But, hey, if you’re an outspoken advocate of gay rights, what better place to be than the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area?

On Wednesday, fellow gay-rights advocate and NFL free agent Brendon Ayanbadejo broke the news that Kluwe had signed with the Oakland Raiders in a post for FoxSports.com. It’s unclear precisely what Ayanbadejo’s role with Fox Sports is, but he also wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel during his first couple of seasons in the NFL.

In any case, Kluwe told Ayanbadejo that he was signing with Oakland, and that it would be announced by the team Thursday. Kluwe grew up in California and attended UCLA.

“I’m excited to be an Oakland Raider and be playing in California,” Kluwe told Ayanbadejo. “Now, my family can actually come to games.”

And, for the record, Kluwe says he’ll continue to be outspoken.

“I’m still going to be myself socially and continue to tweet and interact with my fans,” Kluwe said.

The veteran defensive back has received interest from the Raiders, Broncos and Panthers, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN. Oakland even sent an initial offer to Woodson.

The former Heisman winner was drafted No. 4 overall by the Raiders in the 1998 NFL draft. He played in Oakland for seven years before signing on with the Green Bay Packers in 2012. Woodson made a switch to safety in his final season with the Packers in 2012. He played just seven games last year, missing time with a broken collarbone.

If Woodson signed on in Denver, it would give him the chance to play with another possible future Hall of Famer, Champ Bailey. Woodson has been named to eight Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro squads.

Matt Flynn

Flynn was expected to start when he was traded to the Seahawks last year. That was until Russell Wilson impressed in rookie mini-camp, training camp and preseason and overtook Flynn as Seattle’s starting quarterback.

It appears Tyler Wilson is on track to do the same to Flynn in Oakland this year. Flynn was traded to the Raiders for a 2014 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2015 pick on April 2. He was expected to be the Week 1 starter in Oakland. Wilson, who was drafted in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, has impressed at rookie mini-camp, though.

“I like the way that Tyler’s commanded the huddle,” Raiders head coach Dennis Allen told the Contra Costa Times. “I’ve liked the way that he’s gone through his reads. He’s picking up a new system, but I think he’s doing a nice job. I don’t think there’s any question about his arm strength and his accuracy.”

Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times had some even stronger words of praise for Wilson, saying “It says here that Wilson is on track to push Matt Flynn for the starting job right away and certainly push [Terrelle] Pryor for the backup spot held by Matt Leinart last season.”

Corkran also said Wilson “looks miles ahead of where JaMarcus Russell, Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo and Terrelle Pryor were when they arrived as Raiders draft picks,” though that may not even be considered a compliment, just an observation.

Wilson was considered a top-tier quarterback prospect entering the 2012 season, but Arkansas’ worst-case-scenario season, in which the Razorbacks went 4-8 under new head coach John L. Smith after Bobby Petrino was fired, lowered his draft stock. Wilson constantly had to question the fight in his team, which is why he was considered one of the “toughest” quarterbacks in this class.

Wilson’s also undersized at 6-foot-2, but had had the best strength-accuracy combination of any player in his class, according to some draft analysts.

So if any team is looking for a rookie starting quarterback in 2014, they just need to draft a player named Wilson and trade for Flynn. It’s that simple.

Photo via Facebook/Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask stepped down as head of the organization on Saturday after more than 25 years with the team, according to Pro Football Talk. She was the only female CEO in the league.

Trask informed Raiders owner Mark Davis of her decision today saying in an e-mail to the media, “Having honored a commitment that I made to effectuate a smooth transition and transfer of control, I no longer wish to remain with the organization.

“For over a quarter of a century, it was my honor and my privilege to work for the Raiders.  I will forever appreciate the opportunity afforded me by Al Davis.”

According to a tweet from SI’s Jim Trotter, Mark Davis, son of the late Al Davis, had informed Rask that she would have a subordinate role under his new ownership. The elder Davis was the principal owner of the Raiders from 1972 until he died in 2011.

Trask interned in the Los Angeles Raiders legal department after enrolling at the USC Gould School of Law. She re-joined the  Raiders in 1987, eventually working her way up to the CEO position in 1997.

All of the workouts are over, the evaluations are done and now we play the waiting game. Only 29 of the 32 NFL teams currently have first-round picks, but that doesn’t mean just 29 teams will be making picks on Thursday night. In 2012 only 27 teams ended up picking in the first round, but in 2011 31 of the 32 teams selected a player in the first round. So, don’t be surprised if teams trade out of the first or back into the end of the round on Thursday.

