The 2012 NFL draft is now just hours away, and there are many rumors and reports as to which players the Oakland Raiders might pick up this year. On Wednesday, April 25, James Robert Sanos of East Bay Sports tweeted that the Raiders are showing a strong interest in the former Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen.

Sanos wrote, ” Source: #Raiders looking to sign CU QB Tyler Hanson. Scout that went to see him work out loved what he saw,” and shortly after he added, ” #Raiders looking to sign Hanson to a try out deal for training camp and to put him on the PS for the up coming season.”

At this point the Raiders do not have a solid quarterback other than Carson Palmer. If something were to happen as it did in 2011 with Jason Campbell’s season-ending injury, who would be backup?

The Raiders have third-string quarterback Terrelle Pryor who only spent a matter of minutes on the field in Oakland against Kansas City last year , the week after Campbell went down. I think he could eventually become a primary backup , but he needs more time to develop.

Oakland signed Rhett Bomar in January . As of yet, he’s an unimpressive quarterback who was released by the Minnesota Vikings just prior to the 2011 season following an arrest for third degree drunken driving. Kyle Boller is still listed on the Raiders’ web site, however, he’s a free agent and it’s likely he’ll disappear in the near future. His contribution to the team in 2011 came in week seven when he became the Raiders first quarterback in 13 years to throw three interceptions in the first half.

While I believe Oakland really needs another veteran quarterback added to the roster, we all know that general manager Reggie McKenzie is not working with a lot of extra cash.

The former CU Buffs quarterback started in 12 games last year and was a co-recipient of the John Mack Award, along with wide receiver Tony Celmons, as the team’s most outstanding offensive player. He is listed on Colorado’s all-time career list at fourth in passing yards with 5,705, third in pass completions at 505 and fourth at touchdown passes with 35.

With just hours away from this year’s draft, there is a lot of excited anticipation building as we move a little closer to the start of the 2012 season. I have faith that McKenzie is putting the pieces of the puzzle back together in a way that could result in the Raiders finally making it to the postseason after a decade of disappointment. We have to hope for the best.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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Who Was the Oakland Raiders’ Best Steal in the 2011 Draft? Fan Perspective

’76 Oakland Raiders Named Greatest Team of All Time Proves Strength of Raider Nation: Fan Take

Will Philip Wheeler Sign with Oakland? Plus Raiders Trade Bruce Campbell for Mike Goodson: Fan’s Take

Oakland Raiders’ Three Compensatory Picks Another Good Sign for 2012: Fan Reaction

The Raiders will have to be very creative in order to come out of this year’s NFL Draft with impact players.

If you haven’t seen mock drafts projecting who Oakland will take in the first round, it’s because they don’t have a pick in the opening round. In fact, the Raiders won’t make a selection until 95th overall.

Oakland sent what turned out to be the 17th pick to Cincinnati in the Carson Palmer trade last year. The Raiders traded their second round pick in last year’s draft to the Patriots. Unless they make a deal to move up in this year’s draft, they won’t make a pick until the last selection of the third round.

Despite their lack of picks, the Raiders will look to add players that will help their roster in 2012. For the second straight season, Oakland finished at 8-8 in 2011, and is looking to finish above .500 for the first time in a decade.

The Raiders are on the verge of becoming a playoff team, and will look to make a few picks that might put them over the hump. Here are Oakland’s biggest needs heading into the draft, as well as some specific players they may be targeting.

Linebacker

The Raiders are extremely lacking in the middle of their defense. Oakland was poor against both the run and the pass in 2011, and a lack of talent at the linebacker position was one of the biggest reasons. The loss of Kamerion Wimbley to the Titans depletes an already weak linebacking corp.

At pick 95 or 129, the Raiders could look at someone like Jake Bequette from Arkansas.  He played defensive end in college, but impressed scouts in linebacker drills at the Scouting Combine. If Bruce Irvin from West Virginia makes it past the second round, the Raiders may have a chance to nab him.

Cornerback

Oakland never recovered from losing cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha in the 2011 offseason. The Raiders finished 27th best in the league in passing yards allowed, after not finding an adequate replacement. They added Ron Bartell from the Rams, but it’s unknown how he’ll play a year after fracturing his neck.

