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If anyone still hasn’t grasped that the Oakland Raiders are a changed organization, all they have to do is watch Juron Criner run routes during this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

A player with potential, Criner has speed in the 4.7-second range. He is not the burner former owner Al Davis craved, and if Davis were still alive Criner would likely not be in Oakland today.

The Autumn Wind is still a Raider, but it blows on a different course.

When Davis died at age 82 on Oct. 8, it was clear that the Raiders were going to embark upon a major transition period. Davis was the Raiders’ decision-maker for nearly 50 years, even into his ailing final days. That just doesn’t happen in the NFL anymore. Can you imagine George Halas still running the Bears, or Vince Lombardi still on the sideline in Green Bay?

While we anticipated change, the modification since the 2011 season ended in Oakland has been swift, dramatic and wildly intriguing. The Raiders are suddenly moving on from the staunchly independent ways of Davis and emerging as a modern outfit with youthful spirit and ideas.

“I think the biggest challenge is that because the leadership has been the way it’s been done for so long, people are used to doing things one way,” new Oakland head coach Dennis Allen said earlier this offseason. “I think the biggest challenge is just getting people within the organization to open up the thought process to doing things another way. There are different ways to do things in this league. I think everyone within the organization has been open and receptive to conforming to the way (new general manager) Reggie (McKenzie) and I are trying to do things.”

Though Davis was a legend, his ways didn’t always work in today's NFL. The Raiders’ last Super Bowl title came nearly 30 years ago and Oakland hasn't had a winning season in 10 years. Its nine-year playoff drought is tied for the second-longest in the NFL.

If there has been an MVP in Oakland since Davis’ death, it has to be his son, Mark. While his father ran the team, the affable younger Davis chose to ride in the background. Once he took over as the leader of the Raiders, Mark continued that approach.

Davis -- who was being advised some of his father’s top lieutenants in John Madden, Ron Wolf and Ken Herock --- listened to advice and hired Green Bay personnel man Reggie McKenzie as general manager shortly after the end of last season. Mark Davis deserves credit for respecting his advisors' recommendations (McKenzie has a strong ties to Wolf and Herock) and for allowing McKenzie to run the team once he was hired.

McKenzie’s task is a tough one and it will take time. But thus far, McKenzie -- a former Raiders linebacker -- has put his head down and dug in. The Raiders didn’t hire an Al Davis clone in McKenzie. The new GM is doing things his way.

McKenzie hired Allen, then Denver’s defensive coordinator, as head coach. The last defensive-minded head coach in Oakland was Madden -- who was hired in 1969. McKenzie fired longtime scouts and revamped the team’s draft preparation, focusing on modernizing the process. He has reportedly already hired a new college scouting director, former Green Bay colleague Shaun Herock, and has added former Jets' executive Joey Clinkscales to the front office. More scouts are likely on the way in.

McKenzie cut several players to whom Davis gave supersized contracts in his final years -- part of what should be a new emphasis on salary-cap management under McKenzie. The Raiders also added players in free agency and in the draft who fit Allen's schemes, rather than a rigid scouting plan. Speed and measurables are no longer as important as when Al Davis was running the team.

On the first day of the Raiders’ offseason program, newly signed linebacker Philip Wheeler made some eye-opening comments.

“I actually heard some of the coaches saying we’re not just big and fast anymore,” Wheeler said. “We’re going to be big, fast and we’re going work harder and have good football players. The (Raiders) were always bigger, faster and stronger than everybody. But the awareness of the game, some of it was down or whatever. I feel like Mr. McKenzie brought in a lot of players in who actually know how to play the game and aren’t just faster than everybody. We have actual football players here now.”

Change in Oakland haven't stopped with the players. It has flowed throughout the organization in the past few months, including the hiring of a new public-relations director with whom McKenzie has a history. The Raiders have become more accessible and appear to be willing to be more transparent than under the Al Davis regime.

It’s a new NFL world and McKenzie is introducing his team to it. Allen said the plan is to meld the past and the future in Oakland.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for all of us that are involved,” Allen said. “To take over such a historic program, be a part of that tradition there with the Raiders, is obviously exciting for all of us. We’re excited about the opportunity to put our stamp on the program.