As for the actual picks, Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel appears to be the consensus for the Chiefs at No. 1 overall, but Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher is still in contention for the honor. But after those two, predicting the rest of the first round is very much a crapshoot. Defenders like Oregon’s Dion Jordan and Florida’s Sharrif Floyd have piqued the interest of many teams, but either could come off the board anywhere from No. 2 all the way into the mid teens.

The big position of question continues to be the quarterbacks, though. Geno Smith tops most boards, but there have been a lot of rumors about Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib and USC’s Matt Barkley in recent days, making the possibility of multiple quarterbacks going in the first round even more likely.

The Patriots, meanwhile, will sit and wait patiently well into the first night before even taking a stab at their draft board. Wide Receiver, secondary and defensive line are all glaring needs that they will have to address at some point but, with just five picks to their name heading into this weekend, don’t be surprised if they trade out of the first round altogether this year. Sorry, Patriots fans.

With so many prospects to sift through and more uncertainty than in any year before, let’s dive right in and see what the final mock draft of 2013 has in store.

Editor’s Note: Draft order is as follows for the first round of this year’s draft. 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14): Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Joeckel has been the pick all along. The Chiefs know what they’re doing.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14): Dion Jordan, OLB/DE, Oregon
The Jaguars need some fresh faces to fill out their new uniforms and Jordan will look damn good throwing down quarterbacks while sporting the black and teal.

3. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
Quick, name three players on the Raiders defense… Give up yet? Yeah, they need Floyd.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-12): Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
Lane Johnson is the so-called “perfect fit” for Chip Kelly‘s offense, but Fisher is still the better player.
Previous pick: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

5. Detroit Lions (4-12): Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
If the Lions don’t trade out of here, which has been rumored, then Johnson would make the most sense.
Previous pick: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

6. Cleveland Browns (5-11): Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
Pairing Milliner with Joe Haden will create some excitement for Browns fans, who can forget about Jimmy Haslam‘s problems for at least a few hours.

7. Arizona Cardinals (5-11): Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU
The left tackles are all gone, so getting a defensive playmaker like Ansah should be next up on  Bruce Arians‘ priorities list.
Previous pick: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

8. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
Doug Marrone may be inclined to trade back into the back of the first round for Ryan Nassib to find his quarterback, making offensive line the next big need.
Previous pick: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

9. New York Jets (6-10): Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
If Milliner falls maybe they snatch up Darrelle Revis‘ replacement. If not, Geno gives them a quarterback to compete with Mark Sanchez.
Previous pick: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

10. Tennessee Titans (6-10): Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
The Titans could use an athletic defensive end, too, but Lotulelei is just too tempting to pass up here.
Previous pick: Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU

11. San Diego Chargers (6-10): Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
D.J. Fluker is also an option here, but his Alabama line mate is still the better pure lineman.
Previous pick: Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina

12. Miami Dolphins (7-9): D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
Replacing Jake Long is the real concern, but getting a strong right tackle is pretty important too.
Previous pick: Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

13. New York Jets [via Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)]: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU
The Jets waited on Mingo at No. 9, but the risk pays off as he lands in New York anyway.

14. Carolina Panthers (7-9): Shelden Richardson, DT, Missouri
The Panthers couldn’t stop the run in 2012, but Richardson should help change that.

15. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
Trufant’s speed should help the Saints against the pass.
Previous pick: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

16. St. Louis Rams (7-8-1): Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
Austin is the best offensive playmaker in this draft and Sam Bradford can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8): Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
The Saints could grab Jones two picks before, but the Steelers won’t let him pass if he’s sitting here at 17.

18. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
Jerry Jones may be tempted to get Tony Romo a new toy on offense, but in the end he goes with a need over a want.
Previous pick: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

19. New York Giants (9-7): Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
Osi Umenyiora and Chris Canty left a big hole in the Giants’ defensive line, forcing their hand to address it through the draft.
Previous pick: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

20. Chicago Bears (10-6): Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Jay Cutler is in a contract year, so the Bears will give him all the weapons necessary to prove he is the answer long term.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6): Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
The Bengals seem to think they’ll have tackle Andre Smith back on the roster next season, turning their attention to the next biggest need this offseason: the secondary.

