When the organization drafted quarterback Tyler Wilson in the 4th round out of Arkansas the reaction was fairly tepid; maybe on the warm side. The first three rounds are the ones we tend to talk about the most, with the rest being conversation pieces for dreary low points during the ungodly long NFL offseason.
Much of the early talk about Wilson in Raider Fan Land was that he would be an example of how Reggie McKenzie develops talent, finds diamonds in the rough. Surely, the pick of Tyler Wilson was the move of a sage and we couldn't wait to see this kid wrest the 2nd string job from Terrelle Pryor. Hell, with Reggie's knowledge, Wilson might even be starting on opening day in Indianapolis. This kid's got it man, I can feel it!
Soon though, Wilson got beat out by undrafted free agent, Matt McGloin. Wilson was cut and subsequently cleared waivers, meaning no one else wanted him either. Today he was brought back and put on the practice squad. Next year, instead of starting out in a basic tie for the 2nd string spot, his main job will be catching the ball and flipping it to the starting quarterback so that said starting quarterback can get warmed up before practice.
This Isn't That Bad
First, maybe we just happened to have stumbled on a good but unrecognized player in McGloin. Maybe if it weren't for the money paid to Matt Flynn he would be the second string quarterback. It wouldn't be the first that Flynn came in as the firmly entrenched starter only to lose the job to someone else before the season began. This year he might have fallen another peg.
It's also quite possible that Wilson stunk up the joint. I get almost as many reps behind center as most 4th string training camp quarterbacks and if McGloin, during the few real chances he had was the best guy for the Holy Shit, Our Season Is Doomed quarterback spot, then he deserves it. Al always had his scholarship players and there's no way in hell this would have happened under him, so in a strict sense, this is a good thing. The coaching staff went with who they though was best. No matter how inept I consider Dennis Allen to be, I know he didn't decide to elevate McGloin because he didn't like Tyler Wilson's face.
Also, this has happened before. A few years back we cut a defensive player that we'd drafted in the 3rd round. The event is now so insignificant that I don't feel the least bit of guilt in not bothering to look up the player and the year. It's happened on other teams too. Sometimes a guy comes in who so unready or lazy or not NFL material in general that you have to let him go regardless of where you picked him.
So relax and feel good that although our quarterback situation might be the worst in the league, we do have the three least crappy ones on the roster.
This Is Really Bad
Consider this: McKenzie is going into his second year and the best quarterback on the team is a guy that Al picked up in the supplemental draft three years ago. Not only that, it seems like Reggie Mckenzie's eye for rookie talent is limited to guys who aren't in the draft: Criner and Streeter are good examples. And on the free agent market the only significant pickup has been offensive guard, Mike Brisiel. Like a sasquatch siting, the last time Brisiel was spotted he was playing with the Hopeless stringers in the last few series of the 4th quarter against the Seahawks.
It would be North Korea-crazy to not consider that although McKenzie's opportunities to acquire talent have been really limited both by number of draft picks and the salary cap, that the opportunities he has had have been botched.
Like anyone with an ounce of sense, I know it's lame to evaluate drafts so soon after they happen. But what's happened amounts to not ever having that 4th round selection at all. With so little depth on our offensive and defensive lines, how in the hell do you miss so badly on a quarterback? It's not unfair for fans to have gotten the idea that Wilson must have something going for him. After all, look at the shape the rest of the team is in; and we just signed Matt Flynn. To neglect all the other problems on the team must mean that you're bone-deep sure about this Wilson kid.
And now he's on the practice squad. It doesn't bode well for future personnel decisions. You can say that at least it wasn't as bad as the Jamarcus Russel pick or that Al made a lot of horrible decisions but that makes about as much sense as Dennis Allen hiring Greg Knapp. The past bad decisions of Al Davis don't make the current bad decisions of Reggie McKenzie any better.
There's also the specter of Dennis Allen and company not being up to the job of helping players realize their potential. I have no doubt that that's in play here. Like the Cincinnati Bengals of the mid and late 90's, Oakland is an elephant graveyard for potential talent that might have been, but ended up dying due to neglect and incompetence in the coaching ranks. It's impossible to pick that many bad players. Did that happen here with Tyler Wilson? Maybe, maybe not. But it's in the equation somewhere.
Whatever
That's the best way to look at it: Whatever. It's likely a combination of things, as all things are. McKenzie made a bad pick, the coaching staff failed to some degree, and Tyler Wilson must have sucked some stupendous size livestock anatomy in order to lose what should have been a sure thing. Whatever the case may be, NFL historians will never look back on this moment in Raider history: ever. That's how much it really means.
Thanks for reading
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