Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Report: Raiders sign ex-Cowboy Greg Ellis

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June 15

Oakland Tribune

"Defensive end Greg Ellis could be the most recent veteran leader to be added to a youthful Raiders roster, according to AOL's NFL Fanhouse.Ellis, who spent 11 years with the Dallas Cowboys, is a respected veteran who fits in with the signings of Jeff Garcia and Lorenzo Neal, someone who hopefully not only has something left to offer as a pass rusher but as a leader in a unit which could use that type of presence.It remains to be seen whether Ellis has anything left or if he's another Greg Spires, who came to the Raiders in similar circumstances last season but failed to make the 53-man roster."

Is IR system in line for a change?

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May 21

Boston Globe

"When the NFL adopted its system for placing players on season-ending injured reserve, the main issue was stashing. Teams had long been allowed to place players on injured reserve and bring them back later in the season. But some felt that clubs were circumventing the rule by placing players who weren't truly injured on IR, opening a roster spot for someone else. Thus, a competitive advantage was scored. Colts president Bill Polian remembers high-profile coaches and personnel executives, such as Don Shula and Jim Finks, pushing for a change to combat stashing, and it finally came in 1993, when the league made two significant adjustments. At that time, players placed on injured reserve would ..."

Raider seen as nice fit

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May 20

Boston Globe

"Even as a two-time Pro Bowler, Derrick Burgess is not a familiar name to Patriots followers. But those familiar with the Oakland Raiders defensive end, whom the Patriots have explored acquiring in a trade, say he'd improve them. "He's one of the premier pass rushers I've seen," said former teammate Warren Sapp, now an analyst with the NFL Network. "He loves to work at his craft. He loves to come in the weight room. "I've stood in front of the defensive line and led through every drill my whole life, but I opened the door for him. I said, 'You work just like I work.' I gave him my front. That's the kind of respect I have for him." According to league sources, the Patriots discussed a deal ..."

Derrick Burgess deal no rush job

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May 20

Boston Herald

"The Patriots interest in Derrick Burgess dates back four weeks, as the team contacted Oakland during the NFL draft, when the Raiders made no secret of the fact they were shopping the defensive end, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. Exploratory conversations have continued, but it doesn't appear anything is imminent, although with Oakland owner Al Davis, anything is possible. It has been reported the Pats would be willing to send a second- or third-round draft pick to the Raiders in exchange for the two-time Pro Bowler, who would be moved to a pass-rushing outside linebacker in the Pats' 3-4 scheme. Burgess, who is in the final year of his contract, has had injury ..."

Reports: Pats interested in acquiring Oakland's Burgess

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May 19

Boston Herald

"According to a report first on ESPN, and later corroborated by WEEI's Christopher Price, the Patriots are considering a trade that would send a second-or-third-round draft pick to Oakland for Raiders linebacker Derrick Burgess. The acquisition of Burgess would finally help fill the void at outside linebacker created by the trade of Mike Vrabel. The two-time Pro Bowler is in the final year of his contract with Oakland. He is said to be unhappy with not being able to reach a new deal. Burgess, who will be 31 at the start of next season, had 16 sacks for the Raiders in 2005, but he's been slowed by injuries in recent seasons. Last week, Pats Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio said the ..."

Cable says Raiders would consider trading down

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April 25

Oakland Tribune

"Forty-Niners general manager Scot McCloughan said Wednesday that seven of the teams with picks in the top 10 of today's NFL draft are interested in trading down. McCloughan volunteered the eye-popping figure without naming any of the teams, but Raiders coach Tom Cable said in his predraft news conference last week that the Raiders would be open to making such a move if it gives them a better chance at improving their roster. Cable said the Raiders might buck managing general partner Al Davis' long-held philosophy of holding on to his first-round picks because of "what's in the draft this year "... and the types of players that are there, where the strength of the draft is, all that. You ..."

Little-known receiver said to be Raiders' pick

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April 25

San Francisco Chronicle

"He's the fastest wide receiver on the Raiders' watch list, and no, his name is not Jeremy Maclin of Missouri. He's one of the bigger receivers on their draft board, but no, we're not talking about Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. Try Darrius Heyward-Bey, the Maryland receiver who is suddenly everyone's favorite for the Raiders towith the No. 7 overall pick of today's NFL draft. Heyward-Bey, as in the guy most draft experts rate as the fourth- or fifth-best wide receiver in this year's class. Huh? Hand this much to the Raiders: If their pre-draft goal was to keep everyone guessing whom they would pick, a round of back-patting is in order at team headquarters. Everyone knows they need a No. ..."

