It won’t be too difficult for Raiders offensive lineman Cooper Carlisle to face his old teammates when the Broncos visit Oakland on Sunday.
“I was just thinking, most of the guys I keep in touch with are on the (injured reserve),” Carlisle said. “That is a different line these days.”
Carlisle, who spent his first seven seasons with the Broncos after being a fourth-round pick in 2000, was close friends with fellow offensive linemen Ben Hamilton, Matt Lepsis and Tom Nalen. Hamilton and Nalen are out for the season, leaving Lepsis as the lone ranger from that Denver group who will suit up at Oakland. The Broncos have introduced four new starters on the offensive line since the start of the 2006 season: Montrae Holland, Chris Kuper, Chris Myers and Erik Pears.
Carlisle contributed to that change when he left as a free agent to join the Raiders last April. Oakland now employs Denver’s zone-blocking scheme under new coach Lane Kiffin. Denver was interested in retaining Carlisle, but because of competition for the starting spot in Denver compared to a sure starting role in Oakland, he decided to move West. He has started all 11 games for the 3-8 Raiders.
“I loved my time in Denver, but this is a business and you go where the business takes you,” Carlisle said. “This has been a good fit for me. I miss my friends there, but overall I do enjoy being a Raider.”
Al staying put. It didn’t get much play nationally, but in a rare interview, Raiders owner Al Davis had some stunning comments in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune a couple of weeks ago when the Raiders were in the Twin Cities to play the Vikings.
Davis told the newspaper that he plans to continue to stay in control the Raiders to see the team through two more Super Bowl wins.
Yes, two more Super Bowl wins. Wonder if Al has gotten ahold of some anti-aging cream or something? The man is 78 years old. Does he know just how far his team is from competing for the AFC West, let alone a Super Bowl championship? At the Raiders’ current pace, Davis will need to stick around another 27 years.
This team has won only 18 games since losing the Super Bowl in January 2003. It has gone through four coaches in that time.
Martyball to reappear? While there may not be a ton of NFL head coaching openings in January, there is speculation Marty Schottenheimer will be at the top of the list for teams looking for a new coach. Among the franchises that might be looking are Miami, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Carolina, San Francisco, St. Louis and San Diego. It’s highly unlikely Schottenheimer would return to Kansas City or San Diego.
The Chargers’ struggles this season may be working in Schottenheimer’s favor. The Chargers were 14-2 under him last season before he lost a power struggle to general manager A.J. Smith and was let go. Under coach Norv Turner, the Chargers have been inconsistent and are 6-5. People are astonished how much the talented team has missed Schottenheimer.
Baltimore is a possibility if the Ravens and Brian Billick part ways. The Ravens are 4-7 and losers of five consecutive games.
Around the league. The recent strong play of Glenn Martinez and Andre Hall shows why Denver puts so much energy into signing reserve/future players. The Broncos are routinely among the most aggressive teams in that pursuit. … If the Browns re-sign Derek Anderson and deal top pick Brady Quinn, don’t expect Miami to show interest. The Dolphins passed on Quinn in the first round and liked second-round pick John Beck from BYU better. Beck is now starting for Miami, and Quinn is stuck behind the suddenly fabulous Anderson. … Another name to watch in the offseason coaching carousel is former Atlanta coach Jim Mora. He is coaching the Seattle defensive backs and could land a head coaching gig again soon. … San Francisco defensive coordinator Mike Singletary, who withdrew from consideration recently at his alma mater, Baylor, could be on the Falcons’ coaching list if Bobby Petrino doesn’t return. … Houston assistant coach and former Green Bay head man Mike Sherman is heading to the college ranks after being hired at Texas A&M, and he may not be the only coach with NFL ties interested in a college gig. There are rumors that former Broncos assistant Karl Dorrell could be in trouble at UCLA. Former San Francisco and Detroit coach Steve Mariucci could be attractive to the Bruins. … Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski may attract interest from some college programs, including Duke and Georgia Tech. Chudzinski turned the Browns’ offense from dormant to dominant in one season. That gets you noticed. … You have to wonder if Ricky Williams ever will be an effective running back again. After being reinstated after a lengthy drug suspension, Williams suffered a serious chest muscle injury in his first game back. Williams will be 31 before next season starts, and he’ll be five years removed from his last 1,000-yard season. At this point, will he be attractive to the Dolphins or anyone else? … While Broncos receiver Javon Walker says he can finish the season, he said he isn’t likely to be 100 percent until the offseason. Walker had knee surgery in October. … Many scouts believe the NFL has seen the last of Simeon Rice. He was just cut by the Colts 18 days after being cut by the Broncos. If Tony Dungy, who also coached Rice, 34, in Tampa Bay, thinks he’s done, who else would give him a shot?
The Scoop on Coop
Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Cooper Carlisle
Job: Starting guard
How do we know him: Started for the Broncos from late 2004 through the 2006 season.
Why did he leave: The Broncos signed Montrae Holland and liked 2006 draft pick Chris Kuper.
Why the Raiders: Carlisle liked that Oakland was using the Broncos’ zone-blocking scheme this season, and he chose the Raiders over Tampa Bay.
Fast fact: His mother and Peyton and Eli Manning’s mother were sorority sisters in college.