“I think with every great program in the National Football League, I think you really have to respect the history and tradition within the organization. The Oakland Raiders. It’s one of the most storied franchises in all of sport, not just the NFL. We want to embrace those, embrace the past, and the history of the organization. But yet, we want to do it our way. Reggie and I are going to work together to do it the way we want to do it, and put the best team out on the field we can put out there.”

Much of the transformation will be based on bringing stability to the franchise. The past three head coaches -- Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and Hue Jackson -- all created distractions for themselves and for the team. Throughout the years, instability caused many former Oakland players to be relieved when they became former Oakland players.

“There’s definitely a difference,” former Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt (whom McKenzie released) told reporters in Kansas City after he signed with the Chiefs this offseason. “You know what? I think there’s a little more stability here to say the least.”

Still, Allen made it clear the building process in Oakland will involve every facet of the organization.

“Our deal is, we want to foster an organization that’s based on trust, honesty, integrity, doing the right things, doing it the right way,” Allen said. “Those are things that both Reggie and I believe in. That’s the way we’re going to run that organization. We’re going to do things the right way. We’re going to do things in a first-class manner. We’re going to build a team that’s going to be tough, smart, disciplined. Just like I talked about doing the right things within the organization, that’s the way we’re going to do it as a team.”

Call it new shades of Silver and Black.

A lot has been made of Terrelle Pryor telling Sports Illustrated that he questioned whether he wanted to keep playing football last season and that he is now re-energized by the clean slate in Oakland.

What Pryor, who was taken in the third round of last year's supplemental draft by the late Al Davis, has to realize is, this new regime didn’t draft him. They are not attached to Pryor like they are to the young players they brought in this year.

Pryor will be given a chance to succeed just like every other player on the roster. But it’s up to him. He has to make strides. I just don’t see the new Oakland regime giving him a super long leash. He’ll get his time, but Pryor is like every other player on the roster from the Davis regime -- he has to prove to GM Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen that he belongs.

In other AFC West news:

The Chargers and Cowboys will hold joint practices in San Diego this August. Last summer, the Chargers visited Dallas in training camp.

The Denver Post believes the Broncos could make a run at free agent defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin.

It appears the Broncos are moving on without defensive tackle Marcus Thomas.

The Oakland Raiders announced Tuesday that four long-time members of the Al Davis front office -- George Karras, Bruce Kebric, Jon Kingdon and Kent McCloughan -- will leave the team.

The departures of Kindgon and Kebric had been reported, and wholesale changes have been expected since Reggie McKenzie became the team’s general manager in January. Davis died in October at the age of 82.

The team said Kebric and Kingdon were relieved of their duties, while Karras and McCloughan will retire.

“This was a very difficult decision, because these individuals have been part of this organization for all or parts of four decades,” McKenzie said in the statement. “We’re grateful for their dedicated service to the Raiders.”

Former Green Bay front office member Shawn Herock reportedly will become Oakland’s director of college scouting. In its release Tuesday, the team said McKenzie plans to announce a restructuring of the team’s player-personnel department this month. Expect major changes in the scouting personnel.

McCloughan, who first joined the team as a cornerback in the 1960s, had this to say about his time with the Raiders in the team’s release:

“I had talked to Al Davis when I turned 65 and he said, ‘Listen, young man: You’re not quitting before I do.’ I owe him a lot. He was so nice to my family and me. We had some great years, including when Ron Wolf was with us. We won a lot of games. I had the opportunity to work 47 years with one team. I enjoyed it so much. I thought Al Davis was an outstanding person and boss. I enjoyed the scouting department, the coaches and players I had the opportunity to work with, and I’ll always be a Raider. I’m going out about as good as a person can go out. You couldn’t have written a better story for me. I have the NFL Sunday Ticket, and I’ll still be watching all the games. I might even come out to training camp. I wish Reggie and the entire organization the best.”

Can the Raiders stay in the race in 2012?

The Oakland Raiders are a team in transition.