Gruden's draft view

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April 22

San Francisco Chronicle

"From four seasons of experience, Jon Gruden knows the Raiders keep their cards pressed tightly against their chests when it comes to the NFL draft. "It's a secretive place because Al (Davis) makes the call," Gruden said Tuesday. "You have a group of scouts who have worked there forever, but, ultimately, Al makes the call. The great thing is (the Raiders) aren't afraid to take chances. I've always admired that about him." The former Raiders coach (1998-2001) works as an analyst for the NFL Network since being fired by the Buccaneers after last season. He and network colleague Steve Mari- ucci, the ex-49ers coach, chewed over this weekend's draft in a conference call. Gruden thinks the ..."

Might Madden be on Davis' mind?

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April 17

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders owner Al Davis once vowed to hire someone with local ties to help run the football side of things, someone with a recognizable name in these parts. Maybe that mystery hire will be John Madden, now that the former Raiders coach is leaving the television broadcast booth. Madden announced his retirement Thursday morning. Already, the conjecture about his possible return to the Black Hole has begun. He coached the Raiders from 1967-78, going 112-39-7 with one Super Bowl victory and no losing seasons. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, he remains close to Davis and keeps his home in the East Bay. Davis opened the door to Madden's return in August 2007. He was ..."

Lions talk with receiver Ronald Curry

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April 15

Detroit News

"The Lions already have nine receivers on their offseason roster, but they were scheduled to host another in Oakland Raiders free agent Ronald Curry on Wednesday, FoxSports.com reported. Curry, 29, is a seven-year NFL pro who spent his entire career in Oakland. Last season, he had just 19 catches for 181 yards, but he's two years removed from a career-best 62-catch season in 2006. And in a 55-catch season in 2007, Curry, who is primarily a deep threat, had six of his best games with Daunte Culpepper as his quarterback with the Raiders."

Report: Raiders Likely To Sign Ex-Buc Garcia

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April 6

Tampa Tribune

"Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia reportedly will sign with the Oakland Raiders. According to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Garcia, 39, will sign with Oakland to back up JaMarcus Russell. The report also stated Garcia could be signed as soon as today. Garcia was Tampa Bay's starting quarterback for the past two seasons. He led the Bucs to a playoff appearance in 2007 and was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl, but endured a much rougher time this past year. Prior to the season, Garcia was nearly replaced when Tampa Bay unsuccessfully tried to obtain Brett Favre from Green Bay. Favre eventually was traded to the New York Jets, but Garcia realized Tampa Bay was seeking his ..."

Jeff Garcia Negotiating with Raiders

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April 6

NBC Bay Area

"Jeff Garcia in Silver and Black? Yes. NBC Bay Area has confirmed Garcia is negotiating a deal with the Oakland Raiders. The contract could be finalized as early as Sunday. A source close to the negotiations tells NBC Bay Area Sports Director Raj Mathai a deal is "close. It will probably get done." The 39 year-old quarterback will have the opportunity to compete for the starting position with JaMarcus Russell, though Garcia will likely serve as a backup. This will be a homecoming for Garcia, who grew up in Gilroy and graduated from San Jose State University."

Chad-to-Raiders report debunked

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April 5

Cincinnati Enquirer

"There have been a lot of rumors and speculation the past week about Chad Ocho Cinco's future with the Bengals. First, he didn't show up for the beginning of offseason conditioning workouts on Monday. Then, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports on Thursday had a list of 10 players who could be traded before the draft, with Ocho Cinco at No. 2 On Saturday, a blogger on BleacherReport.com reported the Raiders and Bengals are hammering out a trade to send Ocho Cinco to Oakland in exchange for running back Michael Bush and a second-round draft pick. According to the blogger, Kushy Williams: "I got a quick minute to ask (new Raiders coach Tom) Cable about this trade, and he responded by saying this move ..."

Dolphins Trade Satele

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March 23

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"It looks as though the Dolphins are going to get back the late-round pick that they dealt to the Jaguars this week for defensive tackle Tony McDaniel, as they've traded center Samson Satele to the Raiders for an undisclosed draft pick, according to an NFL source. Satele has been rumored to be on the trading block since Miami signed free agent centers Jake Grove and Joe Berger this offseason. During some series' late in the season the Dolphins shifted the 6-foot-3, 295-pound Satele to right guard as Al Johnson took over at center. Johnson has since departed, but the 6-4, 300-pound Grove, who received a five-year deal worth $29 million, is expected to be the starter."

