OAKLAND, Calif. -- Are the Oakland Raiders serious about cleaning up their act? Their recent free-agent signings -- specifically defensive tackle Russell Maryland and cornerback Larry Brown from Dallas' Super Bowl champions -- are hardly in keeping with the collection of rogues and underproducers that often have populated the Raiders' lineup.
Maybe they really will start building a new image in their new/old home city.
The Raiders quit as a team last year when they went into a six-game tailspin after a promising 8-2 start. They finished the season with an 8-8 record and out of the playoffs.
There was a lot of finger-pointing and private grousing by players.
During one particularly horrible performance, a 44-10 loss at Seattle in the next-to-last game of the season, guard Kevin Gogan and reserve cornerback Najee Mustafaa had to be separated on the sidelines after Gogan yelled at Mustafaa for not hustling on a special-teams play.
Mustafaa was cut a few days ago.
THE RAIDERS STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN RID of James Trapp, another reserve cornerback who is the poster boy for many of their ills, but the first major signings of the off-season at least show a trend in the other direction.
Maryland and Brown were lured to Oakland with free-agent contracts worth a total of $31.5 million, including $6.8 million in signing bonuses. It's a major investment in players of high character and good work ethic. These are players who could become team leaders and show the Raiders how it's supposed to be done.
Both players say all they can do is be themselves, but that could be enough. Maryland, for example, will replace bloated defensive tackle Jerry Ball, who often had to leave games because he was so overweight. Maryland will shore up a defense against the run that was awful the second half of the year.
Without identifying them, running back Harvey Williams, who re-signed last week, said there were "bad apples" and a "cancer" on the Raiders' team last year.
"I'll give you my promise we'll do something about it," Williams said.
In Maryland and Brown, the Raiders have made a good start.
"I feel we've upgraded our defense," coach Mike Shanahan said.
Of course, that wouldn't be hard. Last season, the Broncos ranked 23rd in the league against the run and last in interceptions.
Tobin, Indy's vice president, used to be the Bears' GM. He recently signed Chicago guard Jay Leeuwenburg, and he's also talking with center Jerry Fontenot and offensive tackle James "Big Cat" Williams. Former Bears already on the Indianapolis roster include Jim Harbaugh, Chris Gardocki, David Tate and Wendell Davis.
Of course, Tobin has other problems, too. The Colts soon must decide whether to match Jacksonville's $18 million, five-year offer to linebacker Quentin Coryatt. The total might not scare the Colts off, but the signing bonus is a problem for them: $6 million. So is the first-year total: $8.3 million in combined signing bonus and salary. Indy is not a particularly cash-rich team.
But those numbers have started coming up in negotiations, especially after the suddenly aggressive New York Jets jumped in.
Then again, maybe the Steelers finally have realized that Kordell Stewart isn't ready to take over and there's no one out there they'd rather have than O'Donnell. They are reported to be keeping in touch with the Raiders' Jeff Hostetler. But Hostetler is five years older than O'Donnell and has had injury problems -- and the Raiders have a right of first refusal in his contract.
Realistically, the Steelers' choices seem limited to re-signing O'Donnell or turning the team over to Stewart and Jim Miller, who between them have thrown 63 passes in the NFL.
Houston OLB Eddie Robinson could be one of the little-known gems in free agency. Robinson's name hasn't surfaced much because he's not a big media talker, and he hasn't signed yet, but he's a good player and has a lot of teams interested. Robinson, a starter since his rookie year in 1992, is versatile, rarely makes mental mistakes and stays on the field all the time. ...
Brian DeMarco, who played tackle as a rookie, will move to guard this year for Jacksonville. DeMarco was opposed to the move last season but he has no choice following the Jaguars' signing of Leon Searcy. ...
Four reasons the Dolphins let Bryan Cox go: He was a Shula guy, and Jimmy Johnson wants players loyal only to him; Cox lacks speed, a Johnson must; Cox has become too high maintenance; and -- obviously -- money. Somehow, money is always a factor.
In addition to writing this exclusive column for SportsLine USA, Ira Miller covers pro football for the San Francisco Chronicle.
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