Bringing in Aso

[Matthias]

Sean Gilbert is available. Seriously, a good group of DTs will make our DEs, LBs, and DBs better. Nice thought though

We can still get a DT in FA or the draft. If we take Luck, I doubt we are taking a top name DT in the draft. I'm a little surprised at the responses here, becasue we know the need for a shutdown corner. If Luck didn't come out, PP would then be the best choice for us. Asomugha playing with Gamble and Marshall back at nickel (If we could sign him for reasonable money) would be the best secondary in the NFL.

hell no indeed. Maybe Clausen, Godfrey, and next year's 2nd at most. Asomugha isn't exactly a spring chicken...

Yep, I can dig that. Aso is the best corner in the league. I'm sure there are coaches who tell their QBs before playing the Raiders, "Do not throw this guy's way!" He is worth a big deal, and besides age wise he is in his prime.

[JawnyBlaze]

Yea but he's only in his prime another 2 or 3 years at most. There is a pretty good chance our picks will be pretty high next year too...I don't wanna give up a top 5 overall pick for a guy that is gonna be on the decline in a couple years.

[Cyclonus]

That is the little Danny Snyder method of building a team. No thanks.

[Matthias]

Yea but he's only in his prime another 2 or 3 years at most. There is a pretty good chance our picks will be pretty high next year too...I don't wanna give up a top 5 overall pick for a guy that is gonna be on the decline in a couple years.

Very true, but at least we can say Aso's prime is hall of fame worthy. Even if he declines, he is still good for 5 or 6 more years. With good management and Luck on our side, we should be in the playoffs next year. We have a good o-line when healthy, two great backs when healthy, bring in another receiver and we are ready to go. At linebacker we are set, provided Thomas Davis comes back healthy, improve the secondary and we are an elite team.

[scarface]

Just no.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

At linebacker we are set, provided Thomas Davis comes back healthy, improve the secondary and we are an elite team.

improve the secondary by improving the line...improve the line by improving the DTs fielded. better DTs = better defense as a whole.

sooner or later people will grasp this.

[Matthias]

improve the secondary by improving the line...improve the line by improving the DTs fielded. better DTs = better defense as a whole.

sooner or later people will grasp this.

Who would we get at DT?

[Jangler]

So what would it take to bring him in?

Potato Salad

[Montsta]

Aso is a beast, but teams don't just ship out their best players for draft picks and projects, this isn't Madden dude.

[Matthias]

All of this is speculation by fans anyway, I only hope the FO would be thinking this way concerning strengthening the defense. Asomugha's contract only has one more year on it, and it could be likely he will not be returning to the Raiders after it is up. If they get a new head coach, Aso will more than likely want to leave. If he's going to learn a new defensive scheme, he might as well go to a contender while he's at it.

I think the first one who gives the Raiders a tantalizing deal for him will be the winner of obtaining him. Clausen (2nd round pick), Godfrey (3rd round pick), next year's 1st, and maybe another pick next year is a flashy enough deal for Al Davis to consider. I'm willing to part with both Clausen and Godfrey. We are essentially giving the Raiders next year's first and another pick for Asomugha. Giving them Clausen and Godfrey would free up cap space to sign him long term and possibly be able to keep Marshall as well. For those of you who want a DT, we can still get a DT in FA no problem, as well as a WR.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

If we wanna upgrade our defense, I'd rather just sign Haynesworth without giving up any players or draft picks.

Yeah, but how would you upgrade our defense?

[OneBadassCat]

Who would we get at DT?

Aso would not be worth giving up what it would take to get him. I'd much rather prefer Champ Bailey. As for DT, there are options like Brandon Mebane, Barry Cofield, Gabe Watson, Alan Branch, Cullen Jenkins, and Haloti Ngata.

Godfrey still has the potential to be a great player. Aso will only decline, and you're willing to give up 2 to 3 high round picks plus players? That kind of deal will set a franchise back.

[philp]

i think every player on the roster has been bashed at least once this year. d-low sucks and needs to be traded, smitty sucks...blah blah. even beason......BEASON???? come on.

[PhillyB]

as others have noted, CB is not our problem on defense. it's at defensive tackle, which is where everything starts.

if you can get consistent pressure up the gut, it allows your defensive ends to get to the quarterback, who's unable to step up in the pocket.

it allows your linebackers to roam the field freely without having to worry about blockers ahead, because those DT's can dominate and demand double teams. (ask jon beason about this one.)

lastly, it makes your secondary look better. no defensive back in the NFL can properly cover a starting professional wide receiver for more than four or five seconds - drop it down to a second or two in the pocket for the QB, and all of a sudden your charles godfreys and your richard marshalls start looking extremely good.

so forget Aso, forget Revis, hell, forget Peterson in the draft. get a handful of fatasses and watch what happens.