Brooks, Toomer could help Raiders restore Pride and Poise

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March 22

Oakland Tribune

columnist Monte Poole

"ONE YEAR after Al Davis gave DeAngelo Hall a $70 million contract, punctuating an offseason in which he seemed to order free agents from a catalog while blindfolded, the Raiders are being more conservative and selective with their spending. This is wise, for an abundance of reasons, not the least of which is it suggests remorse on the part of Al, who had to chew on the disastrous results of his reckless spending. If he's committed to being more careful and constructive, he might want to consider an asset he sometimes neglects. It's called leadership, and it seems of obvious benefit to a team heavily invested in 23-year-old quarterback JaMarcus Russell, 21-year-old running back Darren ..."

Cable content to work with '08 roster

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March 17

San Francisco Chronicle

"All the familiar faces were in Alameda for the first day of offseason workouts Monday, though some were far more unexpected than others. Take kick returner Justin Miller. The Raiders re-signed him, only they didn't announce the news. Same goes for backup defensive tackle William Joseph, who also came to work Monday when hardly anyone outside the building knew he still had a job there. "They must not have put it out there yet, I guess," Miller said when he got to the team facility early Monday morning. Consider this all part Tom Cable's master plan in his first offseason as head coach. Not so much the hush-hush operation, but how the Raiders are sticking with their own after blowing wads ..."

Owens to Oakland? 'No way,' source says

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March 7

San Francisco Chronicle

""Just Say No" is the theme of the week, with one NFL team after the next saying they have no interest in now-former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens. For the Raiders' part, they don't want anything to do with such straw polls - and please, they ask, don't try to read too much into their non-answer. "We're not getting into that whole thing," senior executive John Herrera said. Multiple team sources said, as of Friday, the Raiders have in no shape or form discussed the idea of signing Owens, a perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver who burned every last bridge (and quarterback) on his way out of San Francisco, Philadelphia and Dallas. One team official put it plainest of all under the condition ..."

Davis undeterred by lemons

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February 26

Contra Costa Times

"Raiders managing general partner Al Davis doesn't do losing well. He admits losses stick with him for a long time. He prides himself on doing whatever it takes to ensure his coach gets the kind of players deemed necessary to compete for a Super Bowl, with no exceptions. So, imagine Davis' consternation when he reflected upon the free agents the Raiders signed last offseason and discovered how few panned out. "We did not do well in free agency, no," Davis said earlier this month. And that doesn't even take into account the midseason release of DeAngelo Hall, a cornerback the Raiders acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Falcons for second- and fifth-round draft picks. Or the disappointing ..."

Raiders lock up Johnson

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February 17

Contra Costa Times

"The Raiders addressed one of their most-pressing needs by signing cornerback Chris Johnson to a four-year contract extension. The deal hasn't been approved by the league office, a Raiders spokesman said Saturday. However, that is considered a formality, and the deal should be finalized by Tuesday. Johnson, 29, started the final eight games in place of jettisoned veteran DeAngelo Hall last season and proved that he is a starting-caliber player. Given that, the Raiders made re-signing Johnson one of their primary objectives before free agency begins Feb. 27. Other teams aren't allowed to sign players from other teams until that date. Therefore, the Raiders deemed it vital that they lock up ..."

JaMarcus Russell might be facing ankle surgery

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February 5

Sacramento Bee

"Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell might need ankle surgery this offseason, team owner Al Davis said Wednesday. Russell is in Alameda after spending some time back home in Mobile, Ala. "He's got some physical problems that have to be taken care of," Davis said. "I think his ankle was bothering him at the end of the year. He had some chips in there so they may have to do something with that." Russell injured his ankle Nov. 16 in Miami but finished the season without missing any time. A knee injury cost Russell the Nov. 9 game against the Carolina Panthers."

This is the week Davis shows that hiring strategy makes sense

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February 3

San Francisco Chronicle

"This looks like the week the Raiders finally name interim head coach Tom Cable their full-time hire, five-plus weeks after the season ended. Raiders owner Al Davis told Cable the job was his last week, but the team has decided to squat on the news as it continues to assemble Cable's coaching staff, a team source said. When that announcement comes, Davis will explain exactly why he's hiring the assistants and coordinators first, a team official said."

