Raiders Cable talks at NFL combine: Russell, trade chatter & drafting
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable talked at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this weekend. He shot down the notion that the Silver & Black draft based on attributes only – how Oakland focuses on speedy prospects – “How about the best player? Let’s talk that way,” Cable said. “… We need to get better in some areas, and so at this thing (the combine), find who you think the best players are, whether they jump the highest or run the fastest. That shouldn’t make a damn difference. He has to be able to play football good enough for us to become a championship team.”
Oakland has been scrutinized for years about their draft strategies and in 2009, the received criticism for selecting wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey 7th overall – who ended his rookie campaign with 9 receptions, 124-yards and 1 score.
Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks and Kenny Britt were chosen in the first round after Heyward-Bey – all out-performed the Raiders rookie and showed to have more potential in their initial seasons.
Cable also hinted to an open competition at quarterback after the abysmal season JaMarcus Russell had and the way the team looked when other passers where inserted into the line-up.
“We’re getting ready to start offseason and get to OTAs and minicamp and let the (quarterback) job be competed for,” he said. “I think that’s where we’re at in terms of our starting quarterback.
“I don’t think you would discount (using a pick on) that or any other position.”
When Cable catapulted Bruce Gradkowski atop the depth chart, the team had their best offensive outputs and scored victories at home versus playoff bound Cincinnati and on the road against Pittsburgh.
Players stated that the attack was far more dynamic and that there was a jolt of confidence when Gradkowski was in there, as oppose to Russell.
Third stringer Charlie Frye even had his chances to show what he could do, as Cable elected to go with the journeyman instead of Russell prior to a game against the Broncos when Gradkowski went down with knee injuries.
Could Charlie Frye have a chance to start in Oakland?
“(JaMarcus and I) have talked a couple of times,” Cable stated this weekend. “I know he’s working. I’m anxious for the off-season program to get started where you get a chance to see him all the time.”
Cable also addressed the rumors regarding the team’s intentions with their roster.
“We get a ton of calls about a lot of players on our football team all the time,” he said. “In fact, before I came in here I was on the phone about something. To me, that stuff happens in the NFL and it’s going to happen and it’s going to happen all the time. People call you and you listen and see if anything interests you or doesn’t interest you. Sometimes it’s crazier than you think. … You really just take the call and listen.”
