Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Bill Belichick freely admits to stealing many of his football philosophies from Al Davis. That’s not the only thing the man many regard as the best coach in the game takes from Oakland. It’s also where he goes to fill his roster.

Over the years the Pats have built their success on both the ideals and eye for talent of Davis. Whenever the Raiders put a player on the open market you’d better believe Belichick is the first in line to look them over. That goes for household names like Randy Moss on down to no names like Stryker Sulak.

If the Raiders like a player then so too will the Pats. That’s the safest bet there is this side of putting your money on Jennifer Lopez being incapable of keeping a man.

Last season Sterling Moore joined the ranks of Raider cast-offs turned Patriot contributors. Now it’s Trevor Scott that continues the pipeline running from the Bay to the Northeast.

Scott was signed by the Pats today where he’ll no doubt become the darling of all media honks nationwide. At some point this season some lazy journalist out there will spend way too much time licking the man region of Belichick for his ability to unearth a player like Scott…as if dude never spent a minute of his career with the Raiders.

Back in 2008 the Raiders took the defensive end out of Buffalo University in the 6^th round. All Scott did was go out and lead all NFL rookies in sacks during his first lap around the league. Things were looking up for the talented pass rusher. Eventually the Raiders experimented with moving him to weakside linebacker. That would give way to a return to end where Scott was valued as a member of Oakland’s talented rotation along the D-line.

Then disaster struck in 2010. Scott tore his ACL covering a kick against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was shutdown for the rest of the season and spent all of 2011 trying to work his way back into the rotation. That never came to be and eventually the Raiders allowed him to walk in free agency.

No real surprise that Belichick would come calling. Scott is the hybrid type of player the defensive minded coach loves…oh…getting the Al Davis seal of approval doesn’t hurt either.

A native of New York State it also makes sense that Scott would return to the Northeast for the next phase of his career. Scott’s talent is real. Nobody every doubted that. He can rush the passer but doesn’t do much against the run. Somehow you get the feeling that Belichick and his camcorder will get the most out of whatever Scott has left to give.

Raiders were first to recognize Moore's talent and first to give up on it too.

Many members of Raider Nation were completely confused by many of the decisions made when the Raiders broke camp and cut the roster down to 53. Among the most troubling of all was the decision to cut promising rookie Sterling Moore for underachieving vet Joe Porter.

Porter parlayed a blocked kick in the preseason finale into a spot on the roster. Meanwhile Moore flashed all kinds of potential yet was shown the exit.

As inexplicable as that move was the Raiders went out and topped themselves. Initially they brought Moore back by adding him to the practice squad. As injuries in the secondary began to pile up you’d have thought he might get his shot at playing. Instead Oakland again parted ways with the Bay Area native choosing instead to bring in other options at DB. Eventually Porter was also released giving way for one of the many DBs that suited up in Silver and Black.

Well, it didn’t take long for another team desperate to add to a weakened defense to sign Moore. Just in case you checked out of the NFL once the Raiders’ season concluded then you missed that same Sterling Moore coming up big for the New England Patriots in the AFC title game.

Now before burying the Raiders for their lack of vision it is only right to offer an honest critique of Moore.
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This week the Silver and Black brought in a few more players for tryouts before settling on Terrail Lambert. The former Golden Domer from Notre Dame, as you would expect, has blazing speed. However the Los Angeles native has yet to see any action in the NFL despite spending some time with the Dolphins and Saints.

Lambert is the latest in a long line of men that have been added to the Raider roster for help in the secondary. In the last month alone Lito Sheppard has been re-signed after being cut in camp. Jerome Boyd was demoted to the practice squad, waived and the re-signed. Meanwhile another Notre Dame alum, Chinedum Ndukwe, was signed and then waived as well.

Got all that?

It should be noted that former practice squad member, Sterling Moore, is currently starting for the Patriots after being waived by the Raiders earlier this season.