Steadying the organization with an eye on the future is the goal of new general manager Reggie McKenzie, who is taking over the direction of the team after the death of legendary Oakland owner Al Davis. Davis died at the age of 82 last October. Because Davis desperately tried to win in his final years, McKenzie was saddled with a poor salary-cap situation and a lack of draft picks.

The result is that Oakland has not been able to add many major pieces who can help right away. The problem is, Oakland’s three competitors in the AFC West -- Denver, Kansas City and San Diego -- all made significant additions.

The Raiders’ additions were more of the modest variety. If Oakland, which was 8-8 and lost the AFC West title to Denver via a tiebreaker last season, has a chance to win the division for the first time in 10 years, it must hope quarterback Carson Palmer finds his groove, running back Darren McFadden stays healthy, its young receivers continue to develop and the defense makes huge strides under new coach Dennis Allen.

Oakland has depth issues on both sides of the ball, so it can’t sustain many major injuries. There is talent in Oakland, and the team is on the right track for the future, but the question is: Can the Raiders compete in the immediate future?

Reggie McKenzie didn’t waste time in adding to his scouting department.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports McKenzie has hired longtime Green Bay scout Shaun Herock as the team’s director of college scouting. Herock was with the Packers for 19 years. McKenzie came to Oakland as general manager in January after a long stay in Green Bay.

Herock is the son of former Raiders and Packers personnel executive Ken Herock. Ken was one of the men who advised Oakland owner Mark Davis after Oakland owner Al Davis died last October. Herock also recommended McKenzie to Davis.

The Raiders fired former college scouting director Jon Kingdom after 33 years on Monday. Wholesale changes have been expected since McKenzie took over. Shawn Herock has long been considered as a possibility to join Oakland’s staff. He was the Packers assistant director of college scouting for 11 years. He’s been an NFL scout for 23 years.

Jets college scouting director Joey Clinkscale had been linked to the Oakland job. He went to the University of Tennessee and was childhood friends with McKenzie. During the draft, Clinkscale said he expected to remain in New York.

In other Oakland news:

The Raiders signed guard Ed Wang. He has played in six games with Buffalo. He was a fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2010 out of Virginia Tech. He was the first Chinese-American player drafted into the league.

The Oakland Tribune reports Raleigh McKenzie – the twin brother of Reggie McKenzie – will join the team’s scouting department.

Update: Clinkscale could still emerge as a pro personnel candidate in Oakland if he does leave the Jets.

According to a survey compiled by ESPN The Magazine, the Oakland Raiders are the second-highest paying NFL team behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders are the 80th highest-paying team in the world and the Steelers are the 75th highest paying team in the world based on the 2011 season.

The survey encompassed 278 teams,14 major pro leagues, covering seven sports, spanning 10 countries. The salary numbers are calculated from an average of base salaries among players.

All the Raiders got for being the second highest-paid NFL team in the league was an 8-8 record. It is another reminder why new Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie had to cut several players and restructure several other deals. The late Al Davis spent wildly as he unsuccessful tried to buy a championship in his final years.

Expect the Raiders to be significantly lower on the list next year. This survey also struck me to what a bargain the NFL is. The league is a cash cow, but the highest paying team in the NFL is only No. 75 in the world?

In other AFC West news:

In an Insider piece, Mel Kiper thinks Denver will get an immediate impact from defensive tackle Derek Wolfe and running back Ronnie Hillman.

New Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie began the expected overhaul of the team’s scouting department Monday when he fired longtime scout Jon Kingdon, according to the NFL Network.

Kingdon was Oakland’s college scouting director and had been with the organization for 33 years. The team is restructuring the organization as it transitions after the October death of owner Al Davis.

Davis was Oakland’s decision-maker on every move, but Kingdon was one of his top chiefs. When McKenzie took over in January, it was expected that wholesale changes would be made.

Often such changes happen shortly after the draft so don't confuse the timing of the firing as a sign that Kingdon failed during the weekend. It was McKenzie’s show and I’m sure this move was planned.

