Hilger, Buczkowski Let Go in Final Cut by Raiders

Another one bit the dust. Rusty Hilger, who couldn’t ride the tiger of the Raiders’ No. 1 quarterback position last season and who was dropped from the picture before this one, disappeared from the roster Monday.

Also cut was Bob Buczkowski, meaning that in one training camp, the Raiders have cashed in three of their last four No. 1 picks.

Neither move was a surprise. Hilger, who zoomed into and out of favor, started getting the bad news a month ago.

“I’d never really planned on a day like this coming,” he said.

“I started off well as a rookie. By the time you’re a third-year guy in the league, all of a sudden they say, ‘Well, you’ve progressed enough that you’re a starter now.’

“And less than a year from that, after having the whole thing fall in on you, you come into a situation where you’re going to rebuild and everybody’s going to start fresh, and you go from the penthouse to the outhouse.

“That was probably the toughest thing I’ve ever been through in my life, not being able to take snaps in practice (after Mike Shanahan dropped him from the rotation). “For some reason, I’m not bitter. I’m not mad. I’m really thankful that I had an opportunity to play here for three years.”

What Hilger represented was the last gasp of the old scheme. He was an Al Davis favorite from the day he arrived in ‘85, a fresh-faced No. 6 pick from Oklahoma State.

By the ’87 opener, he moved up to replace the beleaguered Marc Wilson, but if there was a chance that he might succeed, the other woes on his unit--the supposedlyrebuilt line was a mess, Mervyn Fernandez was lost--doomed him. He was overmatched in exhibitions. Behind that cockiness that so many liked, there didn’t seem to be much poise.

Finally, after the Raiders fell behind in his fifth game, at Minnesota, a team official in the press box was heard calling downstairs, informing the coaching staff that “Mr. Davis” wanted a new quarterback.

Hilger never took another snap.

“I just wish I had a chance to come in this year and be a starter, because of the new offense,” he said.

“It’s a totally productive offense. I can’t even imagine the guys not playing well in this offense. It gives you a chance to throw quick, without having to set 7 yards or 10 yards back in the pocket and have to hold the ball.

“I don’t want to put thoughts in their mind or accuse. I just feel like it’s in the scheme of things. I don’t know who’s making the decisions, I really don’t.

“It’s hard to believe that one year you can be the starter and the next year you’re not even fitting into the program.”

Buczkowski never made the starting lineup. The ’86 top pick hurt his back soon after reporting. At one time or another, he also had hepatitis and a shoulder injury.

He played two games in two seasons and he knew what that meant.

“This team’s been nothing but great to me,” Buczkowski said. “There are no hard feelings. If I go somewhere else or not, this team’s still tops. There’s just no doubt about that.

“I didn’t sleep last night. I had a little funny feeling about it. You can’t get hurt as much as me and expect to play.”

When he did play, it was without the explosiveness that the Raiders gave as their reason for making the unknown from Pittsburgh their surprise choice.

Even having shown nothing for two seasons, he was the heir apparent to succeed Sean Jones this season, but he was easily beaten out by Mike Wise.

“This was the worst I ever played in my life,” Buczkowski said. “This was really pitiful.

“This was the worst training camp and practices I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it got to me or not. Getting hurt all the time, it gets in the back of your mind.

“I can play better than I showed out there. Maybe it was just all getting to me.”

Maybe he needed a new start. Whether he did or not, he’s getting one.

Raider Notes

There was no news on the Jay Schroeder front, but a Raider source said the team is working hard on a deal. . . . Coach Mike Shanahan, asked whether he’d be interested in reclaiming Marc Wilson, recited his usual disclaimer--they’re always interested in improving any position--but added that he is not. Asked about Schroeder, Shanahan only repeated his disclaimer, this time adding nothing to it.

Other cuts included veteran cornerback Ron Fellows, newly acquired safety Russell Carter and tight end Gene Branton. . . . Surprise: Making the team is not only cornerback Dennis Price, the No. 5 pick from UCLA, but Ron Brown, a 6-4, 225-pound linebacker from USC, who was impressive as a pass rusher.

Where are those top picks now? 1985--1. Jessie Hester, traded to Atlanta for a No. 5 pick; 2A. Tim Moffett, waived; 2B. Stefon Adams, waived. 1986--1. Bob Buczkowski, waived; 2. none; 3. Brad Cochran, waived. 1987--1. John Clay, traded to San Diego with two draft picks for Jim Lachey.