Plenty of attractive pieces on market for Chicago Bears

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February 2

Chicago Tribune

"Monday officially begins the off-season. Even if free agency doesn't begin for another 25 days, Bears fans will bandy about many names over the next month that may or may not make sense for a team buoyed by watching a fellow 9-7 team play in the Super Bowl. Quarterbacks Chris Simms. Veteran leaving the Titans makes sense as Jerry Angelo seeks competition for Kyle Orton. If the choice ends up being Simms, whom the Bears have liked since the 2003 draft, it's a competition Orton likely will win — as many in the organization would prefer. Byron Leftwich. Steelers backup dazzled media during Super Bowl week and charisma definitely would change the chemistry in the Bears' locker room. If ..."

Signs suggest Cable the guy

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January 29

Sacramento Bee

"The Raiders are denying what appears to be inevitable. ESPN and NFL.com reported Wednesday the Raiders have decided the "interim" tag on head coach Tom Cable will be removed. Not so fast, say the Raiders. "We have not made a decision at this time," said Raiders senior executive John Herrera. "That's really all I can say." A source close to the situation said the interim head coach had yet to be told he is the Raiders' choice. ESPN reported the Raiders told one of the other job candidates of the decision to go with Cable. NFL.com reported Raiders owner Al Davis had started telling others around the league of his decision. The Raiders have interviewed three candidates: Cable, New York ..."

Cable not yet installed in Raiderville

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January 29

Contra Costa Times

"All signs point to Raiders managing general partner Al Davis making 2008 interim head coach Tom Cable the permanent coach within the coming days. However, Cable has not signed a contract, and any such move isn't imminent, contrary to an ESPN report Wednesday. "A decision has not been made yet," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said in response to the report. Herrera said he told the reporter as much when he called the Raiders seeking comment. Two people familiar with the situation confirmed that Cable's contract expired Jan. 13 and has not been renewed. Cable said an announcement will be made by Davis once he has made a decision. Until then, Cable added, he won't comment on the ..."

Handicapping the NFL's return to L.A.

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January 27

Los Angeles Times

"Scouting NFL teams that could relocate to L.A.: San Diego Chargers Beginning Sunday, a three-month window opens that would allow the Chargers to relocate to another city. That window will now open each year. The team can leave its current home provided it pays a $56-million lease-termination fee that decreases over time. The Chargers have spent seven years exploring stadium options in San Diego and say they have spent $10 million doing so. Although a move probably would bring significant political objections in San Diego, the Chargers might not encounter those at the state level because theirs would be an in-state move. Odds of relocating: 5 to 1. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars, who have ..."

Raiders believe they have a plan No head coach, but plenty of staff moves

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January 26

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Raiders have been busy as ever the past week, dealing with every issue from B to Z. They've interviewed a defensive coordinator, an offensive coordinator and a defensive line coach, hired a secondary coach, re-signed their tight ends coach as a running backs coach and promoted a quality-control assistant to the tight-ends job. In other words, they're trying to fill every job opening but the biggest one of all. That would be a head coach. Maybe some have forgotten by now, but the Raiders, in fact, do not have a head coach in place. It's been almost four months since Lane Kiffin was fired and four weeks since the 2008 season ended, and nary a word about the heir to team owner Al Davis' ..."

Raiders zero in on Saunders as offensive coordinator

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January 21

Oakland Tribune

"The Raiders are making another run at Al Saunders. This time, it will be for the offensive coordinator vacancy created by the departure of Greg Knapp to the Seattle Seahawks. Saunders was just fired by the St. Louis Rams as part of the purge of the Rams staff by new coach Steve Spagnuolo. Saunders may interview with the Raiders as soon as today. "We anticipate giving him an interview within the next day or two," Raiders senior executive John Herrera said Tuesday. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis interviewed Saunders for the head coaching vacancy in 2006 before Davis settled upon Art Shell. Saunders was hired by the Washington Redskins that season. He returned this season to the ..."

Raiders, Saunders to meet

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January 21

San Francisco Chronicle

"The Raiders will interview longtime NFL assistant Al Saunders for their offensive-coordinator opening, a team official confirmed Tuesday. Saunders, who specializes in the "Air Coryell" passing game, held the same position with the Rams the past three seasons before losing his job with the rest of the staff. He was the Chargers' head coach from 1986 through '88 but is not expected to interview for the Raiders' head-coaching position. "We expect to talk to him in the next day or two," team executive John Herrera said. "He's a guy we've known for a long time on the other side of the field." With no head coach in place, the Raiders had one candidatefrom the running Tuesday - linebackers coach ..."