ESPN New York recently reported that the Jets and college scouting director Joey Clinkscales were likely to mutually part ways and that Clinkscales could leave for a lateral move in Oakland. McKenzie and Clinkscales were childhood friends who played together at the University of Tennessee. Clinkscales said during the weekend that he expects to stay in New York.

However, there is now an opening in Oakland for him.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


The biggest offseason move in the AFC West in years was the Broncos’ signing of superstar quarterback Peyton Manning in March.

It instantly changed the landscape of the AFC West and it likely will continue to do so for the next three years or so. During the draft, Manning’s impact was felt in the division when several of the premium picks by the Broncos’ rivals were defensive players.

The first player taken in the division was athletic defensive tackle Dontari Poe. The Memphis product was taken No. 11 by the Chiefs. San Diego used its first three picks on defensive players, all of whom have a chance to make an instant impact.

Let’s look at the highlights of the AFC West draft:

BEST MOVE

The first two days of the San Diego Chargers’ draft.

No one in the division scored like the Chargers did. Following up a strong free-agency class, Chargers GM A.J. Smith deserves a lot of credit for this draft. The Chargers badly needed impact players on defense and they got them.

San Diego made one of the top value picks of the draft when it watched South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram fall to them. He was supposed to be a top-10 pick. San Diego considered moving up to take Alabama safety Mark Barron but he went at No. 7. Instead, the Chargers stayed at home and watched an equally talented player fall to them. Ingram fills the Chargers’ biggest need and he should be an instant contributor.

The Chargers scored again by getting great value in the second and third rounds. San Diego watched Connecticut defensive lineman Kendall Reyes fall to them at No. 49. With LSU safety Brandon Taylor still on the board (San Diego considered him at No. 49), the Chargers moved up and took him at No 73. There is no way the Chargers could have scripted the first three rounds any better.

The 2012 Chargers got better in this draft.

RISKIEST MOVE

Arguably, there wasn't a riskier move in this draft than the Kansas City Chiefs’ choice of Poe at No. 11.

The nose tackle from Memphis was one of the most talked about players in the draft. After his stunning performance at the NFL combine, Poe was considered a potential top-five player. However, after teams dissected his game film, they discovered Poe didn’t consistently make plays against marginal competition.

By the time the draft rolled around, it seemed as though Poe could fall into the 20s. But the Chiefs took him because of his ability and the fact he fills their greatest need. Poe was the best talent at No. 11 and the fact he filled a major need makes this a logical pick.

But if Poe doesn't develop, the Chiefs will get heat for not following the general consensus. The team has failed to hit a home run with recent picks on the defensive line, so the Chiefs have to make this work. Kansas City thinks Poe will excel under coach Romeo Crennel because he will concentrate on one position as opposed to having to play several spots as he did in college. If the Chiefs are right, this will be a big score. If not, they’ll be forever reminded of it.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

I don’t think it was shocking that the Denver Broncos picked a quarterback or that the quarterback ended up being Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler.

But I think it was a surprise Denver took him at No. 57. That’s a high spot for a player who probably won’t start until 2015, at the earliest.

The Broncos have other needs and they have Manning. Yet, Osweiler was a target. It shows how much Denver executive VP John Elway values the position and how much he liked Osweiler. He could have waited a couple of years to peg Manning’s successor, but he did it before Manning has even thrown a pass in Denver.

FILE IT AWAY

This draft will be remembered as a success for all four teams in the division. I was impressed with how each team approached the draft and the patience each team showed.

I think the Chargers got as many impact players for the immediate future as any team in the league. I like Denver’s creativity. It traded out of the first round and still got some quality players such as defensive linemen Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson and running back Ronnie Hillman.

The Chiefs quietly had a strong draft and middle-rounders such as receiver Devon Wylie, defensive back De'quan Menzie and running back Cyrus Gray will add depth to this team.

New Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie didn’t have many picks to work with -- his first was No. 95. But it is easy to tell there is draft-room stability with the post-Al Davis Raiders.

McKenzie played his board well and didn’t make any puzzling picks based on measurables as the late Davis was known to do. Oakland’s draft will not make many headlines, but McKenzie may have tabbed future starters in tackle Tony Bergstrom, linebacker Miles Burris and receiver Juron Criner.