22. St. Louis Rams [via Washington Redskins (10-6)]: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
The Rams could use a heavy hitter to set the tone in their secondary. Boom, Elam it is.
Previous pick: Matt Elam, S, Florida

23. Minnesota Vikings (10-6): Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
The Vikings don’t appear intent on signing Brian Urlacher after all. So, Ogletree could address their need at inside linebacker.
Previous pick: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

24. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
Indy is all set passing the football on offense, but they’re still having trouble defending it. Rhodes should provide a big boost in the secondary.
Previous pick: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

25. Minnesota Vikings [via Seattle Seahawks (11-5)]: Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
Te’o may be surrounded by controversy, but the Vikings know he still has the talent to be a
Previous pick: Keenan Allen, WR, California

26. Green Bay Packers (12-4): Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State
There is no way the Packers trade up into the top-10 to get one of the big three, but Watson is a sturdy tackle with lots of potential. Plus, he can help Aaron Rodgers right now.
Previous pick: Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

27. Houston Texans (12-4): Matt  Barkley, QB, USC
I’m not necessarily saying the Texans will take Barkley — though Matt Schaub may not be the franchise quarterback they once thought — but this is a prime spot for the Bills, Cardinals, Browns or any number of teams to trade back into the first round and get their man.
Previous pick: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State

28. Denver Broncos (13-3): Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
Elvis — Dumervil that is — has left the building, and the Broncos need a replacement in the pass rush. Look no further than the talented UCLA end.
Previous pick: Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State

29. New England Patriots (12-4): Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State
There is a good chance the Patriots trade back with a team looking to get a quarterback. If they do stay here, though, Carradine would give them a good complement to Chandler Jones.
Previous pick: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

30. Atlanta Falcons (13-3): D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston
Hayden ran in the low 4.4s at his Houston pro day and seems to be fully healthy, making him a steal at this point in the draft.
Previous pick: Datone Jones, DE, UCLA

31. San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1): Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
The 49ers are positioning themselves to move up but, without predicting a trade, Hunt seems like a great fit to replace Justin Smith.
Previous pick: Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

32. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): Keenan Allen, WR, California
They don’t have Anquan Boldin anymore, so why not take the closest thing this draft has to offer.
Previous pick: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

Dropped: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State; Matt Elam, S, Florida; Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State; DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson; Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama;

Newcomers: Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina; Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame; Matt  Barkley, QB, USC; D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston; Margus Hunt, DE, SMU;

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

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Photo via Facebook/Oregon Ducks Football from B/R

There was a good chance the Patriots would find a receiver at some point on draft day when Sanders was still a possibility, but now that he’s out the pressure to find a playmaker only increases.

Fortunately for Tom Brady and company, this year’s draft offers an array of talent on the outside and the Patriots should have some good talent to choose from at the end of the first round.

Tavon Austin and Cordarrelle Patterson are projected as the top two wide receivers to come off the board, but there is still no telling whether they’ll be taken before the Patriots pick at No. 29. Either way, players like Tennessee’s Justin Hunter, California’s Keenan Allen and Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins are also available and could fit into the Patriots’ offensive system.

With all that in mind, let’s jump into this week’s mock draft and see who the Patriots and the rest of the league could have coming their way next Thursday night.

Editor’s Note: Draft order is as follows for the first round of this year’s draft. 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14): Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Joeckel has been the pick for almost every one of these mocks, and there’s a reason: he’s the best player available.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-14): Dion Jordan, OLB/DE, Oregon
The rumors about interest in Geno Smith sounds more like the Jags trying to stir up interest in the pick. If they keep it, Jordan makes the most sense.

3. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
Oakland needs a playmaker on defense. Floyd would give them a building block for the future.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-12): Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
I still think Chip Kelly‘s eyeing EJ Manuel over Geno. So, drafting on defense and waiting another round for the quarterback seems like the right play.
Previous pick: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

5. Detroit Lions (4-12): Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
Fisher falls out of the top four, but he won’t last long. The Lions need some help on the offensive line after losing Gosder Cherilus.
Previous pick: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

6. Cleveland Browns (5-11): Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
Milliner would give the Browns the best young cornerback tandem in football. Joe Haden would be jumping for joy.

7. Arizona Cardinals (5-11): Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
Rumor has it that Bruce Arians is very high on Johnson. So, he’ll get his man at left tackle.
Previous pick: Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

8. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
Kevin Kolb said he’s in Buffalo to win a Super Bowl, but he may not even have the chance with Geno in town.

