Since then, McKenzie has taken a chainsaw to the team, and while the improvements he's made may not appear to even be improvements at first glance, that doesn't change the fact that he has the Raiders very much headed in the right direction where the franchise's long-term future is concerned.
The biggest problem that McKenzie has faced, of course, is the steaming pile of‚ um, talent that was the Oakland Raiders' 53-man roster when he took the reins.
Over the last several years of Al Davis' life, the Oakland roster was managed with Millen-esque ineptitude. Huge contracts were handed out like candy to players who didn't merit them.
The Raiders became a running joke where the NFL draft was concerned. Pundits and fans stifled giggles as they waited to see which head-scratching pick Davis would make each season.
Take a look at the Raiders' last five first-round picks under Davis.
Year
Player
Status
2010
Rolando McClain
Expected to be Released
2009
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Released in 2013
2008
Darren McFadden
Remains with Raiders
2007
JaMarcus Russell
Released in 2010
2006
Michael Huff
Released in 2013
Now factor in that in the last two NFL drafts the Raiders haven't even had a first-round pick thanks to disastrous trades that brought defensive lineman Richard Seymour and quarterback Carson Palmer to Oakland.
Neither of those players is still on the Raiders' roster either.
Even players such as Huff, linebacker Philip Wheeler and tight end Brandon Myers...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