The Oakland Raiders have one of the most interesting receiver situations in the NFL.

They have several talented players but none who have completely proven themselves. Yet, the unit looked solid enough where they can let some players separate themselves. Still, the Raiders added an intriguing player to the mix when they drafted Arizona’s Juron Criner with the No. 168 pick in the fifth round.

I like this pick a lot.

Criner likely would have never been drafted by the Raiders in the past. He is not a speed demon. Al Davis would have seen that 4.7 speed and thrown Criner’s game tape in the garbage.

But he is a solid football player. He is 6-3, 220 pounds and he’s pretty polished. He has a chance to develop into a good NFL player. He is not a sure thing, but he has good ball skills and he always gives a full effort.

I think the new Oakland régime will throw him in the mix with the likes of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy and let these young players develop.

Yes, it’s a bit of a luxury pick. At the very least, Criner could be a helpful bottom-of-the rotation possession guy, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he offers more value than that.

The Oakland Raiders appear to be poised to add an experienced draft evaluator as they continue to rebuild their franchise after Al Davis.

ESPN New York reports the New York Jets and Joey Clinkscales, their top college talent evaluator, will likely part ways after the draft. The report cites that the Raiders are interested in Clinkscales.

This makes sense because since the Raiders are planning to make major changes in scouting after the draft. New Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie and Clinkscales were college teammates at Tennessee and remain friends.

His move to Oakland would be a lateral move. Clinkscales has been in his current role since 2008 and the Jets have had mixed drafting success since then.

In Clinkscales’ first year in his current role, the Jets selected Vernon Gholston with the No. 6 pick and he is considered one of the great all-time draft busts. He made $20 million without registering a sack for the Jets in three seasons. Still, Clinkscales is considered a solid football man, who has twice interviewed for general manager jobs.

Davis, who died last October at the age of 82, made essentially every personnel move for Oakland for nearly 50 years. This potential hiring is another example that Oakland is moving toward a more traditional organizational structure.

There are several interesting quarterback prospects available in the draft next week.

Had he not been taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the supplemental draft, Terrelle Pryor would have been one of them. After he became ineligible to play his senior season at Ohio State, Pryor was put in the supplemental pick and he was nabbed by the late Al Davis, who loved his natural ability.

As a result, the Raiders surrendered what would have been the No. 77 pick of this draft. I checked in with Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. to get his view on where Pryor would have fit in this draft class of quarterbacks. Muench said he thinks Pryor would have fit right around the middle of the third round, right in the value area of the pick Oakland used to get him.

Muench said he thinks Pryor likely would have been taken a round or so lower had he not been eligible for the supplemental draft because the year missed could slow his development. Still, Muench said because of Pryor’s immense natural gifts, he’d have a place in this draft.

Muench thinks Pryor would be the eighth best quarterback prospect this April. The top-level quarterbacks are, of course, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Ryan Tannehill. Muench believes Brandon Weeden, Kirk Cousins, Nick Foles and Brock Osweiler are all solid second-or-third round picks.

He’d slide Pryor in after that group. Muench sees him as a better prospect than the next group of quarterbacks that includes Russell Wilson, Kellen Moore and Ryan Lindley. Pryor has to improve in several areas, including decision making, before he can be considered a starting candidate, Muench says.

The Raiders are expected to sign a backup quarterback and keep Pryor as their third option. But there is no doubt he is still a developmental player who has plenty of value.

Reggie McKenzie’s first trade as the Oakland Raiders' general manager was another reminder the Al Davis days are over.

Friday, in a swap of backups, the Raiders shipped offensive lineman Bruce Campbell to Carolina for running back/special teamer Mike Goodson. Davis took Campbell in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. He was a combine star but never developed in Oakland. He appeared in 14 games in two seasons with no starts. The Panthers indicated Campbell, 23, will be moved from guard to tackle.

