So what should the Raiders target in the draft to change that? Well, the two biggest names being mentioned are Brady Quinn and Adrian Peterson. Anyone who watched the game Saturday night and saw Andrew Walter turn over the ball 4 times knows that this team needs improvement from the quarterback position. But does that improvement need to come from outside the organization? Face it, Brady Quinn would not have been successful in this system either, and for those that wanted Leinart, he would have looked like a bust as well. Does anybody remember how well Alex Smith played last year? Look at the improvements he was able to make with a solid offensive system and an emerging running back. Who's to say that Andrew Walter can't make those same improvements with our own version of Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson.
We need to face the facts, our running game is in major need of a guy who can make plays. Lamont Jordan has been a bust for what we paid him, and Justin Fargas has proved that he's at best a 2nd string running back. The offensive line was making some good holes for Fargas, imagine what Peterson would have done with them. A back like Peterson could keep an opposing defense on their heels, and more importantly, make them pay when they blitz the quarterback.
Mike Williams may have messed up our chances at selecting Adrian Peterson. He dropped a touchdown pass in the last seconds against Chicago which would have moved Oakland in position to get the #1 pick in the draft. Some would say Detroit is a shoe in to draft Brady Quinn, but with the serious injury suffered by Kevin Jones and the Barry Sanders syndrome Detroit is suffering, it's still a possibility that they could opt for Peterson. In that case I would suggest moving down, but Al Davis doesn't have a history of doing that.
The bottom line is this, I wouldn't rush into drafting a quarterback with that high draft pick. Young quarterbacks tend to struggle in their first year, and needs some more time before we consider him a "bust". The following is a list of some NFL quarterbacks and what their quarterback rating was in their first year.
- Andrew Walter 55.8
- Peyton Manning 71.2 Drew Brees 76.9 (1st year) 67.5 (2nd year) Eli Manning 55.4
- Alex Smith 40.8
As you can see, Walter is not that far off from the norm. All of these quarterbacks got another shot, and their teams were rewarded. And none of these quarterbacks suffered from the same type of defensive pressure and inept offensive system that Walter had to deal with. Sure, Walter is not free of blame for his troubles. He has missed wide open receivers, thrown interceptions, and has held on to the ball for too long, but he needs to get another chance before we delegate him to bench duty like Tuiasosopo.
3 comments:
This draft is a crucial one for the team. They will have 9 picks (7+ Gabriel, Hamilton trades). I could easily see the team getting an extra third for losing Woodson. The question is what could we get for Moss & Porter. I believe there is still some value there. In the NFL teams will always take a chance on potential, they believe in second, and even third chances, that is why we could get anywhere from a late first to a third for him. Porter, will most likely command (2-4 round pick). For those of you who think I'm crazy, think about that playmaker that could put you over the edge. Cory Dillon, did just that for New England. Teams believe in fresh starts, that's why we could get something for them.
Now, what to do with 12 picks?
RB ,QB, DT, T, C, TE, all big needs. I think we take best available; this will take another draft, so we need to be patient. If we can get better 2008 draft picks for Moss & Porter I’d take them. wma27@hotmail.com
walter has no poise or presence and his decision-making is pathetic. to put it politely, he is physically challenged, slow in every way imaginable, with zero escapability or nimbleness in the pocket, while his strong arm is inconsistent and inaccurate. finally, he has not stepped up one bit in any sense of rising to an occasion and he wilts severely under pressure. He has never been a winner and shows no reason whatsoever to change that chacteristic. This is a complete bust pure and simple and we need to move on in a hurry.
The one thing each of those QB's mentioned in the article have/had that Walter doesn't is a top flight RB.
I wouldn't call this kid a bust yet, give him a decent O-Line and a stud RB like an Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch and watch his production and confidence increase. To call Walter a bust at this stage is just ignorant.
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