Will Howard follow Morrison out of Oakland? (Photo: YardBarker.com)

Tonight marks the end of the preseason as the Raiders welcome the Seahawks to the East Bay. Tonight will also be the final time that 22 players will suit up for the Oakland Raiders. Sure, some will return later this year as injury replacements. Others, like Chris “Baby Howie” Cooper might return again one day down the road. But for many, this will be the final time they’ll ever put on the Silver and Black.

Michael Huff has warned the young players, but there are plenty of veterans that aren’t safe either.

 Here are five veteran players that be could finishing out their Raider careers tonight.

Thomas Howard – Hard to believe that both Howard and former middle linebacker Kirk Morrison could both be gone at the start of the 2010 season. Both men were drafted in 2006. Both were starters ever since and now both could be ejected from the East Bay. Morrison was traded in the offseason and Howard could be cut after tonight. Kamerion Wimbley’s arrival has pushed Howard down to the second squad, forcing Thomas to find other ways to contribute. With his blazing speed and amazing athletic ability, you’ve got to believe that John Marshall can find some role for Howard. If not, it could be a new start for Thomas as he’ll be free to find a new home.

Hiram Eugene – Trying to make the final 53 as a defensive back in Oakland is a little like trying to make it big as an actor in Hollywood. Even if you’ve got the talent, you’ve still got to fit the part. To Eugene’s credit, the former undrafted free agent has improved every year, working his way into the role of starting free safety the last two seasons. However, with names like Atkinson, Tatum and Lott setting the tone for Silver and Black safeties, more is expected. Many will remember Eugene for being on the wrong end of a Willis McGahee stiff arm. I’ll remember him for his acrobatic INT in the end zone in Pittsburgh last season – it could be the only pick he ever made as a Raider.

Johnnie Lee Higgins – 2008 must seem like a mirage for JLH. The young speedster had a breakout season just two years ago, announcing his presence as a dynamo in the slot and a weapon in the return game. In 2009, Higgins was a no-show. He never found his place in the passing game and contributed next to nothing as a punt returner. Now, Higgins is at the crossroads with a younger version of himself – Jacoby Ford – poised to take his roster spot. A solid showing on special teams tonight could salvage his chances, but as of now Johnnie Lee is on the outside looking in.

Khalif Barnes – Things have just not gone right for Barnes since he singed with the Raiders last offseason. After breaking his leg in camp, Barnes never got the chance to compete for the job at left tackle. Reluctant to move to the right side, Khalif didn’t fare much better than Cornell Green or Eric Pears last year. This time around, Barnes has seen his snaps with the first team go to Langston Walker at the tackle position. Even though Barnes does play guard as well, there is some young talent ahead of him. Barnes might be facing the reality of seeking new employment in the coming days.

Chris Morris – Morris, much like Khalif Barnes, is stuck in a numbers game. The center/guard has seen his role reduced due to the emergence of rookies Jared Veldheer and Bruce Campbell. With Veldheer in a fierce battle with Samson Satele for the starting gig at center, Morris is the odd man out. His only hope now is to beat out Barnes for one of the back up jobs at guard. Most likely, Morris will be milling over his free agency options but his experience could prove a valuable asset that keeps him coming back in Silver and Black.

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter lists the Raiders among the teams interested in the services of the former USC golden boy. Meanwhile, MMA aficionado turned NFL scoop king Jay Glazer denies the Raiders have had any talks with the Cardinals.

Being that Glazer is the original source for the story since he has a working relationship with Leinart, I’m a little more inclined to lean towards Fox Sports on this one. Glazer went on Dan Patrick’s nationally syndicated radio show this morning to refute the ESPN report.

Chalk this one up to another pissing contest between Schefter and Glazer.

However, if the Raiders are interested in Leinart it begs a few questions. With the outstanding play of both Kyle Boller and most recently Bruce Gradkowski, it would appear the Raiders are set at the QB position with Jason Campbell as the starter. Why would they then pursue Leinart this late in camp? For a guy who has had trouble grasping an offense he’s played in for the last four years, Leinart doesn’t impress as a quick study.

