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First he gives ridiculous contracts to Asomugha and Lechler...and now this...wtf?!? The Raiders will continue to suck until Al Davis is on the wrong side of the dirt.
[url]http://www.mercurynews.com/sabercats/ci_11752548[/url]
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Raiders release Oak Grove product Gibril Wilson
By Jerry McDonald
Bay Area News Group
Posted: 02/20/2009 07:00:00 PM PST
The Raiders began clearing the decks for the contracts of Shane Lechler and Nnamdi Asomugha by releasing three players Friday, including starting strong safety Gibril Wilson.
Wilson, the former Oak Grove High star who was due a $2.5 million salary and a $4.5 million roster bonus in March, was signed to a six-year, $39 million deal last offseason after leading the Super Bowl champion New York Giants in tackles.
Instead, he is out after one year, having collected just over $9 million for a year's work with an $8.4 million signing bonus and $605,000 in salary.
Wilson was brought in along with trade acquisition DeAngelo Hall as part of a remade secondary. Hall, released after eight games, made $8 million — meaning the Raiders spent $17 million and still ended up with one of the NFL's most porous defenses.
Also released were wide receiver Ronald Curry and defensive end Kalimba Edwards.
Curry, due a $3.5 million salary in 2009, was informed last week his release was coming. The team's leading receiver in 2006 and 2007 with 117 receptions for 1,444 yards, Curry slumped to 19 catches, 181 yards and was plagued by dropped passes in 2008 before being phased out in favor of rookie Chaz Schilens.
Edwards, signed as a free agent last season from Detroit, had five sacks but none over his last eight games. Edwards was to earn $2.25 million in the second year of a two-year contract.
The three releases will save the Raiders approximately $6.2 million in salary cap space. The club was reportedly $8 million under the $123 million cap last week before making Lechler (four years, $16 million) and Asomugha (three years, $45.3 million ) the league's highest-paid players at their respective positions.
The Raiders must be at or below the salary cap when free agency begins at 9 p.m. on Feb. 26.
Brought in because of his strength as a tackler, Wilson was second to Kirk Morrison with 129 stops but missed his share of tackles and was not the force the club hoped defending the run, with Oakland ranking 31st in the NFL in rushing defense.
Wilson was dismayed when Hall was released, calling the Raiders a "soap opera'' and openly wondering if he would be next.
"If you don't have a vision and you're just trying to plug in players, then you're always going to get the same results," Wilson said.
By Jerry McDonald
Bay Area News Group
Posted: 02/20/2009 07:00:00 PM PST
The Raiders began clearing the decks for the contracts of Shane Lechler and Nnamdi Asomugha by releasing three players Friday, including starting strong safety Gibril Wilson.
Wilson, the former Oak Grove High star who was due a $2.5 million salary and a $4.5 million roster bonus in March, was signed to a six-year, $39 million deal last offseason after leading the Super Bowl champion New York Giants in tackles.
Instead, he is out after one year, having collected just over $9 million for a year's work with an $8.4 million signing bonus and $605,000 in salary.
Wilson was brought in along with trade acquisition DeAngelo Hall as part of a remade secondary. Hall, released after eight games, made $8 million — meaning the Raiders spent $17 million and still ended up with one of the NFL's most porous defenses.
Also released were wide receiver Ronald Curry and defensive end Kalimba Edwards.
Curry, due a $3.5 million salary in 2009, was informed last week his release was coming. The team's leading receiver in 2006 and 2007 with 117 receptions for 1,444 yards, Curry slumped to 19 catches, 181 yards and was plagued by dropped passes in 2008 before being phased out in favor of rookie Chaz Schilens.
Edwards, signed as a free agent last season from Detroit, had five sacks but none over his last eight games. Edwards was to earn $2.25 million in the second year of a two-year contract.
The three releases will save the Raiders approximately $6.2 million in salary cap space. The club was reportedly $8 million under the $123 million cap last week before making Lechler (four years, $16 million) and Asomugha (three years, $45.3 million ) the league's highest-paid players at their respective positions.
The Raiders must be at or below the salary cap when free agency begins at 9 p.m. on Feb. 26.
Brought in because of his strength as a tackler, Wilson was second to Kirk Morrison with 129 stops but missed his share of tackles and was not the force the club hoped defending the run, with Oakland ranking 31st in the NFL in rushing defense.
Wilson was dismayed when Hall was released, calling the Raiders a "soap opera'' and openly wondering if he would be next.
"If you don't have a vision and you're just trying to plug in players, then you're always going to get the same results," Wilson said.
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