9. New York Jets (6-10): Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
The Jets may have a chance to get Rhodes at No. 13, if they send Darrelle Revis to the Buccaneers. Either way, they need to replace him somehow.
Previous pick: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

10. Tennessee Titans (6-10): Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU
There might be a little too much hype surrounding Ansah, but the Titans would be foolish to pass on his talent at No. 10.
Previous pick: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

11. San Diego Chargers (6-10): Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
Chance Warmack has the better grade from most scouts, but Cooper is more athletic and seems like a better fit for Mike McCoy‘s offense.

12. Miami Dolphins (7-9): Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
The tackles are all gone, but the Dolphins still need help in front of Ryan Tannehill.
Previous pick: Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9): Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
With Milliner and Rhodes gone, the Bucs may jump on Trufant early to fill their need on the outside.
Previous pick: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

14. Carolina Panthers (7-9): Shelden Richardson, DT, Missouri
Richardson is a beast in the middle, and the Panthers will benefit from his big frame in trying to stop the run.

15. New Orleans Saints (7-9): Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU
Mingo’s pass rushing will help ease some of the Saints’ woes in the secondary.

16. St. Louis Rams (7-8-1): Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
Jeff Fisher may literally jump for joy if Austin falls to them here. He’s the best receiver in this draft and Sam Bradford desperately needs a playmaker like him.
Previous pick: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8): Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
Jones is looking more and more like a fit in the Steel city.

18. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State
The Cowboys could be tempted by Cordarrelle Patterson, but addressing a major issue on the defensive line seems more important.
Previous pick: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

19. New York Giants (9-7): D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
I don’t know if Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese can stay away from the defensive side of the ball, but if they do then getting a right tackle is first on the agenda.
Previous pick: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

20. Chicago Bears (10-6): Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Jay Cutler is in a contract year, so the Bears will give him all the weapons necessary to prove he is the answer long term.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6): Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
Ogletree could be the best linebacker in this draft five years from now.
Previous pick: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

22. St. Louis Rams [via Washington Redskins (10-6)]: Matt Elam, S, Florida
The Rams could use a heavy hitter to set the tone in their secondary. Boom, Elam it is.
Previous pick: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas

23. Minnesota Vikings (10-6): Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
The Vikings don’t appear intent on signing Brian Urlacher after all. So, Ogletree could address their need at inside linebacker.
Previous pick: Keenan Allen, WR, California

24. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
Reggie Wayne is getting old and Andrew Luck needs a new toy.
Previous pick: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

25. Minnesota Vikings [via Seattle Seahawks (11-5)]: Keenan Allen, WR, California
Allen’s slow 40 time (4.72 seconds) might have turned many teams away from taking him in the first round. Then again, the Vikings were interested in Anquan Boldin earlier this offseason, and the two do have some similarities.
Previous pick: Datone Jones, DE, UCLA

26. Green Bay Packers (12-4): Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
Instead of reaching for a safety, the Packers grab a corner who is built like a safety. Who knows, maybe that’s where Banks ends up playing.
Previous pick: Matt Elam, S, Florida

27. Houston Texans (12-4): Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State
Rather than getting Matt Schaub a receiver, the Texans find him some help on the right side of the offensive line.
Previous pick: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

28. Denver Broncos (13-3): Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State
Seminoles go back to back. Carradine is an injury risk, but if he pans out the Broncos will have themselves a steal.
Previous pick: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

29. New England Patriots (12-4): DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
Emmanuel Sanders didn’t end up in New England after all, which means the Patriots need a playmaker ready to come in and contribute immediately.
Previous pick: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee

30. Atlanta Falcons (13-3): Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
Losing John Abraham hurts, so the Falcons will look to replenish with a playmaker in the draft.
Previous pick: Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

31. San Francisco 49ers (11-4-1): Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama
The 49ers are a prime target to trade out of this pick, given their abundance of selections on draft day. But, for the time being, Williams seems like a good fit in Jim Harbaugh‘s defensive scheme.
Previous pick: Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International;

32. Baltimore Ravens (10-6): Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
They just got Elvis Dumervil to bolster the pass rush, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for more help off the edge.
Previous pick: Justin Pugh, G, Syracuse

Dropped: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee: Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International; Justin Pugh, G, Syracuse;

Newcomers: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State; Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State; Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama;

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Previous Mock Drafts: Mock Draft 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0  | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0

Photo via Facebook/DeAndre Hopkins

Gerard Warren, Mike Wright and Derrick Burgess are three former Patriots that immediately come to mind who would fit that bill. Now too does former Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly.

