Allow Me to Re-Introduce D.J. Hayden

Why it Was a Smart Pick

Like I said before, this Hayden kid can and will be special and worth the risk as there wasn’t anyone special in that draft. He was the player that McKenzie wanted and he knew that he could get him later while gaining a valuable 2nd-round pick. So getting the player you want while getting a 2nd-round pick that you didn’t previously have is a slam dunk.

Since cleaning out the scar tissue from the heart surgery, he has had no other problems with his chest area at all. He was thoroughly examined by doctors league wide and assured there would be no lingering affects, unanimously passing every medical test he took. So all the talk about him being “damaged goods” is nonsense from people looking for something to point at as the reason why the Raiders aren’t winning.

His injuries have nothing to do with his heart condition so his situation is a lot like running back Darren McFadden. He is a player that can be special if he stays healthy but there is no way to predict who will stay healthy in such a brutal game. Raiders 2013 2nd-round pick Menelik Watson is playing well at right tackle and that’s a good deal they got for anyone that was picked from No. 3 on in the first round in 2013.

We’re all going to see in a few weeks when he’s acclimated to playing again just how good of a deal it was.