Iowa State’s Leonard Johnson would be a good fit for Oakland at number 129 or 148 overall. If Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward is still available in the third round, the Raiders may use their fist pick on him.

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ALAMEDA (AP) – For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

“It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. “Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round – the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

“We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. “That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

“Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. “But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.)

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

”It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. ”Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round – the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

”We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. ”That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

”Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. ”But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

“It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. “Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round — the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

“We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. “That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

“Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. “But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

Although I find there are many Oakland Raiders who are missing from the Pro Football Hall of Fame (like Ken Stabler) there are 18 players (plus Al Davis and John Madden) in the Hall of Fame who wore the Silver and Black. Here’s a look at three great Oakland Raiders Hall of Famers:

Gene Upshaw

Truly one of the greatest pro football players in the history of the game, Gene Upshaw was was a first-round draft pick for the Raiders in 1967, which was the first combined AFL-NFL draft. He played 15 seasons for the Silver and Black, retiring after the 1981 season. Gene Upshaw played in 307 preseason, regular season and post-season games. He helped the Raiders win the AFL championship in 1967, along with Super Bowls XI and XV. He was a leader on the field and was the Raiders’ offensive unit captain for eight seasons.

This great Raider passed away in 2008, after 25 years as the head of the NFL player’s union. Influential off the field as well, he helped introduce free agency into the NFL, and I think he helped create the modern business of professional football we know today. Another milestone for Upshaw, he was the first African-American head of a professional sports player’s union.

Dave Casper

Dave Casper, known as “The Ghost” as in “The Ghost to the Post,” one of the Raiders’ greatest plays ever. In 1977, during the AFC playoff game against the Colts, Casper had the reception that won the double-overtime game for the Raiders. The “Ghost to the Post” refers to his 42-yard reception, that set up the field goal that tied the game at the end of regulation.

Casper was part of another famously named Raider play, the “Holy Roller” against the Chargers in 1978. With the Raiders down six points, QB Ken Stabler fumbled, but the ball rolled towards the Chargers goal line, RB Pete Banaszak knocked it further, and Casper helped it along before falling on it in the end zone to tie and then win the game. Dave Casper played for the Oakland Raiders from 1974-1980, then returned to play in Los Angeles in 1984 after playing with the Oilers and Vikings. In his eight years with the Raiders, Casper had 255 receptions for 3,294 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Mike Haynes

Cornerback Mike Haynes is unique as he is one of the only Raider Hall of Famers to only play in Los Angeles. He came to the Raiders from the Patriots in a settlement that gave the Pats a number one draft pick in 1984 and a number two pick in 1985, which shows his value. He got to work quickly and played the last five games in 1983, then started and even grabbed an interception in the Raiders’ Super Bowl XVIII win. In his seven years with the Raiders, he had 18 interceptions for 295 yards and one touchdown.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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North Syracuse, NY — Fourth-grader Elijah Adkins had no idea that he would be meeting one of his favorite football players when he went to school Friday.

“It was shocking,” Adkins said.

Oakland Raiders and Cicero-North Syracuse graduate Tyvon Branch visited KWS Bear Road Elementary School to tell the students about the importance of making the right choices.

“School is very important,” Branch said. “Getting good grades in school gives you the opportunity to go to college. Go to school everyday and listen to your teachers.”

Branch, 25, was a former star football player at C-NS and is still shining on the field as the starting strong safety for the Oakland Raiders. He agreed to come in to talk to the students when he was home for a visit.

The room of kindergarten through fourth-grade students erupted in applause and cheers as Branch entered the gymnasium at the elementary school. And every hand shot up in the air when Branch asked the students if they liked football.

Adkins said his favorite team is the Oakland Raiders and he said he liked Branch because he’s an amazing athlete.

“I just like how good he is,” Adkins said.

Branch has played in the NFL for four years and played for the University of Connecticut. At C-NS, he holds numerous school records in indoor and outdoor track and was a state champion in 2004.

Branch said he was happy that the students were taking part in the NFL’s Play 60, which encourages kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to reverse childhood obesity.

