August 9, 2012, San Diego, CA: Green Bay Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop (55) is carried off the field after being injured in the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jody Gomez-USA TODAY Sports

That salary will likely be what prevents teams from picking up the veteran linebacker on the waiver wire, but once he clears he will be in demand as the inside linebacker’s veteran leadership and championship pedigree will find him many suitors as you can never have enough linebackers in today’s NFL.

Where do the Raiders play in all of this after overhauling their linebacker unit all offseason? Could they be in the running for Bishop, who would automatically make the Raiders a more well rounded team with his presence in the middle?

With Reggie McKenzie’s ties to Green Bay the Raiders could be in the running as McKenzie knows the Packers and would not mind building around another former champion Packer after landing Charles Woodson.

Bishop’s experience with the 3-4 defense likely will be a drawback for the Raiders as a potential destination, but McKenzie has mentioned that the Raiders want to have a fluid defense that can switch schemes on the go and confuse offensive coordinators so adding a player that could excel in both the 4-3 and the 3-4 would be a huge pick up for the Raiders. When you combine the fact that he has a Super Bowl ring and says that he will be 110% ready in time for training camp, and you have a very intriguing veteran free agent in a winter that has been loaded with former key players looking for work.

Bishop provides the potential for McKenzie to add a run stopper that the Raiders could desperately use and with salary flexibility after this spring’s wheeling and dealing from McKenzie and Michael Huff’s contract finally off of Oakland’s cap number, this is a move that can be made.

Desmond played two years in Green Bay as a starters totaling 218 tackles, 8 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. A vicious hitter who is a bit slower than most middle linebackers in a 4-3 system, Bishop would likely need to adapt to playing in a new system which hurts the Raiders chance of landing him. Still with the addition of Bishop the Raiders would have a strong presence in the middle of the field with Nick Roach already in the fold.

The Chiefs could also be in the fold for Bishop as GM John Dorsey is a former Packers front office guy and Kansas City plays the 3-4 formation making it a destination that could work for Bishop if he clears waivers.

Minnesota is in the lead right now in the Bishop sweepstakes as the jilted former Packer is going the route that many Packers cuts have went before and is already reported to be meeting with the Vikings tomorrow. If Minnesota wants him, they can surely get him as the Vikings both promise a chance to win a championship with Adrian Peterson’s return to dominance and a chance at two rivalry games in the NFC North where Bishop could get revenge on his former team.

Despite scheduling a meeting with the Vikings, Bishop sent out a tweet today that indicated that his feelings towards the Packers might be a little less hostile than things seem:

So much fun, so many memories & friendships forged in Green Bay. Ups & downs, wins & losses! Even a XLV championship. Forever grateful #Pack

— Desmond Bishop (@Desbishop55) June 17, 2013

A former champion who is eager to prove those who doubt his ability to come back from the IR wrong, Bishop may not see the Raiders as ready enough to be a contender. Those injury concerns also might be a dealbreaker on the other end for McKenzie as the Raiders aren’t necessarily looking to win right away. Adding Bishop would be a deal that would be the step in the right direction for the Raiders to win now, but with many proven veterans on the board still untouched by Oakland, it is hard to see the Raiders actually going out and getting a player who seems more suited to be a mercenary for a team that feels like it is a lock to contend for a playoff or Super Bowl spot.

Still with McKenzie’s ties to the organization and the familiarity between new Raider Charles Woodson and Bishop, it would be worth a look for Dennis Allen and McKenzie to at least take a look to adding Bishop and bolstering the rushing defense up the middle. In trying to give a positive swagger and winning identity to the Raiders after a decade of futility, Bishop could be a great former champion to add to the fold.

Apr 27, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Detailed view of a NFL Network microphone during a press conference introducing Houston Texans first round draft pick defensive end Whitney Mercilus of Illinois at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t pretend for one moment that the Raiders haven’t had their struggles over the past 10 years.  However, it just gets me riled up when I hear a former Oakland Raider player blasting his team in the Newspaper, on Radio, or on Television.  A player whose career was not stellar by any means, and one who never lived up to what his name is supposed to mean, “Great.”

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila played Defensive End and Linebacker for the Oakland Raiders from 2003-2004.  He mostly backed up the likes of Travian Smith and Tyler Brayton.  After the short stint in Oakland, he played for the Chargers in 2006, Dolphins in 2007, and, in 2008, he was signed as a practice squad member only with the Oakland Raiders.  With his football career not panning out, Gbaja-Biamila turned to a career in Sports Broadcasting.  Currently, he is a member of NFL AM on NFL Network.

This morning, he was asked to answer a question from NFL AM’s Double Coverage.  The question was, “Which team will have the biggest win differential from last year?”  Gbaja-Biamila stated the following, “Well that’s easy, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs.  I think they go from two wins to about eight or nine, maybe even ten, when you look at what they have…”  He goes on to talk about the dynamic players that the Chiefs have in his opinion, of course.  Then, he makes the comment that just sent me through the roof.  After running his mouth about the Chiefs some more, Gbaja-Biamila states, “And of course, they’re (Chiefs) playing in the AFC West where, they’ve got the Chargers who haven’t yet stepped up, and then the Oakland Raiders who you can just walk over.”

Walk over?  He said the Raiders are just a “Walk over team.”  Last time I checked, the Oakland Raiders are a professional football team.  They have had their struggles, but a walk over team.  This is ridiculous.  Gbaja-Biamila should be blasted on Twitter and Facebook.  So, I am calling on Raider Nation to let him know how we feel about his comment.  Absolutely absurd comment that comes from a has been and never was player.  Nation, his Twitter account is @Akbar_Gbaja.  He even has a picture of himself in a Raiders uniform on his profile page.  Yet he openly blasts his former team.  His phone should be blowing up with the Raider Nation’s comments on how we feel about his negativity toward our team.

Our team is young and hungry.  We are underestimated this year, but that will be the undoing for the teams playing us.  Keep thinking that we won’t win more than two or four games this year NFL Network.  Your surprise will be coming.  We’ve been the under-dog before, and we won the Super Bowl that year.  Go Raiders!

So when Hanson’s name stared to make its way through the news cycle again it came as no surprise that he was once again involved in an assault case. However this time it was Hanson who was accused of doing the assaulting.

Just under a year ago Hanson, an assistant coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, was accused of battery and assault when he allegedly hit a man over the head with beer bottle outside of night club in Pismo Beach. According to reports Hanson was out cold in the back of the limo when he was awoken by a 52-year-old man who learned a hard lesson – you don’t disturb Randy Hanson when he’s in the recovering stages of a nasty bender.

Hanson’s response to his wakeup call was to crack the man over the head with a bottle causing a broken nose and concussion. A jury agreed with the accuser despite Hanson’s contention that it was self-defense. With the potential of facing jail time Hanson will be sentenced on June 10^th.