Kelly, 32, agreed to a two-year deal with the Patriots on Monday, just  two weeks after Oakland released him. Before being cut, Kelly had played his entire nine-year career with the Raiders, racking up 420 tackles, 34.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss during that time.

Kelly was a productive interior lineman during his first six seasons, but it wasn’t until he played alongside former Patriot Richard Seymour that his true potential began to shine through.

In each of his first two seasons playing next to Seymour, Kelly recorded a combined 14.5 sacks, which unsurprisingly were the two highest sack totals (seven in 2010 and 7.5 in 2011) of his career. Those numbers plummeted back to reality in 2012, though, as Seymour struggled to stay healthy and missed eight games. His absence resulted in Kelly failing to consistently pressure the quarterback, ending up with just 1.5 sacks on the season.

Kelly won’t have Seymour by his side in New England, but playing alongside Vince Wilfork up the middle should have a similar impact. Wilfork is still one of the most dominant interior linemen in football and he demands multiple blockers on nearly every snap, offering Kelly more opportunities to cause havoc in the backfield.

At his elder age, there’s no guaranteeing that Kelly will play the majority of the snaps or even usurp the starting role from Kyle Love. But adding him to a rotation with Love, Brandon Deaderick and — if he can stay healthy — Myron Pryor would give the Patriots some depth and much-needed help in the pass rush.

Kelly isn’t going to be a complete game changer for the Patriots, but he has the potential to be an impact player and will at the very least provide a veteran presence along the defensive line.

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Photo via Facebook/Tommy Kelly

The former No. 1 overall pick has been working hard over the past two months, pushing himself to get back on the football field after two years away. He’s also been losing a lot of his excess weight in the process.

Russell, who says he’s not at the “halfway point” in his comeback, admits he was about 315 pounds when he started working out again at the beginning of February but is now weighing in 27 pounds lighter at a slender 288.

“Through the first couple weeks I could barely make it through the workout,” Russell said during the fifth installment of Bleacher Report’s comeback series. “We go in to do the warm-up and here I am breathing like a fat man. Now I’m breathing pretty good and able to stand up on my own two feet.”

Russell has never been a slim quarterback, and he doesn’t plan to be anytime soon either. When he first entered the league with the Oakland Raiders in 2007, the 6-foot-6 behemoth weighed somewhere north of 260 pounds. Now, Russell is aiming to drop another 20 pounds or so from his current weight and plans to be about 270 pounds by the time of his pro day, which is expected some time later this Spring.

Check out the video of a bearded Russell working out and talking about his experience below.

Click here to see who thinks Russell can come back>>

Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.

Thumbnail via YouTube

Flynn was traded to the Raiders for two draft picks, according to Jay Glazer. The Seahawks signed Flynn to a three-year, $19.5 million contract before the 2012 season. Russell Wilson emerged as the starter out of training camp and Flynn attempted just nine passes all season.

The Raiders will not have to touch their 2013 draft in the trade. Both “later round” picks are from the 2014 and 2015 drafts, according to Glazer. Oakland traded their second-round pick in the 2013 draft to Cincinnati for Carson Palmer, who they are trying to trade to the Arizona Cardinals.

Flynn was drafted in the seventh round of the 2008 draft out of LSU. He gained notoriety after throwing for a Packers-record 480 yards and six touchdowns in Green Bay’s Week 17 matchup against the Lions in 2011.

Photo via Facebook/Seattle Seahawks

Raiders offensive tackle Jared Veldheer not only looks like he could double as the Incredible Hulk, but he also looks like he could eat Subway’s Jared Fogle as if he were a six-inch BMT.

Veldheer, according to CBS Sports by way of Yahoo! Sports, put on just four pounds of muscle this offseason — going from 321 pounds to 325 pounds, after getting drafted at 301 pounds in 2010. The big fella credits Nutrilite for its “perfect pack,” which allows him to make sure he gets “all my vitamins, minerals, and oils in #NSFcertified,” according to a recent tweet.

Check out his “before” photo below and see what he looks like as of March 25 below that.

Photo via Twitter/@Veldheer68

Photo via Twitter/@The Power Mark

The former Seattle Seahawks head coach will take on a “possible leadership role” with the Raiders, according to ESPN’s Bill Williamson. Holmgren, who was intrigued by a potential head coaching position with the Dallas Cowboys in recent years, has received a fair amount of interest from the San Diego Chargers regarding their open head coaching slot.

Holmgren is likely interested in Oakland because of the team’s hiring of his former co-worker with the Packers Reggie McKenzie as general manager in 2012.