Campbell didn’t fit the Raiders’ new zone-blocking scheme. While giving up depth at the offensive line, the Raiders did add depth at running back in Goodson. I think Goodson probably replaces departed special-teams ace running back Rock Cartwright more than running back Michael Bush. Both players left in free agency.

Goodson, 24, showed some flashes as being a role player in 2010 when he had 452 yards on 103 carries and he had 40 catches for 310 yards. He fell out of favor with the new Carolina coaching staff last season and did not have any carries and appeared in just four games in 2011. I think Oakland still needs to add a running back to spell Darren McFadden and Taiwan Jones.

Update: I just caught up with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. He thinks Goodson has a chance to have a solid role in Oakland.

“He has a lot of ability,” Williamson said. “I have no idea why he got in the doghouse in Carolina, but I see him as an excellent change of pace for McFadden and insurance for Jones. I like it, but he has fumble issues.”

UPDATE II: McKenzie issued this statement on the trade: “We wanted to acquire another player to compete at the running back position. He can do a lot of things in our scheme on offense. He’s very versatile, he has natural running skills, he’s a great receiver out of the backfield and he has kick-return ability. I’m anxious to see if he can put all that together here as aRaider.”

“We appreciate the work Bruce has put in thus far with the Raiders, and we wish him the best"

The Oakland Raiders are one of the most intriguing franchises in the NFL these days. How will the post-Al Davis Raiders evolve?

After Davis' death in October, the much-less-involved Mark Davis turned his father’s beloved franchise over to Reggie McKenzie, a respected personnel man from Green Bay, who is embarking on his first journey as a general manager. McKenzie has entrusted former Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who at 39 is the youngest coach in the league, to be the next coach of a team that finished 8-8 last season and barely missed the playoffs.

The first focus for McKenzie has been clearing the Raiders’ roster of bloated contracts given to players as the Raiders desperately, and unsuccessfully, chased championships in Davis’ final years.

It has been a necessary exercise as Oakland begins the process of getting out of salary-cap jail. But Oakland has lost more talent than it has brought in the past month.

The question begs to be asked: Has Oakland fallen behind the rest of the AFC West for the 2012 season? It depends on whom you ask, of course. Asked this week if his team will be stronger or weaker in 2012, McKenzie, without explanation, said this: “Honestly, I envision it being stronger.”

However, many folks around the league wonder how.

“I think they have fallen behind,” Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. said. “They are in a tough salary-cap position and they are paying for it now. I just don’t see the improvement.”

Added Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.: “I do think they have slipped.” Williamson, in an Insider piece, gave the Raiders one of the worst free-agent grades in the AFC.

It’s difficult to look at the list of players Oakland has added and lost and not come to the same conclusion. Even given the need for salary-cap repair, a loss of talent mustn’t be brushed aside.

Here are some of the key players who were either cut or departed Oakland as free agents: linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, running back Michael Bush, quarterback Jason Campbell, cornerback Stanford Routt, tight end Kevin Boss, defensive tackle John Henderson, running back Rock Cartwright, receiver Chaz Schilens, defensive end Trevor Scott and cornerback Chris Johnson.

The projected starters who have been brought in: guard Mike Brisiel and cornerbacks Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer.

“You look who has come and who has gone, and it’s scary,” Horton said. “I like Mike Brisiel. He will help. But the two cornerbacks are just guys. They are not starters for a good team. The defense needs improvement and I don’t see it. All I see is the loss of talent. Where is the coverage coming from? Where is the pass-rush coming from?”

In addition to not having much cap room, the Raiders have a small draft class. They have five picks and their first pick is No. 95, at the end of the third round. McKenzie has said the Raiders need a starting outside linebacker. He might not know who that player is for some time.

Compounding the concern in Oakland is the fact that the rest of the AFC West has been aggressive this offseason.

Denver added the big prize of the NFL offseason -- quarterback Peyton Manning. Kansas City added several players, including Routt and Boss after they were jettisoned by Oakland. The Chargers lost star receiver Vincent Jackson and key backup running back Mike Tolbert, but added several pieces and have been lauded by scouts around the league for using their resources properly and adding to their overall talent level. Speaking this week solely about his own team, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli said he felt the need to improve his roster because of the improvement around him in the division.

