Raiders have no good excuse for cutting Wilson

The Oakland Raiders top brass were doing so well. Two Pro Bowlers -- Nnamdi Asomugha and Shane Lechler -- re-signed. Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly was convinced to restructure his deal.

[TexasRaider]

I will go with Baker and Branch as the starting safeties for the coming year. As a matter of fact, Baker has more picks as a Raider than all three of them combined; as a matter of fact, Huff and Eugene have had more opportunities than either Baker or Branch. Huff did not get his first career pick until about midway through his second season. Branch on the other hand got his first career pick in his second game in the NFL and was only in a back up and special teams role whereas Huff was a full time starter until gettin benched midway through last season. Now Baker had started 3 games with Buffalo in 2004 and recorded 1 pick and then 0 starts with Buffalo but still managed 1 pick. In 2006 he saw action in 1 game with Minnesota. Then from 2007-2008 saw action in 13 games for NE before getting cut and picked up by the Raiders in 2008. I think by getting 3 picks in a limited role, he should've found a good home in Oakland and I would hope that they'd re-sign him because they gave him the chance to prove himself that neither NE, Buffalo, or Minnesota did. Therefore I will go with Branch as SS and re-sign Baker to play FS and re-sign Justin Miller for kick off returns.

[TexasRaider]

"He was considered one of the main offenders in a run defense that missed too many tackles."
This is the same thing I was hearing about Stuart Schweigert after 2006 despite being 1 of three players that recorded at least 100 tackles (along with Kirk Morrison and Tom Howard). Hiram Eugene was not a difference maker at all and neither was Michael Huff (no matter with safety position he played).

"the thought of Tyvon Branch or Rashad Baker or some rookie starting alongside Hiram Eugene or Michael Huff next season isn't all too assuring"
This tells me that Anthony Carroll has no sense at all when it came to the Raider safeties this year at all. Why would Eugene or Huff even be considered a starter next year when neither had a pick? Huff had 1 in 2007 and had started every game for the Raiders since 2006 until he was benched midway through 2008. Eugene has 15 starts as a Raider in 3 NFL years (if you count being on the practice squad in 2006) and 0 INTs. Branch will not have to wait until NFL season 2 (unlike Huff) for his first career pick because he got his in week 2 of 2008. He has no starts but appeared in the first 8 games of the season before going to IR. Then there's Rashad Baker who appeared in 42 games with 3 starts and 2 picks prior to joining the Raiders and wondered if he'd ever find a good NFL home. Well after 10 games with 1 start and 3 picks, I'd say he found it in Oakland. Baker obvioulsy has more career picks than any of the other safeties remaining on the roster and more as a Raider for that matter since he has 5 total and 3 as a raider whereas Branch, Huff, and Eugene have 2 combined and have all spent their entire careers with the Raiders. If any should be mentioned as starters for next year it's Baker for sure at FS and Branch at SS. Huff and Eugene have each been around for 3 years and have shown to be good tacklers which is good for special teams, but not signs of life at safety which is something Branch and Baker have.

All in all Gibril Wilson's 129 tackles (second on the team), 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs and even registered a safety, there is no productive reason to cut him. Maybe this will allow Tyvon Branch to show what's he's capable of doing.