Kerry Collins Close to Signing with Raiders - Possible end for Rich Gannon in Oakland.

Don't think the Raiders will keep Gannon if they sign Collins. Al Davis looking to go more vertical with passing game.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have had serious discussions with quarterback Kerry Collins about joining the team.

Collins met with Raiders officials for two days at team headquarters earlier this month and has been in touch with the team in recent days.

''He was here two weeks ago,'' Raiders spokesman Artie Gigantino said Sunday. ''Right now, nothing's been done. It would be premature to say he's going to sign.''

Collins had a physical with the Raiders and met with coaches, but didn't work out.

The 31-year-old Collins, a nine-year NFL veteran, was released by the New York Giants four days after they acquired No. 1 draft pick Eli Manning from the San Diego Chargers on draft day, April 24. Collins led the Giants to a Super Bowl appearance in 2001.

The Giants shed $8.95 million off their salary cap this season by cutting Collins, who threw for 3,110 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions last season.

Whether he would start for the Raiders is unclear.

Oakland, coming of an embarrassing 4-12 season, has questions at the quarterback position, even though the Raiders have said 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon is completely healthy after having shoulder surgery in November to repair a torn labrum and is still their No. guy.
The 38-year-old Gannon, knocked out of the Raiders' 17-10 loss to Kansas City last Oct. 20, ended the season on injured reserve, and so did his backup, Marques Tuiasosopo.
Gannon is due to make $7 million this season and he has said he won't take a pay cut, raising speculation the Raiders may let him go.
After Oakland made the worst collapse by a team in the Super Bowl the previous year, Gannon criticized the Raiders. He said he believes he unfairly became the organization's scapegoat in the first seven weeks of the season when no one stepped forward to take responsibility for the failures.
He later met with owner Al Davis.
During the Raiders' 2002-03 Super Bowl season, Gannon led the league's top offense and broke the NFL completions record with 418 on the way to league MVP honors. He led the league with 4,689 yards passing.

AP News.

Sadly I'm afraid Rich was done half-way thru the 1stQ of the Superbowl loss.

Collins far from dumb knows he has an excellent chance to flourish under Raiders' new head coach Norv Turner. Thought by many NFL experts to be a top offensive tactician Turner could be a perfect fit in Oakland. Anyone who can coach for Redskin owner Daniel Snyder should have no problem with equally hands on owner Al Davis. Turner was the man behind the scenes when Jimmie Johnson coached the Cowboys to two Super Bowl wins in the early 90's. Ask Troy Aikman about Turner and he will tell you Cowboys don't win any SBs without Norv. The one problem Turner has had is motivating his players, maybe Davis will give him some help in that area. Meanwhile the Raider D is another story - hit hard by injuries last year it remains a major question mark this season. With Collins - Davis gets the stretch the field, vertical passer he loves, add Turner's offensive genius, and the Raiders look to improve a ton on the offensive side of the ball. Rich Gannon will make a very good offensive coordinator some day.

wil.

Kerry Collins put the HUMAN in Humanturnover. This effing pastry chef already quit on a team remember. He's an alky too.

Collins played either high or drunk all of last season! He looked out of it on many occasions while on the sidelines! They should give him a piss test before EVERY game and even after half time! Thank god hes The Raiders problem now! GO ELI!!

Oakland is the home for all of the NFL's wayward sons, Collins should fit right in. Personally I have never liked him, but imo the Raiders are his best shot to start this season out of all NFL teams searching for QB help. The question is how much has he matured from his tenure in NY. He made it to a super bowl and put up some decent numbers with the G-Men. Last year the whole Giant team quit not just Collins (Jim Fassel).


wil.

I was never a big Collins fan but it is hard to critique the guy when generally he played fairly well for my G-Men.

I don't know the Raiders o-line situation but if you give Collins time he is an above average NFL QB. With that said, he is an absolute train wreck under any small amount of pressure.

I would have loved to keep him for just one more year.

Its official.

Raiders sign quarterback Kerry Collins
By Janie Mccauley, Associated Press, 5/24/2004 16:35

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Kerry Collins signed with the Oakland Raiders on Monday, ending his monthlong search for a team and raising questions about the future of 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon.

Collins, a nine-year NFL veteran, was released by the Giants on April 28, four days after they acquired Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick in the draft. Collins is the kind of quarterback Raiders owner Al Davis has always coveted big and strong-armed.

''Kerry is a highly productive performer who will add to what is already a talented position,'' Raiders coach Norv Turner said.

The 31-year-old Collins led the Giants to a Super Bowl appearance in 2001, and that was certainly an appealing factor for the Raiders. Oakland's fall to 4-12 last season was the worst collapse by a team that played in the Super Bowl the previous season.

Collins gives the Raiders two quarterbacks who lost in the NFL title game.

''I'm looking forward to playing in front of the Raider Nation,'' Collins said in a statement. ''I want them to know that I'm going to give everything I've got.''

The Giants shed $8.95 million from their salary cap when they cut Collins, who threw for 3,110 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions last season. He started 67 straight games for New York until spraining an ankle and missing the last three games in 2003.

The 38-year-old Gannon, knocked out of the Raiders' 17-10 loss to Kansas City last Oct. 20, ended last season on injured reserve, and so did his backup, Marques Tuiasosopo.

The Raiders have said Gannon is completely healthy after having shoulder surgery in November to repair a torn labrum and is still their No. 1 QB.

Gannon is due to make $7 million this season and he has said he won't take a pay cut, raising speculation the Raiders may let him go. That would likely make Collins the starter.

After Oakland's embarrassing finish to the season, Gannon criticized the Raiders. He said he believes he unfairly became the organization's scapegoat in the first seven weeks of the season when no one stepped forward to take responsibility for the failures.

During the Raiders' 2002-03 Super Bowl season, Gannon led the league's top offense and broke the NFL completions record with 418 on the way to league MVP honors. He led the league with 4,689 yards passing.