Meanwhile, McKenzie and Allen are seemingly beginning their tenure in Oakland by taking a step back. Asked about the loss of talent while at the NFL owners meetings this week, Allen took a realistic approach.

“You know what, we knew what the situation was when we were going into it,” Allen said. “We knew it was going to be a tough situation. I think Reggie’s done a great job of managing everything as we’ve gone through this. You go through it every year. Every year, you have good players that you lose. And you’ve got to find a way to regroup and replace those guys, and that’s what we’re trying to get done.”

The problem is that Oakland has more holes than it did at the end of last season. In the past couple of seasons, the Raiders were intriguing because they were young and didn’t have many glaring needs. All they needed was their young talent to continue to improve. Now, though, Oakland has holes at tight end and linebacker and depth issues at all layers of the defense, at running back, along the offensive line and at quarterback.

“What if this team gets hurt a lot?” Horton asked. “There is no depth in this team.”

Still, not all is lost in Oakland. Running back Darren McFadden is an elite runner when healthy, the defensive line is an upper-echelon unit, the interior offensive line is strong, the special teams are top-notch, the receiver crew is potentially dynamic and the team believes quarterback Carson Palmer will benefit from a full offseason in the program.

The Raiders are hopeful that their talent can withstand this necessary offseason of cap repair. In a couple of years, if McKenzie continues to be financially prudent, the Raiders should be out of cap jail.

“This team wasn’t far away when I got here,” Allen said at the owners meetings. “We’re excited about trying to build on that and develop this team into a playoff-caliber team. Obviously, we took a couple hits because of the cap situation, but we’re looking forward to trying to develop the team and the players.”

The only question: Has the rest of the AFC West left the Raiders behind in the immediate future?

Will another salary-cap casualty in Oakland end up in Kansas City?

NFL Network's Jason La Canfora is reporting that tight end Kevin Boss will visit the Kansas City Chiefs. He was cut by the Oakland Raiders this week as the team purged big salaries given by the late Al Davis last year.

The first big Oakland cap casualty this year, Stanford Routt, signed with the Chiefs last month.

News of Boss; visit in Kansas City shows how important finding another tight end is for the Chiefs. They want to add another weapon to Tony Moeaki, who is expected to be back at full strength after missing all of last season with a torn ACL in his knee.

The Chiefs brought John Carlson to town Tuesday night. But he departed first thing Wednesday morning for Minnesota because the Vikings were offering him a big deal. He later signed with the Vikings.

A Moeaki-Boss combination could be strong for the varied Kansas City offense if both players can stay healthy. Boss was often banged up last season and he only had 28 catches for the Raiders. Yet when healthy he has shown he can be a receiving weapon.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Oakland Raiders are cutting tight end Kevin Boss. Boss signed a four-year, $16 million dollar deal last summer with $6 million in guaranteed money.

This move is another indication of major change in the leadership structure of the team. New general manager Reggie McKenzie is not showing much sentiment for the final free-agent class of former owner Al Davis, who died in October. Davis was closely involved with all of the Raiders’ free-agent moves last summer.

Davis signed Boss to be a replacement for Zach Miller, who departed for Seattle last summer. Known as a strong receiver with the New York Giants, Boss was often injured last season in Oakland and he didn’t make a great impact. However, he did have his moments and he appeared to be the type of player who could have a good future with Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer. Boss had 28 catches for 368 yards last season.

The Raiders have been paring down contracts and releasing players in the past few weeks. Boss joins cornerback Stanford Routt as the latest high-profile player Davis gave a new deal to last year, only to be sent packing by McKenzie. Defensive players John Henderson and Kamerion Wimbley, who both signed new deals last year, could soon join Boss and Routt as former Raiders.

The Raiders are suddenly having more offseason needs than expected. They will be able to do a few things in free agency, but probably not too much and they will have a small draft class.

The Raiders are now lacking an experienced pass-catching threat at tight end. The tight ends currently on the Oakland roster are Brandon Myers, Richard Gordon and David Ausberry.