will be close, if they go O-line this will help in pass protection.

As long as they get a special player in the No. 4 position, J. Russel's life will be better.

GeneY63 -- Bleeding Silver and Black for over 42 years!

Off on a bit of a tangent here... Lot's of people have observed that the Raiders have had many 1st round picks that did not turn out well. That's old news. But look at this list of guys that the Raiders traded up to pick. Mo was the only 1 that was not a bust. And they drafted Collins to be an LT, not a guard. Forget the old line about Davis forgetting more about football than other guys ever knew in the 1st place. The real question is, in these last years of Davis as GM, can he learn from his mistakes?