Bryant, a Raiders free agent defensive tackle, was arrested on charges of criminal mischief. He was booked at 9:24 a.m. Sunday on $1,000 bail, according to ESPN.com.

The Harvard product was one of Pro Football Focus’ top rated interior defenders in 2012. He had three sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 20 quarterback pressures. The Raiders signed the 6-foot-6, 311-pounder as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He has only missed one game during his four-year career, and he’s started 18 games over the past two seasons.

It was originally believed that the Cowboys receiver was the culprit when Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel tweeted, “I’m hearing word from by sources that Cowboys WR Dez Bryant got arrested last night in Miami-Dade. Working to confirm.” That tweet has since been deleted.

Bryant later tweeted, “Ooo [expletive] false rumors about jail? Lol I was working out at 2 something in the morning in Dallas tx.”

Photo via Facebook/Desmond Bryant

Editor’s note: As part of NFL’s Greatest Quarterback, fans will decide the best quarterback in team, division, conference and league history.

The results are in for all four AFC West teams, and though there were some close races, there were no major surprises.

John Elway barely edged out Tim Tebow for best quarterback in Broncos history — we sense some shenanigans there — while Len Dawson won for the Chiefs, Ken Stabler beat out Daryle Lamonica for the Raiders and Dan Fouts ran away with it for the Chargers.

So who do you think is the best quarterback in AFC West history? Lets go through some of their accomplishments:

Len Dawson: Despite starting his career 50 years ago, Dawson still ranks at the top of most Chiefs passing records. He led the team to three AFL championships and one Super Bowl championship in 1969. The Chiefs made the playoffs five times during Dawson’s impressive Hall of Fame career.

Dawson led the AFL in passing efficiency six times, including five seasons in a row. He also led the AFL in touchdowns four times. During his career, he led the Chiefs to a 93-56-8 record. Dawson was the No. 5 overall pick in 1957 but didn’t kick-start his career until 1962 with the Chiefs. He started his career with two of the NFL’s premier organizations — the Steelers and Browns.

John Elway: There are many reasons for Broncos fans to love Elway. First among them is that he essentially got to hand-pick Denver as his football team. Elway was drafted No. 1 overall in 1983 by the Colts, but he didn’t want to play in Baltimore for a number of reasons. Elway was traded to Denver, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Elway led the Broncos to 10 playoff appearances in his 16 seasons in the league and made the Pro Bowl in nine of those seasons. He was the 1987 league MVP, led his team to five Super Bowls, winning one in each of his final two seasons. What’s most impressive is that Elway got better as a passer as he aged. His relatively low completion percentages were not overly impressive in the early part of his career, but as his speed started to diminish, his arm got more efficient.

Ken Stabler: It took Stabler five years to nail down the starting spot in Oakland, but once he did, he starred for the Raiders. Stabler led Oakland to its first Super Bowl championship in January 1977, when the Raiders beat the Vikings 32-14.

In that game, Stabler threw for 180 yards and a touchdown. Stabler is the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards. He was named to four Pro Bowls and led the league in passing efficiency in 1973 and 1976.

Dan Fouts: Fouts is a Pro Football Hall of Fame member who leads the Chargers in career passing yards, touchdowns, completions, attempts, wins and countless other stats. He was a six-time Pro Bowler who led the league in passing for four straight years, from 1979 to 1982.

The Chargers never made the Super Bowl under Fouts, but he led them to the playoffs four straight seasons, where he compiled a 3-4 postseason record. Fouts’ stats blew up in 1978 with the addition of head coach Don Coryell, who installed his “Air Coryell” offense, which concentrated on deep passing.

According to The Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle, the Raiders will use tarps to cover over about 11,000 seats at the Coliseum for next season. Although the Raiders were only blacked out in their home market once last season, the team continually had trouble drawing the 85 percent capacity crowd needed to declare a sellout. The venue’s new capacity will be 53,250 (down from 64,200), the smallest in the NFL by about 8,000 seats.

Ironically, it looks like Mount Davis — named for former owner Al Davis — will be the biggest casualty of the reduced capacity. Mount Davis is the name given to a third-deck level of seating in what is center field during the stadium’s baseball configuration. Long viewed as an eyesore since the Coliseum’s renovation in 1996, the section is obstructed-view for baseball games and haven’t been sold in years during A’s games.