“It’s important that you stay active,” he said. “I got these muscles by eating right and working out.”

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Coach Dennis Allen will get a prime-time stage to the start of his tenure with the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders will once again open the season in the back end of a Monday night doubleheader on Sept. 10 at home against San Diego. This marks the fourth time in five years that Oakland has opened in the late Monday night game.

”I’m excited about it. You grow up watching Monday Night Football and the theme song,” Allen said Tuesday. ”We’re excited about getting to open up the new era of Raider football both in the preseason on Monday night and in the regular season.”

The NFL released the 2012 schedule on Tuesday, the same day Allen held his first voluntary minicamp since taking over as Raiders coach from the fired Hue Jackson in January.

Many of the players had already been at the facility the past two weeks for voluntary offseason conditioning, but this was the first time Allen and his coaching staff could get them out on the field.

”We’re using this as an opportunity to really install a core base offense, defense and special teams,” he said. ”Really just get a chance to let the guys go through the motions of breaking a huddle lining up in a formation, lining up in a defense, lining up in a punt team formation and allow them to get a feel for what we’re going to do and how they’re going to be asked to do it.”

This is the first chance for the staff to get a firsthand look at their new players. General manager Reggie McKenzie said last week this would be a particularly important three-day test for second-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

The Raiders used a 2012 third-round pick to take Pryor in the supplemental draft last August but never got a chance to see what the former Ohio State star could do. He signed too late to play in the preseason and got on the field just once in the regular season, committing a false start on his only play.

”What I want to see is that every day he gets a little bit better,” Allen said. ”That’s what we’re looking for with all of our players. None of us are where we need to be right now.”

One encouraging sign was that star running back Darren McFadden was able to participate. McFadden missed the final nine games last season with a sprained right foot and never got a chance to play with new quarterback Carson Palmer, who made his debut with the Raiders later in the game that McFadden hurt his foot.

McFadden ran for 614 yards and scored five touchdowns in seven games last season. He had a big season in 2010 when he gained 1,664 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns but has missed 19 games in four seasons because of various injuries.

”He’s one of our most explosive players on offense,” Allen said. ”He’s a dangerous weapon. We’re looking forward to finding different ways of using him and kind of exploiting his talents.”

Allen hopes to have a healthy McFadden for the entire season. Other highlights of the schedule include a Thursday night home game against Denver on Dec. 6. That comes in the middle of a three-game homestand to start December, with games also against Cleveland and Kansas City.

The Raiders end the season with their only back-to-back road games, making trips to Carolina and San Diego. They also have road games surrounding their Oct. 7 bye, going to Denver before the week off and Atlanta the following week.

The trip to Atlanta is one of five to the Eastern time zone, the most the Raiders have ever made in a regular season, including a Week 2 trip to Miami.

Oakland also hosts Pittsburgh on Sept. 23 and travels to Cincinnati Nov. 25, where Jackson returned as an assistant after being fired by the Raiders.

While I like to follow along with the Oakland Raiders’ latest signings and draft prospects, I also like to look at the bigger picture and how the team stands historically against other teams in the league.

The Oakland Raiders have a long history that parallels the growth of professional football. The Raiders first played in 1960 as part of the upstart AFL league, started as a direct competitor to the NFL. Things were pretty bad until the man himself, Al Davis, came to the team in 1963. Mr. Davis turned things around for the Silver and Black and the Raiders became the dominant team in the new league. The AFL merged with the NFL in 1970, largely due to the efforts of Mr. Davis, and the Raider nation began to dominate the full, modern NFL.

Since their inception, the Raiders have a .500 record against 25 of the league’s 31 teams. By winning percentage, according to the Raiders official website, here’s a look at the top five NFL teams most dominated by the Raiders:

1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Raiders are the most dominant against the Bucs with a .857 win percentage. The figure is a bit distorted as they’ve only played each other seven times, with the Raiders winning six of them. The Raiders and Buccaneers first met in 1976.

Tied for 2nd – Cincinnati Bengals

The Raiders and Bengals first met in 1968 and the teams have played 26 games against each other, with the Raiders winning 18 for a winning percetnage of .692.

