Sources close to the National Football Post just informed us that the Oakland Raiders have offered former Green Bay Packers assistant Lionel Washington the job to coach the Oakland secondary. Washington spent the last ten years with the Green Bay Packers, most recently as their defensive backs coach.

************

I for one will be sad if that's true. I thought he did a great job preparing cornerback/nickelbacks.

Bummer.

Agreed. Our Secondary was NOT our weak spot last year and one thing I noticed, our young players developed pretty well. Collins (or example) in the Pro Bowl, a man who I thought shouldn't even start for us before the season started.

---

I liked Lionel myself, but a lot of the credit for Nick Collins comes from his being taken under the wing so to speak of Charles Woodson and Nick mimicked his studying technique's.

---

That specific example aside, ZS's point about Lionel developing talent is a very good one. I'm pretty sure Lionel has worked with Collins some too, after all Collins has doubled as a nickel CB at times, and Lionel's responsibilities include being responsible for nickle packages.

I'm not sure why they'd fire Lionel considering his success, the only reason I can think of is that they wanted someone better suited for different styles.

That'd be odd considering some of our players not only excel at, but have thus far shown themselves incapable of playing anything other than bump-and-run.

Oh, and I hope Lionel gets the job. He'd have fun coaching Nnamdi for sure.

---

I guess I have to be happy for a former Packer coach landing somewhere. To bad that has to be Oakland.

Then again, what better place (along with Detroit) if you want to prove yourself to the rest of the coaching community, as a person to take on challenges.

---

"Chicago is where wide receivers go to die."
- Mushin Muhammad, Carolina Panthers

I say Oakland is where everyone goes to die, especially coaches.

---

he's got a great group of backs to work with in oakland. it's just that little wrinkle that we call Al Davis that he has to worry about.

---

I doubt he gets the chance. Nnamdi is a free agent and even if he's franchised I think they'll trade him because I believe his cap number would go up even higher due to being franchised two years in a row. I'm not sure though.

Anyhow if I were Lionel I would wait on this job. I think he could get more offers.

---

What I want to know is why did we fire him? He's the person McCarthy SHOULDN'T have fired.

---

I do not find this surprising at all. Infact I should have posted it here because I knew it would happen.

Lionel is a RAIDER.

He is Silver and Black in the eyes of Al Davis.

The beautiful thing is, I like Lionel a great deal, because I remember him as a Raider. ALSO... Al Davis always looks after players that he considers "Raiders" so I know Al must have gave him a contract that will be special for him and his family.

It is a perfect hire for Lionel.... He has gone home.

Edit: In case you did not know... Lionel was one of the few players who made it as a "Scab" in the strike year. Amazing that a "Scab" is working as a coach in a Pro Union NFL.

---