Although the move will certainly help the Raiders avoid local TV blackouts, it also might hurt a little bit should the team make the playoffs. Even if the Raiders do make the postseason, the team is not allowed to reopen the tarped-off sections of seats.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons/O.co Coliseum

Editor’s note: As part of NFL’s Greatest Quarterback, fans will decide the best quarterback in team, division, conference and league history.

Daryle Lamonica: Lamonica has the second-highest winning percentage — .784 — in NFL history and the highest — .900 — in AFL hisory. He led the Raiders to a 1967 AFL Championship but lost in Super Bowl II to the Packers.

Lamonica’s accuracy was certainly suspect during his football career, but he knew how to fling the ball and led the league in passing in 1969. He was the AFL MVP in 1967 and 1969 and was a three-time AFL All Star and two-time Pro Bowler.

Ken Stabler: It took Stabler five years to nail down the starting spot in Oakland, but once he did, he starred for the Raiders. Stabler led Oakland to its first Super Bowl championship in January 1977, when the Raiders beat the Vikings 32-14.

In that game, Stabler threw for 180 yards and a touchdown. Stabler is the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards. He was named to four Pro Bowls and led the league in passing efficiency in 1973 and 1976.

Jim Plunkett: Plunkett had one of the strangest careers in league history. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 1971 and was widely regarded as a bust as he faltered for both the Patriots and 49ers. He was picked up by the Raiders and was a backup until starter Dan Pastorini got injured in 1980.

Plunkett led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory that season, defeating the Eagles 27-10. Plunkett then found himself as Marc Wilson’s backup in 1983 before the younger quarterback got injured. Plunkett led that Raiders team to another Super Bowl victory, this time over the Redskins, 38-9.

Rich Gannon: Gannon buoyed around the league for 11 years, never starting a full, 16-game season until signing on with the Raiders in 1999. In Oakland, Gannon rallied off four straight Pro Bowl seasons before getting injured in 2003 and 2004.

Gannon’s 2002 season was his best. He set a Raiders record with 4,689 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Raiders faced off against their old head coach Jon Gruden in the Super Bowl that season but faltered, losing 48-21 under Bill Callahan. Gannon threw five interceptions in that game, with three returned for touchdowns.

Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece wants to win the Pro Bowl MVP because he wants the free car that comes along with it.

“I want the car,” Reece said, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m going to win the car. I don’t care what kind of car it is, it could be a Hot Wheel, I want it. I am going to do everything I can to win it.”

The University of Washington product had the best season of his career in 2012. The fullback rushed for 271 yards on 59 carries and added 52 receptions for 496 yards and one touchdown. He received an increased role in the offense when running back Darren McFadden went down with an injury midway through the season.

This is Reece’s first career Pro Bowl. He went undrafted in 2008, but has carved out a role as the most productive fullback in football the past three seasons.

From what we can tell, a fullback has never won the award. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall won the MVP, and the car, last year.

Brown, who made headlines Monday when he accused the former Raiders coach of sabotaging his team’s chances in Super Bowl XXXVII, is now insisting that his comments were taken the wrong way.

“I’ve never said [Callahan] sabotaged the game,” Brown told The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday. “That’s something that can never be proven. We can never go into the mind of Bill Callahan. …. I should have said we could have called it sabotage. It was a question, not a statement. You cannot prove it.”

The All-Pro wide receiver did not waver from his claim that Callahan switched Oakland’s game plan from one centered around bruising running backs Tyrone Wheatley and Zack Crockett to once that called for Rich Gannon to win the game with his arm. Gannon put on one of the worst performances ever by a quarterback in a Super Bowl (24-for-44, two touchdowns, five interceptions) and the Raiders were blown out by Tampa Bay.

Brown’s backtracking is strange because it reads basically identical to his original statements, where he said that he believed Callahan’s plan was to sabotage the Super Bowl and help his friend, Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden, although he could not prove it.

Fellow wideout Jerry Rice has publicly supported Brown’s claims, while several of their Raider teammates, including Crockett and Gannon, have disagreed.

Photo via Facebook/The Oakland Raiders

Russell, who is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, is attempting a comeback, Yahoo! Sports reports. The 27-year-old last played in 2009 and failed to make an impact in tryouts with the Redskins and Dolphins in 2010, but he has been working out and wants another chance.

“I’m not looking for a pat on the shoulder from people who haven’t been there for me,” Russell told Yahoo! Sports. “It feels funny not to go through training camp — that’s just what I’m used to. It’s going to feel good to get back out there again. I will make this happen.”

