Wide Receivers Commentary Week 12

There was a time -- not too long ago -- when the were brimming with talented wide receivers.That time was before the Art Shell era; it was when Doug Gabriel was still a member of the crew, when Jerry Porter believed in the offense, and when Randy Moss was "happy" with his team.Now, Ronald 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Curry -- who was seemingly becoming a mere afterthought in the offseason -- has suddenly emerged as the Raiders' single bright spot on a dark, dismantled crew of wideouts.With already eight losses behind them and only six games remaining, let's take a look at how the Raiders can best utilize their current options at wide receiver. Swap No. 4 Jerry Porter for No. 2 Alvis WhittedPorter, who led the Raiders in receptions in 2003 and 2004, is currently fourth on the depth chart at wideout. Consequently, the 6-foot-2 receiver has seen the field very little this season, registering just one 19-yard grab in four games. Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Alvis Whitted has recorded at least one catch in nine of the team's first 10 games. Whitted has 19 receptions on the season; however, the veteran is on the downswing of his long career and Oakland gains little future or immediate benefit from starting him. Al Davis offered Porter a $13 million signing bonus in 2005 to re-join his team -- not to sit the bench in favor of a 32-year-old.Swap No. 3 Ronald Curry for No. 1 Randy MossMoss may be the team captain on offense, but Curry plays like he is. Moss, however, has been targeted 78 times this season, while the acrobatic Curry has been thrown to less than half of that (37). Simply laid out, Moss catches just 42.3 percent of passes coming his way and his dropped seven, while Curry has caught 62.2 percent with just two drops. Most importantly, though, Curry has been bringing more to the table than Moss all season; he simply has been given less opportunities. With Moss' latest comments and Curry's recent success and reliability, Shell should fill Porter's spot on the bench with the self-interested Moss.Swap No. 5 Johnnie Morant for No. 3 Ronald CurryWith Curry shooting up to the number two spot, Oakland should test its youth in the slot, much like the team did with Porter from 2001-2003 and former Raider Doug Gabriel in 2004 and 2005. Morant has the size (6-4, 220) and the background to make an immediate impact in the rotation for Oakland. At Syracuse, Morant was the first wideout to register four-plus 100-yard outings since Pro Bowler Marvin Harrison did so back in 1995. With nothing more to lose, Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
Morant could easily replace the similar-sized Moss in the lineup, considering Moss has just nine receptions in the team's last four games.Final revamped WR lineup:1: Ronald Curry2: Jerry Porter3: Johnnie Morant4: Randy Moss5: Alvis WhittedWant to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Dec. 1 mailbag. (32)