Keeping track of a team's dynamic roster gain/loss throughout the offseason is one of the keys to understanding their draft day moves and choices.  Enter Monitoring Team Needs, an at-a-glance way of checking up on your team's latest roster flux, as we count down through Free Agency, and into the days before the 2009 Draft.

Below is a table that breaks down this roster flux, showing who has come and gone, as well as updating the neediest areas of the team and some of the top names that have a good chance of being available when they pick in the Draft.  Draft prospects are linked to their Mocking the Draft Profiles and any names or positions highlighted in bold should be considered either to be positions of particular need and emphasis, or players of particular relevance and interest to the team's situation.  Below the chart we will discuss some of the names and situations described, and as always, you can join in on the discussion in the comments.

See you below the fold!

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 Keeping track of a team's dynamic roster gain/loss throughout the offseason is one of the keys to understanding their draft day moves and choices.  Enter Monitoring Team Needs, an at-a-glance way of checking up on your team's latest roster flux, as we count down through Free Agency, and into the days before the 2009 Draft.

Below is a table that breaks down this roster flux, showing who has come and gone, as well as updating the neediest areas of the team and some of the top names that have a good chance of being available when they pick in the Draft.  Draft prospects are linked to their Mocking the Draft Profiles and any names or positions highlighted in bold should be considered either to be positions of particular need and emphasis, or players of particular relevance and interest to the team's situation.  Below the chart we will discuss some of the names and situations described, and as always, you can join in on the discussion in the comments.

See you below the fold!

Continue reading this post »

 Welcome to Salary Cap Hell.

The Raiders have their work cut out for them going into the twilight of Al Davis' reign over the team, being already at $116mil with an expected $123mil cap to fit under.  And if history is any indication, under Davis' tenure, things are likely to get worse before they get better.

Front and center this offseason are two key free agents, CB Nmamdi Asomugha and P Shane Lechler, and with only one franchise tag to throw around, the Raiders will likely be saying goodbye to one of them.

 But even as the Raiders enter the Twilight zone, there are clues that they may be ready to precipitate the kind of change needed to rise from the rubble of 11 or more losses in 6 straight years.  Rumors that underacheivers are about to hit the bricks is a welcome relief.

Unremarkable LT Kwame Harris may be on the outs, as well as underperforming defensive "stars" S Michael Huff and DT Terdell Sands.  Perrennial disappointment, WR Ronald Curry will probably get his walking papers as well.

Unfortunately, the reality of salary cap hell is that it is never easy to get out of.  Besides likely franchising Nmamdi (and waiting until the last minute--Feb. 19th--to do so) Oakland must find a way to resign the OTHER CB Chris Johnson.  The Raiders also need to find a way to get center Jake Grove resigned, as well as return specialist Justin Miller.

Add in that the Raiders will need to sign yet another top dollar, high draft pick, which they absolutely CANNOT bust on and that they have critical needs at multiple areas, and the pressure  may be at its highest since this downward spiral began.

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 Few teams may be as active during the 2009 offseason than the Kansas City Chiefs.  They finally have all the key pieces in place on the staff with the head coach hiring of the red hot offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, from the Cardinals.  This followed the appointment of the most highly sought after available General Manager of this, and many, offseasons, in Scott Pioli of the Patriots.

The breadth and scope of what the Chiefs need to accomplish on offense and defense is likely to make them one of hte most significant players of the offseason, and the #3 overall pick in the draft guarantees that some of the best talent in the draft is theirs for the taking.  Will they be looking at the high price tag of QB Matt Cassel?  Will they be cutting ties with franchise rusher Larry Johnson?  Will they be in the lead for the crown jewel of 2009 free agency, DE/OLB Julius Peppers?  Will their needs at ILB cause them to flip the draft on its head at the #3 spot, taking Muauluga over Curry?

Stay tuned....

 Believe it or not, the Chiefs actually got better in 2008, over their performance in 2007.  Their offense could actually run the ball and their defense wasn't the overall worst in the league.  But an underacheiving defensive front seven divested of leadership, and a set of offensive weapons that were chronically misused and misappropriated led to a team that most would consider a doormat, barely worth a weeks preparation.

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