Raiders shoot down report of Martindale as head coach

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January 19

Contra Costa Times

"Raiders managing general partner Al Davis promoted Tom Cable from a positions coaching spot to the head coaching spot when he fired Lane Kiffin on Sept. 30.Hence, it wouldn't seem like such a stretch for Davis to consider promoting linebackers coach Don Martindale to succeed Cable, as ESPN.com reported Sunday, according to unnamed sources.Except for one critical fact: "Michael Smith's story is totally untrue." So says Raiders senior executive John Herrera in response to Smith's story, after speaking with Davis."Once again ESPN has chosen to air something that has no basis in fact. It is true that Mr. Davis met with Martindale (on Saturday). It was a (2 1/2-)hour interview but it had ..."

Martindale's rank climbs

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January 19

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders linebackers coach Don Martindale has gone from out of a contract to lead defensive-coordinator candidate to consideration for the head-coaching job - all in the past week. Martindale walked into Al Davis' office to interview for the coordinator opening Saturday, but by the time the four-hour meeting ended, he was one of four known candidates for the top job, a team source said Sunday. Martindale's candidacy first was reported by ESPN.com. Davis has scored big when promoting a linebackers coach to head coach. It was in 1969. The hire was John Madden, the last defensive coach to lead the Raiders, and he guided them to 103 wins and a Super Bowl title. Martindale, 45, has been with the ..."

Could Gruden, Allen come back 'home' to Raiders?

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January 18

Oakland Tribune

columnist Jerry McDonald

"Guess there's some interest in the Jon Gruden-Bruce Allen firings and how they may or may not relate to the Raiders. An internal e-mail this morning said, ``FYI - blog server crashed today due to high load. Anything special going on?'' Anyway, some random notes compiled last night regarding Gruden, Allen and the viability of going home again, while waiting for ``Inside the Raiders'' blog to come back to life: # First, think economics. Gruden and Allen are each due three years worth of salary and can wait for the best offers. Seems doubtful Gruden would coach for something in the $2 million range six years after he felt a three-year, $9 million offer was unceremoniously pulled off the table ..."

Once burned, twice shy - why the Gruden-Davis match can't be relit

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January 18

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Gwen Knapp

"Maybe Al Davis and Jon Gruden belonged together all along. The two might have made the perfect couple, an updated version of the edgy pairs that Tracy and Hepburn played so well. But their split left too many hard feelings for them to acknowledge all the good times they had, the ways they brought out the very best in each other. Since they parted seven years ago, things just haven't been the same. Oh sure, the rebound dating was hot. Bill Callahan took Davis' Raiders to heights they hadn't known in 19 years, while Gruden squired Tony Dungy's lusty Tampa exes to a world championship. But Callahan soon revealed that he was Barry Switzer Lite, taking a team to the Super Bowl on another ..."

Raiders interview Martindale

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January 18

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders linebackers coach Don Martindale interviewed for the team's defensive coordinator position with team owner Al Davis, team sources said Saturday. Martindale apparently has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Rob Ryan, who brought Martindale to Oakland five seasons ago. A Raiders official, though, would not even confirm what position Martindale interviewed for. "We haven't made it anything specific yet," team executive John Herrera said. "Mr. Davis wanted to interview Don, talk to him and just kind of see what the best position would be for him." Martindale interviewed for an assistant-coach position with the Broncos last week. He also is being considered by the Browns as a ..."

Cable still appears to be Raiders' front-runner

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January 17

Oakland Tribune

"Raiders managing general partner Al Davis still hasn't decided upon a head coach, or at least he isn't publicly sharing his thoughts on the matter. However, he also isn't letting his decision-making process inhibit his work toward assembling a coaching staff. On Friday, Davis concluded a series of interviews with a handful of the assistant coaches who worked under Lane Kiffin, whom Davis fired Sept. 30 after four games and replaced with offensive line coach Tom Cable on an interim basis. The contracts of every coach expired Tuesday. At this point, Lionel Washington is the only coach under contract on a staff that featured 20 coaches last season, and he was hired Tuesday. Even so, defensive ..."

Raiders interview Gilbride

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January 16

Contra Costa Times

"New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride spent more than four hours at the Raiders' year-round facility in Alameda on Thursday in an attempt to persuade managing general partner Al Davis that he deserves a second shot at an NFL head coaching job. Gilbride arrived from New York in the early afternoon, headed to the team's facility and met with several people in the Raiders front office, as well as Davis. His day concluded in the early evening without any official word on whether he made any headway. For now, Gilbride is competing with Tom Cable and Green Bay Packers assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss for the job Cable held for the final 12 games last season on ..."

Harbaugh says he's committed

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January 14

San Francisco Chronicle

"Responding to what he characterized as "persistent reports speculating my interest in other coaching positions," Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh issued a statement Tuesday re-affirming his commitment to the Cardinal program. "I would like to unequivocally state that I am 100 percent committed to Stanford and I look forward to leading this football program for years to come," he said. "Due to the complete physical and emotional investment that has been made by everyone associated with our program, I believe we are building a program that will contend for the Pac-10 championship. "I have no desire to coach anywhere besides Stanford at this time." Harbaugh's statement came after Stanford hosted ..."

Raiders to talk to Packers coach

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January 12

San Francisco Chronicle

"Packers assistant head coach Winston Moss is expected to interview for the Raiders' head coaching job Monday, a team source said on the condition of anonymity. He would become the third person to interview for the vacancy, and the first minority, following Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and Raiders interim coach Tom Cable. Moss, who coaches the Packers' linebackers, is also a candidate for the defensive coordinator job. Moss played linebacker for the Raiders from 1991-94. He interviewed for the Rams' head coaching vacancy last week. Raiders linebackers coach Don Martindale continues to be considered the leading in-house candidate for the defensive coordinator post held by ..."

Giants' loss could be Raiders' gain

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January 12

Contra Costa Times

"The New York Giants' season-ending loss Sunday in the NFC playoffs just might be the Raiders' long-term gain when it comes to filling their coaching vacancy. The Giants' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles freed up their assistant coaches for interviews with prospective employers, per league rules. For the Raiders, that means a chance at interviewing offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride right away and not waiting until as late as Feb. 2, the day after the Super Bowl is played. Raiders managing general partner Al Davis spoke with Gilbride on Jan. 3 by phone. However, senior executive John Herrera termed the encounter a "conversation" and not an interview. Davis and Gilbride discussed numerous ..."

Report: Raiders to talk to Packers aide

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January 10

San Francisco Chronicle

"Packers assistant head coach Winston Moss will interview for the Raiders' head coaching job, according to a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel report Friday. Moss, who also coaches Green Bay's linebackers, will interview in-person with Raiders owner Al Davis as soon as this weekend, an unnamed league source told the newspaper. The Raiders would not verify the report. Moss, who played for the Raiders from 1991-94, interviewed for the Rams' head coaching vacancy last week. As a minority, he would satisfy the league's Rooney Rule regarding head coach searches. If Moss is indeed interviewing in Oakland, he could also be considered as a defensive coordinator with Rob Ryan leaving for Cleveland after ..."

Davis in no rush to name coach

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January 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders owner Al Davis is pretty quick to fire a head coach. Just ask the past four Raiders head coaches, none of whom reached a third season. Because every yin needs a yang, Davis takes his careful time finding a replacement head coach. Just ask the past four coaches, all of whom waited at least three weeks to get hired. Keep that in mind as the name dropping gets heated this week in the Raiders' latest head-coaching search. Davis might not want the interview process to drag into February, but he isn't about to get in a rush for the sake of rushing. "There's no real timetable, but the feeling is he doesn't want to let it linger," Raiders executive John Herrera said. Falcons wide receivers ..."

Davis in no rush to name Raiders' coach

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January 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders owner Al Davis is pretty quick to fire a head coach. Just ask the past four Raiders head coaches, none of whom reached a third season. Because every yin needs a yang, Davis takes his careful time finding a replacement head coach. Just ask the past four coaches, all of whom waited at least three weeks to get hired. Keep that in mind as the name dropping gets heated this week in the Raiders' latest head-coaching search. Davis might not want the interview process to drag into February, but he isn't about to get in a rush for the sake of rushing. "There's no real timetable, but the feeling is he doesn't want to let it linger," Raiders executive John Herrera said. Falcons wide receivers ..."

Raiders owner Al Davis insists Kevin Gilbride called Oakland first

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January 6

New York Daily News

"Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis may have interviewed Kevin Gilbride on Saturday, but the Raiders are now insisting that it was the Giants' offensive coordinator who asked to talk to them. According to John Herrera, a Raiders senior executive, Davis spoke to Gilbride for 90 minutes on Saturday, but only after Gilbride's agent sent a letter to the Raiders requesting the conversation. The Raiders then called the Giants on Friday night to make sure they had permission to make the call. "Mr. Davis has known Kevin for a long time and was more than willing to oblige and have that conversation," Herrera told Bay Area reporters. "They had an interesting hour-and-a-half conversation Saturday at ..."

Will the Raiders bring back the Rat?

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January 5

San Francisco Examiner

"The Raiders need a head coach. Mike Shanahan needs a job. Call it karma. Call it fate. Call it destiny. OK, call me a crack addict. Here goes anyway - the Ultimate Indecent Proposal: It's time to bring back the Rat! It would be a more bizarre screenplay than any Hollywood writer could ever churn out after a week of sipping peyote in the desert and it would never happen in a million Al Davis lifetimes, but close your eyes and picture it with me: There he is - the Rat himself, after years of an enmity and animosity with the Raiders that were more vicious than Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield, the North vs. the South, Jennifer Aniston vs. Angelina Jolie or Michael Vick vs. PETA - back in ..."

Raiders, as always, deny and deny

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January 5

Oakland Tribune

columnist Gary Peterson

"The mud was still drying on the wall Sunday when the Raiders lined up in their denial formation. Al Davis, through team executive John Herrera, denied an ESPN report that he is negotiating to sell part of the franchise to gazillionaire C. Dean Metropoulos. "Every facet of this story is dead wrong," Herrera told our Steve Corkran. Raiders CEO Amy Trask did her own talking to The Associated Press. "We are not negotiating with (the Metropoulos) group," she said. "This team is not available to them." What Metropoulos wants is to purchase controlling interest in an NFL team so he can move it to Los Angeles. We know this because it was reported in the ESPN story by Chris Mortensen. For his part, ..."

Raiders' brass dismisses coach, ownership rumors

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January 5

San Francisco Chronicle

"Raiders owner Al Davis has not technically interviewed anyone for the head-coaching job yet, and he most certainly is not selling off his Pride and Poise. That's the company line, and team officials couldn't put it any more forcefully on a Sunday full of denials and clarifications to multiple national reports regarding the team's future. The team's strongest words were aimed at ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who reported Davis is negotiating a deal that could sell off a controlling interest of his franchise. "Chris' report is not true," Raiders chief executive Amy Trask said. "We are not negotiating with this group. We know who they are and that they want to purchase the controlling interest in ..."

Sources: Raiders trying to sell more stake in team

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January 4

ESPN.com

"The Oakland Raiders, through owner Al Davis and Raiders chief executive Amy Trask, are negotiating to sell off another percentage of the team, this time to a billionaire who has been trying to buy a franchise with designs on moving it to Los Angeles, according to league sources. Trask has been spearheading negotiations with a group headed by C. Dean Metropoulos in a transaction that would sell at least 10 percent stake in the Raiders, sources said. Forbes Magazine has estimated the Raiders' value at a little more than $800 million, but league sources say the calculation is closer to $700 million. The Raiders sold 20 percent of the team in October 2007 to three businessmen to get more cash ..."

Raiders' Davis takes swing, so to speak, at Gilbride

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January 4

Oakland Tribune

columnist Cam Inman

"A month from now, Kevin Gilbride's stock might be exceptionally high if he's coming off a second straight Super Bowl championship as the New York Giants offensive coordinator. That would give him serious credibility for any team still looking for a coach, perhaps so much so that he wouldn't stoop to the Raiders' post that he reportedly interviewed for Saturday. But Gilbride just might be hungry enough for another head coaching job — he went 6-16 with the San Diego Chargers 10 years ago — that he'd buy Davis' sales pitch. Norv Turner was desperate enough to become a head coach again that he served a two-year stint with the Raiders. Turner's tenure didn't work out so well (at least with the ..."

Raiders will interview Gilbride

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January 3

NFL.com

"After remaining idle the first week of the offseason, Raiders owner Al Davis finally was planning to interview his first head coaching candidate Saturday. Davis requested and received permission from the Giants to interview New York offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, a Giants source said. Davis was planning to speak to Gilbride Saturday afternoon. It’s possible that Davis thinks that Gilbride could do for Raiders running backs Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush what he has helped do for Giants running backs Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw."

Raiders Trade Rumors