11/06/2008

DeAngelo Hall Cut From Raiders Roster

Former Atlanta Falcon and the now former Oakland Raider DeAngelo Hall has been been waived from the teams roster after eight months and eight games in to the season. All this after he just signed his $70 million contract. Maybe it was his big mouth that got him cut. This dude needs to learn when to shut up. Just because you're a good players doesn't mean that you are indispensable.

The Oakland Raiders’ decision to waive DeAngelo Hall has garnered many surprise reactions from his teammates who now wonder even more about the future of the franchise.

“I’ve never been in a situation where you cut one of the best players,” said safety Gibril Wilson, another of the team’s offseason acquisitions. “That’s strange to me. It’s almost like we’re throwing in the towel.”

The Raiders waived Hall on Wednesday, bringing a disappointing end to a short tenure in Oakland. The Raiders sent a second-round draft pick in 2008 and a fifth-rounder next season to Atlanta in March to acquire Hall, who immediately was given a seven-year contract. Hall was supposed to form one of the top cornerback duos in the league with Nnamdi Asomugha, but struggled from the start of the season as he adjusted to the Raiders’ man-to-man defense. He had shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but was let go anyway following a 24-0 loss to the Falcons this weekend which dropped Oakland to 2-6 on the season.

“I’m obviously disappointed,” Asomugha said. “I don’t agree with what happened. I don’t agree with what’s going on. But I am just a player so I can’t speak on it. I don’t make the decisions. All I can do is play but I don’t agree with what happened at all.”

The move to cut Hall follows other changes made by coach Tom Cable since taking over from Lane Kiffin on an interim basis after four games. Michael Huff, the No. 7 overall pick in 2006, lost his starting safety job and is now a third-stringer. Ronald Curry, the team’s leading receiver the past two years, has been relegated to special teams play. Asomugha said the recent moves have led to some players being tentative on the field, afraid that they could be next to lose their starting job or spot on the team.

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