Running an NFL team from the general manager position is more complicated than I can possibly imagine.

Dealing with the scum of the Earth (agent Drew Rosenhaus) on a daily basis, coaches who care little about the long-term prospects of the franchise, and fans who have an IQ somewhere between reality TV stars and PETA members, general managers must balance more variables than the average MIT student. Needless to say, building a successful NFL team can’t be defined in one simple column.

But there is one elementary rule all GMs should follow.

Whichever direction the Oakland Raiders are heading in, run as fast you can the other way. Trust me, the road Al Davis has paved is riddled with more holes than A-Rod’s apology for using steroids.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way Oakland approaches free agency.

Last off-season, the Raiders splurged on free agents like wide receiver Javon Walker (15 receptions this year) and cornerback DeAngelo Hall (released after eight games), and they resigned their own defensive tackle Tommy Kelly to a seven-year, $50.5 million-dollar contract (yeah, I hadn’t heard of him either). In the end, these grand expenditures got the Raiders a whopping total of five wins.

Starting Feb. 27, the NFL will officially kick off its second season by opening up veteran free agency and the trading period. With “superstars” hitting the open market, even Lions fans (assuming there are any left) will be hopeful during this time of year.

Which, of course, is a mistake. Superstars rarely reach free agency. If they actually are superstars, teams usually lock them up long term.

Instead, free agency offers a group comprised of the elderly, the lazy and the lucky. For the fortuitous teams way under the salary cap this year, we have a dose of all three.

First, there is the chance that Raven’s linebacker Ray Lewis will reach the open market. On the surface, what team wouldn’t jump at the chance to sign a guaranteed future Hall of Famer? While I’m sure some team will pony up the big bucks to place Lewis in the middle of their defense (Rex Ryan’s Jets anyone?), the risk far outweighs the reward. Lewis will be 34 at the start of the season, and as Brett Favre showed, even the game’s greatest warriors can’t outrun age forever. Even if Lewis were to stay healthy, there are legitimate questions about how he will play. Lewis has succeeded in the same system for most of his career. There’s absolutely no guarantee his success on the field or leadership in the locker room will translate to a different system (again, thank you Brett Favre). So for those fans who are excited about the prospect of signing Lewis, don’t say you weren’t warned.

Next, we have the mammoth defensive tackle out of Tennessee, Albert Haynesworth. In case you were wondering, he falls under the lazy column.

While no one can question Haynesworth’s dominance when he is on the field, he is off the field a surprisingly large amount of time. The seven-year veteran has only started an average of 10.5 games per season in his career. Even when healthy and not suspended, Haynesworth has picked up a reputation of taking plays off.

Since he is said to be seeking the largest contract ever for a defensive player, buyer beware.

Finally, we have the lucky. Each year some hapless GM overbids and rewards a huge contract to the classic good but not great player. Last year’s lucky winners included Kelly of the Raiders, wide receiver Dont� Stallworth of the Browns and Alan Faneca of the Jets. Each of these players were given large sums of money and gave back average performances to teams that missed the postseason. This year’s lucky winners are still unknown, but with millions of dollars burning a hole in the back of their pockets, some brilliant GM will overpay for mediocre talent.

This isn’t to say that free agency can’t help. Michael Turner gave the Falcons a huge lift this year, and the Patriots reached the Super Bowl two years ago with a receiving core dominated by first-year Pats.

Instead, this is merely a caution. In the NFL, teams can go from worst-to-first in one season. But the way to build a team is still through the draft and developing younger players.

So keep it in mind when your favorite franchise picks up that max-free agent. Al Davis would approve.

Michael is a junior majoring in journalism. Think free agency can save a franchise? Do you see genius in Al Davis’ personnel moves? He can be reached at [email protected]