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Oakland Raiders: Life After Lane

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

The 2008 season might go down as one of the most bizarre campaigns in the history of the Oakland Raiders. Lane Kiffin and Al Davis clearly didn't get along, while Kiffin pulled off the impossible task of making Davis look like a sane, rational person.

A team spokesperson nearly decked a beat writer; the punter was, reportedly, punched out by a defensive lineman; and the team on the field finished with a losing season, failing to win more than five games for the sixth consecutive year. Just a disastrous season in every way imaginable.

Might Glenn Dorsey Pull an "Alan Branch"?

The 2003 draft was supposed to be a big one for defensive tackles, and five were eventually taken in the first round. But they've largely flopped. The highest picked, Dewayne Robertson, has had a good career that falls short of expectations. Two have been disappointments (Jimmy Kennedy and William Joseph), and one a complete failure (Johnathan Sullivan). Kevin Williams is the only one holding it down.

That has been one reason defensive tackles have since been devalued in April. Some have also been known for not having (warning: scout speak) "a motor." Last year, Alan Branch had to deal with all of that and concern over stress fractures in both legs that didn't cause him to miss time. Branch was a top-5 selection in January, by April the Cardinals took him 33rd.

But the same couldn't happen to Glenn Dorsey and his strained knee, could it?
Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys executive and an analyst for nfl.com, said he expected Dorsey's knee to be heavily scrutinized by N.F.L. team doctors at the N.F.L. combine in February.
...
"I would imagine that there's some concern with his knee," Brandt said of Dorsey in a telephone interview. "The teams' doctors, 25 of them might say, 'There's nothing wrong with this guy. He's in great shape.' Seven might say, 'Well, I think he's a risk.'"
Dorsey is as of now a sure top-5 pick, maybe first. If he were to fall, it won't be out of the top 10. Still, I think that's highly unlikely. Teams begin to grossly overanalyze now, but this guy is for reals, and they'll all come to their senses.

Giants Lose Osi Umenyiora and Brandon Jacobs to Knee Injuries

Would it be a New York Giants football game without a few devastating injuries? If you answered no, you're right on, and I'm not here to disappoint you.

Defensive end Osi Umenyiora and running back Brandon Jacobs have both been lost for the night, possibly longer, after suffering a pair of knee injuries. While both players were able to walk off under their own power, the Giants have already scheduled them for MRI's tomorrow.

Due to Umenyiora's injury, Michael Strahan, who had been serving as a reserve, was forced back into his starting role. Normally, William Joseph would have taken that spot, but he also suffered
a back injury prior to the game, and is unavailable.

In replace of Jacobs, the Giants have turned to a running back by committee.

Update: Cornerback Kevin Dockery was carted off with an ankle injury.

Giants Training Camp Notebook: Manning On Fire; An Appearance by Number 92

Giants Training Camp Notebook is a cliff notes style post aimed at giving Giants fans up-to-date news about the most recent training camp practices.

- What was all the commotion at Giants practice today? It was number 92; it was Michael Strahan! Hey, wait a second ... that wasn't Strahan; it was William Joseph playing a nasty, horrible prank on Giants fans.

- Eli Manning had another fantastic day of practice today. I realize it's starting to sound like a broken record, but it's a pleasant sound for a change. Honestly, would you prefer hearing about inconsistent Eli?

- Perhaps the best news of the day involved wide receiver Amani Toomer. No, it had nothing to do with his performance on the practice field, just that he will actually be on the field this Sunday. It will be the first time Toomer has played in a game since being carried off the gridiron last year.

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