Kiffin's USC connection may not save Mike Williams

Mike Williams is hearing footsteps. Or at least Lane Kiffin hopes so. (Although with Williams, it's probably best to spell things out). If Williams doesn't have a good few months, his NFL career could be Charles Rogered by September.

That's because the Raiders signed Travis Taylor, a similar player to Williams. This would not be a signing worth celebrating in most towns, but Taylor is an upgrade for the Raiders. Taylor, like Williams, hasn't lived up to his high first round billing. But at least he's produced and shows up for work. He could add some insurance to a group that doesn't want to count on Johnnie Lee Higgins in his rookie season or the Johnnie Morant/Alvis Whitted/Carlos Francis roster filler they've collected over the years.

The San Francisco Chronicle believes Taylor has a chance to start, but that would take a massively disappointing summer from Jerry Porter. Ronald Curry and Porter will start for the Raiders, and we suspect Taylor and Williams will compete for one roster spot behind them at flanker. There is little reason at this point to think Williams is going to win that battle.