For those looking for a Raider conspiracy theory, look no further than Jason Campbell’s recent wrist injury. Of course, those who actually saw him in action yesterday reported no signs of any serious damage, but that hardly matters to ESPN when it comes to reporting anything Raider related. Right, Chris Mortensen?

Overall, the Raiders have nothing to gain by taking on Leinart. While Al Davis might have a soft spot for his USC alum, he’s not the type of thrower Mr. Davis covets. One of the biggest problems Leinart has had in Arizona is his inability to throw the deep ball. While Campbell is known for his conservative play, he does have a cannon capable of launching footballs like rockets out of Cape Canaveral. Leinart, on the other hand, couldn’t stretch a field if it were made of Silly Putty.

Despite being young and talented, McFadden is at the crossroads. (Photo: YardBarker.com)

Darren McFadden will most likely never be a true NFL running back.

He’s not the guy you’re going to see carrying the rock 25 times a game. He’s not the type of player capable of playing every down in the backfield.

After two years of pro ball, Run-DMC has just one 100-yard game to his name and has found his name on the injured list more often than he’s found the end zone.

Not unlike JaMarcus Russell one year ago, McFadden’s third year will be his make or break moment. Just like Russell, McFadden was handed the starting job in camp and just like Russell he eventually lost his job during the regular season. Unlike JaMarcus, however, McFadden’s poor performance was also tempered with injuries. Also very un-JaMarcus like is that McFadden is a hard worker willing to do whatever the coaches ask of him.

While McFadden is neither a true running back nor a wide receiver, there is one thing that he very clearly is. He’s a football player in every since of the word. D-Mac is an old school, throw back type of player with modern athletic ability. Just keep your eye on McFadden whenever he’s in the game. Even on plays in which his number is not called, he finds ways to contribute.

Picking up blitzes in the backfield, helping to block downfield in hopes of his teammate gaining a couple of extra yards, he’s even involved on the sidelines.

Just ask Haloti Ngata of the Baltimore Ravens who was knocked out of the game last season during the Raiders’ final loss of the regular season. McFadden put a hit on the All-Pro defensive tackle that left the 350-pounder asking if anyone got the number on the truck that hit him.

McFadden’s best quality is his desire to suit up and inflict pain. Sure, we’d all love to see him morph into Brian Westbrook 2.0. But it doesn’t seem like that time is ever going to come.

So, what should the Raiders do with a 6’2” athlete with blazing speed and a head hunter’s mentality?

Strangely enough, McFadden might be the best choice for the job of third receiver. Put him in the slot and watch the magic happen. Whenever McFadden is lined up out wide, he creates matchup problems for the opposition and usually produces. It took Tom Cable a full half of last season until he finally utilized McFadden as a pass catcher. All Run-DMC did was go out and catch 4 balls for 43 yards against the Dallas Cowboys. Compare that to Darrius Heyward-Bey who has never caught more than two balls in a pro game despite starting 11 games as a rookie and you can see how natural McFadden’s abilities are.

As a rookie, the Raiders utilized McFadden in a number of ways including the then popular Wild Hog formation. During his second year, the Raiders seemed obsessed with forcing the round peg into the square hole by making McFadden a runner between the tackles.

Clearly Hue Jackson must find more creative ways to get McFadden involved in the offensive gameplan. With a career average of just 3.9 yards per carry, perhaps running McFadden right up gut is not the best choice. Get him out wide, on the edges where he can make fools out of would be tacklers. Run screen passes, make him a full time wide receiver in certain games, or simply use him as a decoy. Do whatever you can but put his natural abilities to good use.

With Michael Bush potentially sidelined for the season opener, McFadden will inherit the job of starting tailback. It’s up to the Raiders to create a gameplan that best suits his talents but it is also time for McFadden to find ways to produce regardless of what the play calling might be.

Simply put, the time is now for Darren McFadden. We’ve seen small glimpses of what he’s capable of doing but unless that happens more often it could be a trip to NFL Neverland after this season.