****UPDATE****
The NFL Network reports talks have stalled in the DeAngelo Hall trade. There was no reason given why. The deal was contingent on Hall agreeing to a new contract. If he does, he'll be a Raider. Basically, nothing has changed until Hall says he won't play for the Raiders or he's dealt elsewhere if another team is willing to give up a first-round pick and agree to a new deal with Hall.
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There’s nothing new on DeAngelo Hall being traded to the Raiders.
But the deal hasn't fallen apart.
ESPN is reporting what I reported Saturday, the deal is agreed upon. Hall in exchange for the Raiders’ second and sixth-round draft picks this year.
Raiders’ owner Al Davis wants the deal to get done, so I believe it will be completed this week once the two sides agree on a contract.
The Raiders might need to clear salary in order to sign Hall to the contract extension he desires.
The Raiders’ payroll is reportedly at $130 million. That number doesn’t necessarily reflect how the salary cap will be impacted because that figure includes bonuses that are likely to be earned.
But releasing players that are drawing big salaries as backups (RB LaMont Jordan, S Stuart Schweigert) or reworking current deals could be in the works now to get the Hall deal done.
Also, don’t rule out the Raiders trading CB Fabian Washington or CB Stanford Routt. The favorite to be dealt might be Washington, who is talented, but some around the team question his confidence since Chad Johnson worked him over in Dec. 06 and he lost his starting job to Routt Week 3 of 2007.
Hall wouldn’t come without questions.
A NFL scout I spoke with classified Hall as “good, not great” and questioned had Hall already lost a step at only24.
Others have questioned his discipline after he got into it with coach Bobby Petrino last season.
In fairness, a lot of Falcons wanted a piece of Petrino. When I met Hall last month, he looked shorter than the5-10 he’s listed at. But he was cordial and people I spoke with praised his football IQ and appreciation for the history of football.
The Raiders have liked Hall since he came out of Virginia Tech in 2004. Pairing him Nnamdi Asomugha should be fun to watch.
The Raiders drafted Robert Gallery second overall that year and Hall was picked eighth by Atlanta.
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The Raiders would have three draft picks in April, assuming the deal is completed.
Oakland owns the fourth overall pick along with fourth and seventh-round picks.
As far as the draft goes, having the fourth pick means the Raiders would have to dole out a large sum for a rookie.
For a team that was reportedly too broke to pay JaMarcus Russell last year, the Raiders have spent a lot this offseason.
The Raiders wouldn’t have much margin for error. Last year’s draft produced Russell, a good tight end in Zach Miller and decent seasons from DE Jay Richardson and FB Oren O’Neal.
But the Raiders need Johnnie Lee Higgins to emerge as at least a good punt returner or their third-round choices of last season would all be whiffs.
They cut DE Quentin Moses. Oakland traded this year’s third rounder to get OT Mario Henderson and expressed so much faith in his future they signed Kwame Harris.
Lane Kiffin didn’t play Higgins nearly enough because he was stuck on playing Tim Dwight.
And it would be nice to see if CB John Bowie (the player taken with the Randy Moss pick) can play.
But yes, if Russell and Michael Bush become stars, I will call the Class of 2007 a good one for the Raiders.
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I’m hearing the team still wants a defensive end and if Chris Long were to slip to No. 4, there’s no way the Raiders would trade out of that spot. Vernon Gholston would also be an option.
Would Darren McFadden shock me? Not completely. But DE is a bigger priority since the team only has Derrick Burgess and Richardson.
The Raiders also figure to pick up a veteran DE at some point this offseason.
--Jason Jones
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