There are going to be whispers that the DeAngelo Hall trade won’t happen until it happens (I know, duh).
But Al Davis wants it done. That’s why I remain convinced it will be done sometime tonight, if not tomorrow.
“I’m out here on Al’s request,” Hall said today after landing in Oakland. “So we’re going to sit down and talk some more and see if we can speed it up.”
Hall figures to be paid nicely (seven years, $70 million, $28.5 million in the first three years according to ESPN) to play man coverage opposite Nnamdi Asomugha.
“It ain’t hard to blow that,” Hall said of playing man. “You don’t have to worry about zone, checking and all this other stuff. Get your guy. Like Prime (Deion Sanders) used to say, ‘I got my guy.’”
Hall is looking forward to speaking with Asomugha so they can “create one of the best secondaries ever” starting in 2008.
As of now, here is the Raiders’ starting defense (assuming the trade gets done soon):
LDE Derrick Burgess
DT: Tommy Kelly
DT: Gerard Warren or Terdell Sands
RDE: Jay Richardson
SLB: Robert Thomas
MLB: Kirk Morrison
WLB: Thomas Howard
CB: Nnamdi Asomugha
CB: DeAngelo Hall
S: Gibril Wilson
S: Michael Huff
The defense would definitely be improved, but the one area the Raiders would like to address is defensive end. Kevin Carter isn’t coming as he opted to return to Tampa Bay.
The team could draft a DE (Chris Long, Vernon Gholston) in the first round if it passes on RB Darren McFadden
There are still some veteran ends available, like Mike Rucker. Or if the Raiders can swindle a team like it did Houston in getting two picks for Phillip Buchanon a couple years back in a deal for Fabian Washington (it’s possible since Fabian is better than Buchanon), there might be an end that can help them in second or third round.
After the trade, the Raiders would have a first round pick, but wouldn’t pick again until the fourth round.
--Jason Jones
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.