by John Czarnecki

Updated: March 19, 2008, 11:51 AM EST 326 comments

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Well, based on contracts given to two potential big-time players, receiver Javon Walker and defensive lineman Tommy Kelly, both of whom are coming off knee surgery, the Raiders unearthed a treasure-box of cash.

Any hour now, the Raiders will pay new cornerback DeAngelo Hall about $9 million a season, which will only upset current franchised Raider Nnamdi Asomugha, but that's the system, baby.

There is no doubt that the Raiders are throwing Hall more than a life jacket to get him out of Atlanta for a second-round pick (34th overall) and a sixth-rounder in next month's draft. His brash style must remind Davis of his players back in the 1970s and 1980s.

Davis has forever done it his own way, but we must explain that the Raiders still remain an island unto themselves while the other 31 NFL teams operate more traditionally.

Let's be honest. The Raiders have to over-pay for players these days. You see, Raider Nation isn't exactly what it's cracked up to be. The Black Hole is where players go to disappear, especially if your goal is playing in the postseason.

The Raiders are 19-61 over the past five seasons. Yes, they looked better losing some games last season under rookie head coach Lane Kiffin, but Oakland still lost 12 of 16. Batting .250 isn't too bad, but you better be a slick fielder.

But the Raiders aren't really slick, either.

They over-paid Kelly, a versatile lineman who can play tackle in a 4-3 alignment and also end in a 3-4 defense, by $3-to-5 million over the first three years of his deal. Walker, who missed eight games with Denver last season (Kelly missed the same total after tearing his ACL), will get $27 million over the first three years of his deal. That's probably $5 million too much, or entirely too much if he can't run like he used to.

Davis hated to lose Kelly, an undrafted project who has 13 career sacks, or two fewer than Jared Allen has last season for Kansas City. Kelly wanted out of Oakland, but in the end, he couldn't turn his back on millions more. The man isn't stupid.

All of these decisions suggest that Davis remains in charge. He definitely isn't listening to Kiffin and his trusty sidekick, Mark Jackson.

I'm sure there must be some days when Davis regrets, just a little, that he didn't give Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen the keys to his franchise. Gruden and Allen embraced the Raider mystique and Gruden sold it constantly to the players and the fans. But Davis didn't want to give the young coach the power and control that he deserved. Had he done so, Gruden could have been a Raider for life. And you can bet the Raiders wouldn't have been embarrassed by Tampa Bay in that Super Bowl six seasons ago.

There is no doubt that the Raiders have some players, and they were quick to point out a couple weeks ago that Russell, who is built like a defensive tackle, hit the scales at 274 pounds after his friends said he was over 300 pounds a month ago. These stories simply suggest to some that Russell isn't totally serious about football. Shouldn't he be trying to get under 270 pounds instead of inching over it? Not even Fat Albert, aka Byron Leftwich, carries that much weight.

And what is Kiffin's future?

Reports out of the NFL scouting combine last month in Indianapolis said that Kiffin didn't interview a single prospective draft choice. Yes, he was in some of the group sessions with the top college players, but basically said only hello and goodbye. In interviews with three top players, he never asked one question. This suggests that the young coach only has a passing interest in who will be playing for him this season.

To some, Kiffin was 50-50 to make it to the 2008 season. You can bet that Davis was pretty displeased about all those Arkansas rumors last season when Kiffin's name popped up. Davis, though, owes Kiffin $2 million for this year and it appears he won't fire the youngest head coach in the league, instead probably allowing him to look for work in 2009.

And how strange will this Oakland season be? For candor's sake, let's just say this isn't exactly the most cohesive coaching staff.

Kiffin will be roaming the sidelines simply to enhance his resume. His two top offensive assistants, coordinator Greg Knapp and Tom Rathman, are working their final season in Oakland before joining Jim Mora's staff in Seattle. And Rob Ryan, the defensive coordinator Kiffin wanted to fire, remains in charge and talking more with the owner than the head coach. Then there's new receivers coach James Lofton, a Hall of Famer, who reportedly took the players' side against Norv Turner in San Diego early last season. Some believe Lofton may have a bright future in Oakland.

The old Davis line is "just win, baby."

But isn't that improbable given these circumstances?

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