Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sapp
 

Posted Jul 26th 2007 5:46AM by Michael David Smith

Considering that he's the most inexperienced head coach in the NFL, it's a little surprising that Oakland's Lane Kiffin doesn't seem the least bit hesitant to make sweeping changes. The latest example comes from Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Numerous NFL sources have suggested Kiffin, 32, wants to rid the team of players who are close to his age or older.

Kiffin, sources say, doesn't want players with influence who might threaten his authority.

So team leaders such as fullback Zack Crockett, 34, and -- yes, believe it -- defensive tackle Warren Sapp, 34, are in big trouble. Even if Sapp, who admirably dropped 49 pounds in six months, comes to camp looking like a Pro Bowler, he's probably wasting his time.

If Sapp is truly wasting his time and Kiffin has already decided to cut him, the team ought to just cut him loose now. He's not the player he used to be, but he'd have other options.

"If that were the case B&G Nation, would anybody out there like to see him in a Saints uniform? Better yet. Do you think the Saints would have any interest?

If it were to happen, I personally wouldn't mind seeing him sign a one or two year contract with us, he still has a lil gas in the tank."

.... if wouldn't care to have Sapp in NO, but Kiffin is showing a lack of spine from the get-go.

What if the Saints got Sapp and Tank, put Young on IR, and rotated them with Thomas and Clancy. That would be the best DTs in the league. And with Smith and Grant it would be the best DL in the league. Just kidding I know it won't happen.

I had some interest when Sapp went to Oak, but no longer. I'd like to add a young DT by some means. We can trade up or bid on some FA next season.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

No thanks on Sapp.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Huh? That's a terrible idea, and I'm actually glad it won't happen. I actually wouldn't mind seeing us get Sapp for a one-year deal, but I would be a tad worried about his character. Coupling that with the suspect character of Tank Johnson (who I'm very glad we wanted no part of), would create more problems than it would solve. And IMO, at this point in his career, Brian Young is better than Warren Sapp. He might have been a perennial Pro Bowler in years past, but I can't remember the last time anybody said anything about him. He's clearly on the downside of his career, while BY is a consistent, if not quite productive, defensive tackle. So why would we put BY on the IR? He's injured right now, but he'll be 100% by the start of the season.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Everybody keep talking about Sapp's personality and how it would effect the team. First of all, this is a veteran team not a bunch of easily persuaded youngsters that follow our guys are leaders. Secondly, this is Coach Sean Payton's team, no player is going to come in here and change that, Payton is not Kiffin, if you don't do it his way your gone plain and simple. And thirdly, when was the last time Sapp was in trouble with the law? Last year was one of the worst years of his career, and he didn't throw antbody under the bus or talk about his coach at lest I didn't hear about anything. I think Sapp still have the skills that made him a Probowler and he lost a lot of weight and refocused himself this year, I think he would greatly improve our defense.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

I wasn't talking about criminal things when I was addressing his character issues. I was referring to his tendencies to need attention on himself and be outspoken when he doesn't like how things are being done, which just seems a little unnecessary considering the very good chemistry the team has going. And no, I don't remember him saying anything about Art Shell last season, but that doesn't mean he didn't. Besides, those guys on offense were talking so much that maybe Sapp felt like he didn't need to.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Ahhhhh So you mean you'd hate to have another Horn, but on D? You say you remember him saying anything about Shell, "But that doesn't mean he didnt." Doesn't mean he did, either. Right? Maybe Sapp felt he should be a leader, and keep his negative comments to himself?

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Yeah, actually I would prefer not to have another Joe Horn type player. Give me a Brian Urlacher type any day (as in a guy who keeps his mouth shut and cares more for the welfare of the team).

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

I could careless about their charater. No one is perfect. I just want good players on the team. If I were perfect I could want everyone else to be. I hope the Saints would and could get both of them.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

We already have that in Simmons. He may not be going to the Hall, but he's a solid player, teammate, and citizen. Maybe not good enough in your eyes, but Payton likes him.

Joe Horn did the most to mentor the WRs, and was as much a part of the community as any other player. His contributions and efforts are well-documented. He was the only one to reach out to Ricky and AB, by visiting them at home.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Good enough in my eyes? What does that mean? Did I say anything about Brian Simmons? I'm confused about what you're getting at here.

And yes Joe did help mentor those guys, but he also f***ed Willie Roaf's wife and attracted a lot of attention over the years with his antics. I'm not saying that I didn't love Joe, because I did, but I think that Payton proved last year that getting high character guys works better than getting a bunch of self-centered players who might be a bit more talented.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Well, you wished for such a stand-up guy model teammate like Urlacher, when we have the same in Simmons playing MLB. I'll leave it at that.

Joe Horn swears he had nothing to do with Roaf's wife. I don't recall one departing player saying he did, either. I do know he had his own family, and can do better than his teammate's woman. Anyway, unless you were there, your conjecture is irrelevant.

The vast majority of fans felt differently about Horn's antics. You can pass on Steve Smith or Chad Johnson, too. That's your biz. I'd sign em in a heartbeat.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Your argument makes no sense. Just because we have a high class guy like Brian Simmons, why does that mean we can't have another high character guy at DT? Can you only have a certain number of high character guys on a team? I don't understand the point you're trying to make here. Sure, we have a bunch of high character guys, like Brian Simmons for instance, but why does that mean I shouldn't want a good character guy at DT?

I understand what you're saying about Horn's antics, and I didn't have a problem with them as much as say, most members of the national media. But, if we're talking about a guy like Sapp (which this thread was supposed to be about in the first place), then there's a difference between him and Cinco Ocho and Steve Smith. Those guys produce, on a ridiculous level. He doesn't. If he was going to be able to produce Pro Bowl numbers, I wouldn't mind the antics as much (I'd still prefer not to see them as much). But he doesn't. It just seems to me like he would be a distraction. Maybe I'm wrong, I am just going off what I've seen in the past: a very vocal Warren Sapp who has no problem criticizing teammates or coaches.

Re: Out With the Old, in With the New: Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin Could Cut Warren Sap
 

Warren Sapp's career stats.

Year Team Tackles Sacks FF Int Yds TD
1995 TB 26.0 3 1 1 5 1
1996 TB 51.0 9 1 0 0 0
1997 TB 58.0 10.5 2 0 0 0
1998 TB 44.0 7 2 0 0 0
1999 TB 41.0 12.5 4 0 0 0
2000 TB 52.0 16.5 1 0 0 0
2001 TB 36.0 6 1 0 0 0
2002 TB 47.0 7.5 1 2 0 0
2003 TB 43.0 5 2 0 0 0
2004 Oak 42.0 2.5 0 0 0 0
2005 Oak 32.0 5 1 1 3 0
2006 Oak 47.0 10 1 0 0 0
Total 519.0 94.5 17 4 8 1

"If those are not probowl numbers, I don't know what is."