Silver and Black Report

The Oakland Raiders needed to end the saga with Derrick Burgess. And they did early in camp by sending the unhappy defensive end to the New England Patriots for two draft picks.

Burgess, who has 47 career sacks, 38.5 since joining the Raiders in 2005, was disgruntled and skipped the team’s organized team activities; boycotting training camp in an effort to force his way out the bay area.

In 56 games as a Raider, Burgess provided an edge rush that was missing for quite some time, last seen by one individual along that line in the early 1990s when Greg Townsend was tallying double-digit sack campaigns.

But the constant losing and turmoil in Oakland soured his outlook in Silver & Black, along with his belief that the front office turn their back on him when it was time for the speedy end to cash in on his early success.

“He’s been frustrated,’’ said Keith Millard. “We’ve had four head coaches in four years and we struggled on defense.’’

After back-to-back Pro Bowl efforts, Burgess expected an increase in his salary. However, two subsequent sub par years that were filled with injuries curtailed any notion of a raise.

With the addition of Greg Ellis and the young cost efficient talent Oakland believes they can plug in at end for 2009, the Raiders felt that this move was one that they had to make – quickly.

And they were right.

Just like the move that jettisoned Randy Moss, ironically to the Patriots as well, the Raiders had to purge themselves of Burgess. Not because they don’t need his speed rushing abilities. And not because they have enough talent or were trading from an area of strength. They had to because just like Moss, Burgess was unhappy and not producing at the Pro Bowl caliber level he once played at.

You can argue that keeping Burgess around on his walk year could pay dividends, as he will give max effort in order to cash in on the pricey nature of menacing ends in the open market. But then Oakland would have just lost him in 2010; because there was no way that he was re-signing with the club.

The time is now for 2^nd year pro Trevor Scott. Jay Richardson is now a veteran on this unit. And Ellis is expected to bring his elevated play to a defense that piled on quarterbacks 32 times last season.

Who knows whom those picks will turn into, but at this point, with the salary off the roster on a building team, they got valuable chips back for a player intent on not donning a Raider jersey.

And that alone makes it a solid move for Oakland.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist