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Updating prior reports, Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that cornerback DeAngelo Hall officially is a member of the Oakland Raiders.
Thus, the Falcons have unloaded a player whom they didn’t want and who didn’t want to be there for a high second-round pick in 2008 and a fifth-round pick in 2009.
And Hall gets a big, fat contract from a new team that he can destroy from the inside out.
So everyone wins. Except the Raiders. But, hey, they’re used to that by now.
March 20th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Vick destroyed the Falcons,not Hall,maybe at the end of the Ron Mexico saga. Anyway as for the Raiders, what do they got loose.
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March 20th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
…..ridiculous how stupid the Raiders organization CONTINUES to be….shaking my head….
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March 20th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
No really! What do the Raiders have to loose besides draft picks,games,and a little bit of cabbage.
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March 20th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
how do the raiders lose, they now have the best cb tandem in the league and only gave up a second round pick, whos gonna pass on them mike??????
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March 20th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I think the way Al Davis is spending money foolishly, and grabbing any player who can put a helmet on he must not have long to go. Al Davis is acting like he just got told he has one more year to live. Al is pushing 80, and the last thing I heard was that he was in declining health. I guess Al agrees you can’t take the money with you, and I guess the last thing he wants before he goes is another ring.
I can only imagine what Lane Kiffin is going through, and its going to be very interesting how long he remains the coach. Maybe ole Al just lost his mind like some of those Raider fans you see on TV. They don’t call it the “Black Hole” for nothing.
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
This isn’t confirmed, but I believe that if Nmandi Asomugha and Hall would be the highest paid cornerback tandem in the leauge…
…And the kicker is that the defense will still suck….
Is it possible that Al Davis knows that he has some incurable disease and he is just trying to run the team into the ground just to prove that no one can handle it like he has?
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I would love to know how Hall destroyed the Falcons “from the inside out.”
Not every player that is outspoken is destroying their team. Jason Taylor is one that likes to speak his mind but there is no way you can blame him for the Dolphins demise. Philip Rivers is a loudmouth and they were a few plays away from beating the Patriots. Is it that you simply have a vendetta against Virginia Tech? Judging from your bias comments regarding Michael Vick. DeAngelo Hall was not a Terrell Owens type player by any means, and I think we all would like to hear some sort of explanation for this allegation.
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
raiderfan2k4:
Who’s going to pass on them? Nobody. Not when they can run it up the guy for five yards a carry.
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
The BLACK HOLE may be changing its name to the GREEN HOLE. Ole Al is sure shelling out the cash.
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
This is a great deal for the Raiders. Look at it this way, if Hall were in this draft class he would be the #1 pick. The Raiders traded a 2nd rounder and a 2009 5th for the equivalent of an early 1st round pick in this case. They also paid less than in guaranteed money than what that top pick will cost Miami this year.
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March 21st, 2008 at 12:14 am
Everyone is hammering Al and while he has been an idiot more than a few times, I think he may be the smart one with all this spending. Most people feel there will be no salary cap after 2010 similar to baseball (and even basketball that just has a luxury tax if you are over the cap). If you notice, Al is locking all of these young players in for 6 or 7 years. If the cap does in fact go away in 2010, he will be looking like a genius. So we may need to reserve judgment for a few years to see if he was a fool or a genius
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March 21st, 2008 at 12:15 am
As a lifelong Raider fan - and one capable of putting together a full sentence - I say: Hate on. At least this team is trying to get better. Go—- Falcons!
Do I think that everything is magically fixed because of this trade? No, not at all… but if all you lose for being over the salary cap is a 3rd round pick (see your back-to-back Super Bowl winners, the Denver Broncos) honestly, what DO we have to lose? That’s the only real issue for a fan with a perspective that reaches beyond the immediate: Salary Cap hell. Draft picks? As long as Al’s making all the decisions there, I say trade ‘em all for people that can actually play, because Al’s Magical Mystery Picks are totally worthless anyway.
As far as Hall’s discontent - you can’t honestly tell me this guy is anywhere near as weak a character as Randy Moss, T.O., Tank Johnson, or… Javon Walker. Oh wait… he’s on my team too…
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March 21st, 2008 at 12:49 am
Oh my more haters, because to our owner its more about winning than making money. I guess if your thing is liking a franchise that cares about the bottom line, than thats okay, but to me its JUST WIN BABY. Im happy the franchise i like tries retool and take another run at it next year, not ho hum maybe our franchise can win a superbowl eventually. How many teams in the league can call themselves superbowl champs, I know the Raiders can.
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March 21st, 2008 at 12:53 am
Two aspects to this deal that matter right now. 1) Hall’s on-the-field production. If he plays anywhere near what they think he will based on his salary, it should make Oakland’s secondary a formidable one. 2) Hall’s impact on the team psyche. If the coaches can do with him what Dallas did with T.O. and keep him happy while winning games, it’ll make the deal worth it. If not, it’s an unmitigated blunder.
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March 21st, 2008 at 1:33 am
@raiderfan2k4 who said “whos gonna pass on them mike?”
raiderfan, your team had the 8th ranked passing defense last year. you don’t need help there. where you need help is in your 31st ranked rush defense.
but hey maybe ryan plans on letting hall + asomugha play a whole bunch of man and stacking the box to assist in run stopping
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March 21st, 2008 at 2:18 am
Al Davis is tired off his team being the laughing stock in the league. He is making the moves to stay relavent and he is attemtpting to reposition his team in the general publics eye. He has also all but assured that his Raiders will sell out every home game in Oakland for the first time in a long time.
The Hall trade could easily backfire and blow up in Al’s face, but I doubt he really cares. He is going to to keep “reloading” until he gets it right. Kiffin unofficially has checked back in as the Head Coach today, so all the rumors about him being fired should stop soon. Hall and all the other offseason moves are all window dressing; Jamarcus Russell and Lane Kiffin are the two men who have to lead Oakland to victory. Al stripped Lane of personnel decisions, but it seems like everybody but opposing teams are happy happy with the moves that Al is making.
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March 21st, 2008 at 7:20 am
It’s funny how Mr Davis gets criticized for trying to win when the league has owners who don’t even try and nobody talks about them.
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March 21st, 2008 at 7:50 am
While I understand that there is a perception that the raiders have spent foolishly, if you look at it in a bit more detail you may understand that ole Al may just still have it upstairs.
The Raiders have signed several of their quality players to extensions, (fargas and kelly). Both were drafted by the raiders and required no draft picks to be signed. While the kelly signing looks like they spent too much… the reality is that the cap goes up every year, he is versatile, sapp called him the most talented tackle he has ever played alongside. There were several other teams that would have signed him in a heartbeat had we let him go. Fargas had over 1,000 yards in 10 games.
Walker and Hall, while having the rep as malcontents have tremendous talent. If you recall, walker had over 200 yards in the first two games of last season. As far as his attitude, last new years he watched one of his best friends and a teamate die in his arms. Can you imagine the ghosts that walk around the denver locker room for him. He has undeniable talent, if healthy and was just about the only #1 WR FA available. Hall on the other hand, watched his teammate, both professionally and from college, vick get publicly crucified (justifiably) while the falcons tried to distance themselves from the whole situation(justifiably). Hall is cover corner as well that fits the raiders def philosophy. Pairing him with Asomugha gives the raiders the best combination of cornerbacks in the league. Furthermore, the Raiders signed Gabril Wilson, shoring up their safety position with a great run support guy that is a sure tackler.
Drew Carter, if he can stay on the field is a burner which will help walker to stretch the defense with curry and miller using the underneath routes to move the chains. The raiders, after letting porter leave, had one wr on the roster and went out and signed an undeniable #1 talented wr, and added depth while giving the guys already on the roster time to develop and giving his young, strong armed qb a couple of talented options to get the ball to.
I know this, as a raider fan, 60 days ago, I was fairly pessimistic about the raiders chances in the 08 season. Now, I can talk S**T about the future of the raiders with the best of them. Thanks Al!
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March 21st, 2008 at 11:23 am
It’s funny listening to all the RAIDER Haters. They enjoy giving Big Al crap because Big Al does things HIS WAY!! That’s what’s wrong with sports and the bigger picture THIS country. I don’t have Al’s money nor a big powerful organization at my disposal, but if I did…I would be hearing the same crap, because I would do things my way. In the end the only person you really have to answer to is Yourself. Just Win Baby…I’m All In!! Now if any of these Raider Haters had any guts, they should showup to some of the RAIDER home games and talk the same crap, but from the sounds of their comments, they already have and seems to have gotten their attitudes adjusted alittle. HAHAHAHA Go Get Em BigAl us faithful are on board.
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March 21st, 2008 at 11:55 am
I have to go with gobearsgo. The Broncos proved last season that having a great CB tandem does not mean much when the front 7 can’t stop the run. I’ll reserve judgment until the season begins but the Oakland front 7, especially the D-line, doesn’t look very sharp on paper. Then again, paper doesn’t really mean jack.
I am a Falcons fan and frankly I’m glad to see DeAngelo Hall leave. He was a chronic malcontent. I would consider this a win-win scenario.
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March 21st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I’m a lifelong Falcon fan (28 years old) and have put up with all manner of nonsense from our players over the years. I want a team, not a random set of big egos pulling apart in all directions. Good riddance to Hall. I wish him well in Oakland, but I’m glad he’s not on my team. While DeAngelo may have been right about Petrino (it seems like every Falcon had a pretty good handle on Bobby’s lack of commitment), that doesn’t excuse his meltdowns, his willingness to put himself ahead of the team, and his sycophantic relationship with Michael Vick. Again, I say ‘good riddance.’
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