Russell had a wretched first few years in the NFL with the Raiders, going 7-18 with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and just a 52.1 percent completion rate over three years. After Oakland finally cut him, he did all but swear off football, turning his back on the heavy criticism that came along with what many called a lack of effort despite his athleticism.

Russell, who was once a tough 6-foot-6 and 256 pounds, saw his weight climb to as many as 320 pounds this fall, according to Yahoo! Sports, but he’s since knocked it down to 308. Even more, he has a renewed interest in the game.

“My first year out, I couldn’t watch football, but after a while, I couldn’t keep the TV off,” he said. “I got that itchy feeling, but now I gotta watch it, I gotta watch. The last few years, the things going through my life — football is my life, and it is how it feeds my family. … People are always saying that I’m a bust. I want to show them I’m not. I’m committed to this now.”

At 27, Russell is no longer a young player with promise. He has a long road ahead of him to get back into playing shape and get the mental focus needed to play in the NFL.

But that journey has officially started.

On Monday, Tim Brown told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he believed Bill Callahan sabotaged Super Bowl XXXVII because he didn’t like the Raiders’ organization, and because he was friends with Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden. While Bill Romanowski, Rich Gannon,  Zack Crockett and an anonymous player disagreed with Brown’s assertion, Jerry Rice was on the same page as his fellow wide receiver.

Rice was on ESPN’s NFL Live on Tuesday, where he reinforced much of what Brown had said. Rice said Callahan changed the game plan from being run heavy to pass heavy the Friday before the Super Bowl. He also said that Barrett Robbins, the center who disappeared the Saturday before the Super Bowl, was the most upset over the change. Rice believed that the game plan change is what caused Robbins to leave for Mexico because of the added pressure of learning the new game plan in two days.

Rice told ESPN he and Brown had never confronted Callahan about the supposed sabotage because they never had the opportunity. He did recall that Callahan had an issue with the Raiders, and that he had left the field before games were over while he was still a coordinator under Gruden.

Rice stopped short of saying that he believed that Callahan sabotaged the Super Bowl, but he did say that if Brown was suspicious, he would have to believe the Raider great.

It’s likely this controversy won’t end any time soon, and we would expect to hear from many former Raiders over the next two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. So far, it’s Brown and Rice against four Raiders, with Charlie Garner falling somewhere in the middle.

Photo via Facebook/JerryRice

The Raiders’ legendary wide receiver told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday that Oakland’s head coach at the time, Bill Callahan, sabotaged the team. He said Callahan had a certain game plan in place up until 36 hours before the game, and then changed it. He also alluded that that change is what could have pushed center Barrett Robbins, who disappeared the day before the Super Bowl after not taking his medication, off the deep end.

Brown said Callahan had planned a heavy rushing attack to battle Tampa Bay. Oakland had big, bruising running backs in Tyrone Wheatley and Zack Crockett, and an offensive line that Brown said averaged 340 pounds to the Buccaneers’ defensive line, which averaged 280 pounds. The game plan changed that Friday when Callahan told the team the new plan was to throw the ball 60 times.

“We all called it sabotage … because Callahan and Gruden were good friends,” Brown said. “And Callahan had a big problem with the Raiders, you know, hated the Raiders. You know, only came because Gruden made him come. Literally walked off the field on us a couple of times during the season when he first got there, the first couple years. So really he had become someone who was part of the staff but we just didn’t pay him any attention. Gruden leaves, he becomes the head coach. … It’s hard to say that the guy sabotaged the Super Bowl. You know, can you really say that?  That can be my opinion, but I can’t say for a fact that that’s what his plan was, to sabotage the Super Bowl. He hated the Raiders so much that he would sabotage the Super Bowl so his friend can win the Super Bowl. That’s hard to say, because you can’t prove it.

“But the facts are what they are, that less than 36 hours before the game we changed our game plan. And we go into that game absolutely knowing that we have no shot. That the only shot we had if Tampa Bay didn’t show up.”

Brown said the new game plan was toughest on Robbins, who would have to learn new calls at the line of scrimmage that he hadn’t prepared for. Brown said the team blamed Callahan, not Robbins’ disappearance, for the loss.

In that game, the Raiders passed the ball 44 times and ran it only 11 times for 19 yards, including two carries by quarterback Rich Gannon. Gannon, who threw just 10 interceptions all season and had the best year of his career in 2002, threw five picks and just two touchdowns.

Photo via Facebook/Raiders