Tied for 2nd – Minnesota Vikings

With the same winning percentage against the Vikings as the Bengals, .692, the Raiders have played the Vikings 13 times, winning 9 games. The teams first squared off in 1973.

3 – St. Louis Rams

This statistic also covers the Los Angeles Rams and the Rams and Raiders first played in 1972. 12 games later, the Raiders have won 8 for a winning percentage of .667.

Tied for 4th – Washington Redskins

The Oakland Raiders first played the Redskins in 1970 and the teams have played 11 games since. The Raiders have won seven of those games, for a winning percentage of .636.

Tied for 4th – New York Giants

The Giants and the Raiders have only played 11 games since first meeting in 1973, with the Raiders winning 7.

5 – Arizona Cardinals

This also covers the Cardinals when they played in St. Louis. The teams first met in 1973 and have played eight games. The Raiders have won 5 for a winning percentage of .625.

Other side of the coin

The Raiders’ worst record is against the Baltimore Ravens, going 1 and 5 with them since first meeting in 1996, for a .167 winning percentage.

Conclusion

The Raiders have some great numbers against teams where they’ve played them more than 40 times, which I think is a truer statistic, and equally impressive. Against the Bills (.528), Broncos (.573), Chiefs (.466) and Chargers (.548), all with a long history against the Raiders, the team is over .500 in every case but the Chiefs.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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As time progresses in the 2012 offseason, I have more and more confidence in the Oakland Raiders’ general manager, Reggie McKenzie. The latest move involves defensive end Dave Tolllefson who signed a two-year contract guaranteeing $1.5 million with the potential of a $3 million payout.

Many fans throughout the Raider Nation had hoped this signing would come to fruition with the much needed depth on the Raiders’ defense. He could have a big impact on the Raiders’ defensive front in 2012. The 29-year-old comes from the New York Giants where he had a career-high five sacks this season.

Tollefson is a Bay Area native, born in Walnut Creek, California. He was a Raider for a brief time when he was signed before the start of the 2007 season but was ultimately waived in the final round of cuts and headed to New York. Reportedly, the Raiders’ late owner, Al Davis, always regretted losing him.

I’m very excited about this move and it should give Raiders’ fans just another reason to have faith in what McKenzie is doing.

On March 30, the Raiders signed linebacker Philip Wheeler, who has already become one of my favorite players. Wheeler credited both the legendary status of the team and the fans for being responsible for his decision to call Oakland home. He signed a one-year deal and is reportedly a strong run defender and also helps to fill the void Kamerion Wimbley left.

In 2011, Wheeler played 13 games for the Indianapolis Colts and recorded a sack in addition to making 80 tackles. The 27-year-old could also be a big help when it comes time to face the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning. Wheeler told NFL writer Jerry McDonald, “I feel like I’m better just from going up against him in practice every day and I’ll be prepared to face any quarterback like that. I think I can help the team do that.”

This should make the thought of facing Manning twice in 2012 a little more palpable for all of us in the Raider Nation.

Another signing I really like is the former Green Bay Packers’ reserve cornerback, Pat Lee. He’s said to be a solid player, at 6-feet 196 pounds, and has good strength and athleticism in addition to an ability to play well on special teams. He needs a little more time out on the field as he wasn’t able to really get into the Green Bay rotation, but it was McKenzie who was responsible for drafting him in 2008 and he obviously sees great potential in the 28-year-old.

There will be many more signings to come, but as of now, Lee, Wheeler and Tolllefson are three players who could have a positive impact on getting the team back to where they need to be and fulfilling the phrase, “Just win baby!”

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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With the Oakland Raiders starting their off-season workouts and the 2012 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, I think we have a big year coming up. New GM Reggie McKenzie has been building the team, from the head coach, on down and Oakland Raiders fans like me just have to trust his judgement.

While I think it’s important to look forward to the new season, I also like to take a look back at some of the Raiders players who helped create and build the historic team we now have. This season is all about Carson Palmer and whether he can live up to the superstar burden that’s been placed upon him. I think GM McKenzie has been building a team around him, so after an off-season to really learn the Raiders systems, he better step up to the task. Palmer follows in the footsteps of a lot of great Raiders quarterbacks, here’s a look at the best.

