‘Blindsided’ Richard Seymour Will Play Tonight

This according to NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora:

Agent Eugene Parker confirms NFL Network report that Richard Seymour is reporting to Oakland today.More updates to come ...

This is all getting pretty ridiculous, but we’re here to keep you updated. So here’s the latest, according to the Boston Herald: Richard Seymour did receive a letter from the Raiders on Thursday giving him five days to show up from the time received, or face a possible season-long suspension.

Greg Papa, proud voice of the Oakland Raiders, is reporting that the team has sent a letter to Richard Seymour giving him five days to appear for a physical.

So that means we know exactly when the deadline is, right? Well, unfortunately no one knows when the letter was sent. So, not really, no.

Jason La Confora of NFL.com reports:

Perhaps Seymour has resigned himself to going to Oakland, but is worried the Raiders will use their franchise tag on him for as long as he is productive. In that scenario, Seymour would receive very handsome yearly salaries, but they would only be single-year deals. If he got hurt or his play began to decline, he would have no guarantee of a big money deal. Better to sign a long-term deal with a massive signing bonus and give himself some more security than operate on year-to-year contracts.

USA Today reports:

Well that clears things up. So Seymour wants to be in Oakland...except for the actually showing up in Oakland part. Which begs the question: why isn’t he in Oakland already? Is he trying to bluff his way out, or is he really trying to resolve some as-of-yet undisclosed financial situation with New England? I’m betting on the former.

The Boston Herald attempts to enlighten us as to why this trade still hasn’t been completed. Instead, it just makes things more confusing:

The Oakland Raiders held a morning practice today, and a player noticeably absent was one recently acquired Richard Seymour. In fact, according to David White of the San Francisco Chronicle, Seymour hasn’t even left Boston yet, and the deal to send him to Oakland still isn’t done.

Cable added that Seymour has told him that he wants to be there (in Oakland). The deal won’t become final until Seymour shows up and then passes a physical, and as of right now, no one has any idea of when that will happen, if at all.

The Contra Costa Times reports:

Peter King already reported that Seymour is fuming about the trade. Still, King lays out the reasons Seymour would be foolish not to report to Oakland (hint: it has to do with money):

The S.F. Chronicle suggests this was a deal that Al Davis had to make, given how poorly his team’s rush defense performed last season:

SI’s Peter King swiftly gives that line of thinking a beatdown, pointing out the numerous blockbuster, instant-fix deals the Raiders have made recently. These all worked out really well for them:

Reiss is probably just being nice and polite by including that last bit -- there’s no way that isn’t a top-10 pick in the ‘11 Draft.

According to Adam Schefter, former Steelers guard Kendall Simmons will sign with the Pats sometime today to take the vacant roster spot left by the Seymour trade.

And the experts are chiming in via Twitter. The consensus is accurate: The Raiders are fools, as usual.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

At least, I imagine that was the logic when the Raiders decided to give away a first round pick for an aging superstar in the last year of his contract, with a long history of injuries. A significant upgrade.