Y’all are jokes judging McKenzie & co. based off of one season. Especially if you’re doing this and completely ignoring the fact that they were given no draft picks AND a tough cap-room situation. Thanks to Hue Jackson for the former, and Al Davis for the latter. (the people you should blame for the 6 ft hole the organization is trying to climb out of.) Note that I think Davis was the best thing to ever happen to football, and I think Hue Jackson is a stud play-caller.

Nevertheless, both McKenzie & Allen made mistakes but to me that’s okay since they were both rookies in their positions. It wouldn’t be okay if they didn’t own up to their mistakes or learned from them. But based on interviews this off season and moves they’ve made, it looks like they’ve learned quite a lot their rookie year. Allen sure as hell owned up to his mistake by firing Knapp and that horrible ST coach. I like all 3 signings of Olsen, Sparano, and April as well. Olsen looks like his style & scheme goes in hand with the offense this roster has, barring this group of o-linemen. But that’s where Sparano comes into play, an excellent lineman coach. It’s become a trend for o-line coaches to be asst. HCs, and Sparano seems the perfect role for that in Oakland. If you watch April’s introduction interview, he clearly has a great understanding of how important STs are. example: put an emphasis that a good ST always strives to put their team in good field position.

the linebackers coach, Bob sanders, looks like he just does a good job relaying the message…. Tarver specializes in linebackers so just have to have good communication between the two

The things we don’t see is what matters most to a team’s success during regular season. Those things being coaches meetings, team meetings, and practices. It matters a whole deal that the staff meshes together and understands each others philosophies. Maybe I didn’t pay attention as much last year or maybe I did, but I don’t remember getting the impression that the staff was working hard together on getting on that same level of speaking the same language, in terms of scheming and playbooking, that I do this year.

So I have a better sense of comfort with this staff than I do last year, that’s for sure. But now for the roster, us fans still have to wait and see, in order to fairly judge the front office. For me to have the same comfort that I do with Allen’s offseason moves, I would like to see the following from McKenzie:

Reconstruct Palmer OR cut him and draft Geno Smith — either way sign Matt Moore for competition
-Matt Moore has ties w/ Sparano, actually they flourished w/ each other, having their best seasons production-wise as a duo

resign Mike Goodson, definitely looked like a play-maker when given the ball last season, his PFF backs this up too +6.9 on 145 snaps

reconstruct DHB that gives a bigger aid to cap room than Brisel pay-cut, if he doesn’t want to, Cut him
attempt to sign WR Brian Hartline if Dolphins don’t resign him, another player that has ties w/ Sparano, i would say Greg Jennings but his asking price is ridiculous
-could even draft a WR, class is deep w/ hidden gems (Marquess Wilson)

attempt to sign TE Delanie Walker, if power scheme is what Olsen wants, Walker would be great fit, good run blocker that can line up anywhere on the field (sorta like Reece but as blocker instead of play-maker catcher/runner, although Walker can sometimes make spectacular catches, he just isn’t consistent) if i were passing though, i would just sub Reece or Ausberry in for Walker
-could even draft a TE, class is deep
let Myers walk, won’t fit new scheme

let Barnes walk, draft a RT
if Jets put a 2nd round tender on OT Austin Howard, and McKenzie trades back for one, attempt to sign the restricted free agent who has ties w/ Sparano

let Carlisle walk unless he takes vet minimum
attempt to sign OGs Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson from Jets, Sparano familiar w/ them as well…. Jets made strides when they switched to gap-blocking from zone-blocking late in the season

trade Brisel and Bringstrom for draft picks if they can’t adjust to gap-blocking scheme, otherwise keep them for competition

im HIGH on Brandon Ross, Phillip Adams and Joselio Hansen. resign them all if possible. Ross played great at end of season!! Can do good at both corner and safety imo. Adams is good reserve DB (held his own when name called) and can be good punt returner w/ coach April. Hansen is one best nickelbacks in league. FA class is deep so would like McKenzie to attempt to sign following: Adam Jones, Terrence Newman, Sheldon Brown, Chris Houston, Greg Toler, Darius Butler, EJ Biggers, Keenan Lewis, Kyle Arrington. whichever falls to 3rd tier in the FA in terms of pricing $$..
i can see McKenzie drafting CB McFadden out SDSU if he falls late mid rounds

resign Wheeler !! attempt to sign Nick Barnett (ties w/ McKenzie), attempt to sign Brad Jones (he loves him some Packers)

attempt to sign DE Michael Bennett (TA&M), definitely attempt to sign DE Juqua Parker–browns moving to 3-4 so he won’t resign with them; can come at cheap 1-yr deal, attempt to sign DE Wallace Gilberry
-draft Bjoern Werner (very high on him), Mingo, or Ansah

resign Bryant !! despite his mugshot LOL, you can’t knock Desmond’s coming along year last season (highest PFF rating for interior d-linemen +16.5) i think the mugshot helps Raiders leverage in resigning him matter of fact
cut Tommy Kelly if he doesn’t reconstruct
attempt to sign DT Vance Walker
or draft Sharriff Floyd, Star, Sheldon Richardson

reconstruct Huffs contract, maybe Branch too.. move Huff back to FS..
draft a safety, class is deep
PLZ cut Giordano,
resign Mike Mitchell if cheap (ST player, good reserve for depth)
can always play Brandon Ross at FS if Huff needs to be cut

sadly, let Shane Lechler walk and use that $$ elsewhere… I like King’s potential.. have King or Pryor be Jano’s new holder

“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” - George Bernard Shaw

As life changes, we must change. Change is the most definite inevitability.

We are humans.

We are character.

We are personality.

We are habits.

We are self-conscious.

The list can be forever of what “we” is, but as “we” goes as life goes, it should be a necessity that “we” changes in a positive manner. But what we fail to realize is that life follows our change. Our change is the former, and life’s change is the latter. Our change effects the cause of life’s change. So if”we” changes positively, life’s change will also be positive+