By yards gained, here are the Oakland Raiders’ top five career passing leaders:

1 – Ken Stabler

I think the fact that Ken “The Snake” Stabler is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame shows the bias and discrimination felt against the Raiders. Snake played for the Silver and Black from 1970-1979 and racked up 19,078 yards and 150 touchdowns. He was 1,486 for 2,481, which is 59.9 percent completions.

2 – Rich Gannon

I always think of Gannon as “the Quiet Raider” as he just went out and did his job. He played for the Raiders from 1999-2004 and put up some impressive stats. He has 17,585 yards, with 114 touchdowns. He also has a low 50 interceptions. With the Raiders, he was 1,533 for 2,448, a 62.6 percent completion rate.

3 – Daryle Lamonica

We’re getting old-school with “The Mad Bomber” himself, Daryle Lamonica. Lamonica played for the Raiders from 1967-1973 and has 16,655 total yards, with 148 touchdowns. He was 1,138 for 2,248, which is a 50.6 percent completion rate.

4 – Jim Plunkett

Plunkett is a another Oakland Raiders icon and I can remember watching him play in his final season in 1986. He led the team to Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl XV against the Eagles, then again the next season, after the move to Los Angeles. He has 12,665 yards passing with the Raiders, with 80 touchdowns. He completed 960 passes out of 1,697 attempts, for a 56.6 completion percentage.

5 – Marc Wilson

Wilson is another less high profile player, who still was a great member of the Raider Nation and had some impressive stats as QB. He passed for 11,760 yards with 77 touchdowns. He also had 86 interceptions. He threw 871 completions in 1,666 attempts, a 52.3 percent completion rate.

Interesting fact

Number 6 on the list of the Raiders’ career passing leaders is Raider legend Tom Flores, who was a great Raider quarterback before he was a great Raider coach. Flores was also the first Hispanic quarterback in the NFL.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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The Oakland Raiders‘ former head coach and player Art Shell will be honored once again by the Pro Football Hall of Fame where he’ll be given recognition as a Hometown Hall of Famer in North Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, April 6, at 2 pm. EDT at North Charleston High School.

The national program honors the hometown roots of the NFL‘s greatest players and Shell will be presented with the plaque by representatives of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Allstate Insurance Company and the North Charleston, S.C. community. It will remain on permanent display at North Charleston High School.

Shell spoke with Levi Damien of SilverandBlackPride.com about what the ceremony means to him, commenting, “With the Pro Football Hall of Fame and All State insurance company getting together and giving us a chance to go to our roots and where we came from and where we were nourished as football players back in the day. It’s a great opportunity to go back home and be among friends, family and football players I played with and to be honored. I’m looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be a wonderful event.”

On January 21, 1989, the Raiders’ former 15-year offensive tackle was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He made his NFL debut with the Raiders in 1968 and retired in Oakland in 1982, spending every year of his playing career with the Silver and Black. His presentation speech was given by the Raiders’ late owner, Al Davis.

Shell starred in the Raiders’ first Super Bowl Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings on January 9, 1977, helping the team capture their first title with a defeat over Minnesota, 32-14. He was credited with a near flawless performance against the Vikings’ standout defensive end, Jim Marshall.

In college with Maryland State-Eastern Shore, Shell was a star on offense and defense and was named All-Conference three years, All-America two years by the Pittsburgh Courier and Ebony Magazine and little All-America as a senior in 1967. He was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and made the All-Pro team three times in addition to many other great accomplishments. Many felt that Shell was the ” finest of many excellent Raiders offensive linemen of the 1970s.”

As the Raiders’ head coach, he was named the 1990 AFC Coach of the Year and amassed a record of 54 wins and 38 losses during his first stint from 1989 to 1994 in Los Angeles.

It’s no wonder players like linebacker Philip Wheeler, who was recently signed to the team, credit Oakland’s reputation as one of the most legendary teams in the NFL as the reason for wanting to become a Raider. Men like Shell helped it become that way.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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