One Postgame Take
The offense was inept. The defense literally quit trying. The Raiders got embarrassed by one of the worst teams in the NFL, and a supposed local rival, on prime time television.
If you think that this was just part of some brilliantly orchestrated plan, then get out of here. If you think that they told their supposed franchise quarterback and his o-line in the meetings, "Just suck as hard as you can and take a beating," then you don't know how the NFL works (even if you are "tanking" at the executive level). If you think Gruden was playacting when the cameras caught him muttering "What the f***" when a Niners back ran through a bunch of halfhearted arm tackles, I've got a bridge to sell you.
Here's where you have to place your faith now:
1) Jon Gruden hits home runs on the many draft picks he's accumulated by selling off one of the best players in the NFL as well as other spare parts, and with the higher draft positions secured by tonight's debacle.
2) Jon Gruden also proves to be savvy in free agency and a leader of men, inspiring them to generate max effort for common cause.
3) Jon Gruden then goes toe-to-toe with the best and the brightest coaches in the NFL in terms of schemes, game planning and preparation.
If, and when, all of these things come together after one of the most extensive rebuilds in NFL history, the (Las Vegas) Raiders will become a perennial contender.
Feeling lucky?
In the meantime, the joke is on us, the OAKLAND Raiders fans.
If you think that this was just part of some brilliantly orchestrated plan, then get out of here. If you think that they told their supposed franchise quarterback and his o-line in the meetings, "Just suck as hard as you can and take a beating," then you don't know how the NFL works (even if you are "tanking" at the executive level). If you think Gruden was playacting when the cameras caught him muttering "What the f***" when a Niners back ran through a bunch of halfhearted arm tackles, I've got a bridge to sell you.
Here's where you have to place your faith now:
1) Jon Gruden hits home runs on the many draft picks he's accumulated by selling off one of the best players in the NFL as well as other spare parts, and with the higher draft positions secured by tonight's debacle.
2) Jon Gruden also proves to be savvy in free agency and a leader of men, inspiring them to generate max effort for common cause.
3) Jon Gruden then goes toe-to-toe with the best and the brightest coaches in the NFL in terms of schemes, game planning and preparation.
If, and when, all of these things come together after one of the most extensive rebuilds in NFL history, the (Las Vegas) Raiders will become a perennial contender.
Feeling lucky?
In the meantime, the joke is on us, the OAKLAND Raiders fans.
posted by Raider Take at 8:37 PM
42 Comments:
Nate, I believe Gruden can still coach up good players. As a GM, I don't think Gruden can do it.
However, Reggie still claims he is the GM, making all the moves.
Owner Mark Davis remains silent. He knows what he doesn't know, after all.
Not much here to inspire any confidence going forward.
Guys we need to be patient. The roster sucked last year and this year. I have faith in Gruden to build a contender.
For those of you who dont at least respect the man for tearing down a crappy team and getting the draft capital to try and build a winner.
It takes balls to do what Gruden is doing and I give him props as 8-8 does not make me any happier than 1-15.
Happy Weekend
Sandy
That was hard to watch, and there's not much to say about how bad the Raiders are right now. Players, coaches, management. It all looks bad.
Surprisingly, Kolton Miller has become the glue for the O-line, because when he's injured, they are totally incompetent. Parker started the game with three penalties..., and then it got ugly.
Our top three defensive rookies look terrible as well, which potentially leaves huge voids for positions which Gruden draft picks have already been expended.
And if you think veteran players can regularly be so badly out of position and no blame falls to coaching, I think you're sorely mistaken.
Simple truth is, the Raiders offense lacks any imagination at all. And Guenther's defense is as bad as it gets... like a hot knife through butter.
This is rock bottom.
Sandy, for the record, I'll take 8-8 over 1-15 all day long. 8-8 is a lot closer to pay dirt than 1-15, and both records should lead to better days, i.e., assuming good coaching and competent management. This Raiders team may need 2-3 years to find 8-8 again. By then, Gruden's honeymoon should be over, and expectations for a $100 million coach should be reaching a boiling point.
The empty seats in the stands says it all. The Raiders have become unwatchable.
Facts:
8 plus 8 equals 1 plus 15. In fact, it pays dividends. Draft.
A clown car is actually an overstatement today, glad it wasn't issued here. Execute.
It's only a game, and they're all wealthy. No worries.
So what. Two or three more years, and yes, I am usually spot freaking on.
Peace out.
Oaktown...yes, you were right last time. You kept preaching 4 years, and in 4 years the Raiders went 12-4, made the playoffs. Except that...that's all there was. Just more losing to follow. And what about this time? 2-3 years for what? one winning season, and then the bottom falls out again?
This all falls on the owner, Mark Davis. He has put this structure in place. Is Gruden the HC & GM, or just the HC? Reggie is running around saying he is still the GM. Is it true, or is he just an empty suit, left twisting in the wind by M. Davis?
No one knows what's really going on with Raiders. Mark Davis says and does nothing to clear the fog.
Mark Davis just sits there in white sweatshirt, white jeans, and white sneakers. For Gods sake, he looks like he getting ready to drive an ice cream truck!!
Mark Davis has to have a press conference. he has to tell the fans what the hell is going on. Who was hired for what, and who is doing which job. Without answers, to me, the blame has to go to the owner that created this big mess....Mark "I know what I don't know" Davis.
We know what is going on, a total rebuild. There is only one way to build a winner in the NFL it is draft picks period.
NY, You misunderstood what I am saying. The Raiders as currently constructed at the start of the year were doomed for mediocrity. Good enough to win a few games but not able to finish low enough to pick up good draft picks vs. bad enough to not make the playoffs.
Sure keeping Mack and Cooper, would have resulted in a better record. However with limited draft picks and a team in salary cap hell we would be looking at 3rd place in the division for many years to come and no chance to get over the hump.
Gruden can not be judged until a few years from now. But he definitely took the right road with this team.
Anyone who says otherwise is to deny what this team was coming into this year. Sorry guys 15 years of shit, requires radical change.
NY, before you start talking about a good foundation and coaching them up you should remember that when you mix shit and ice-cream you do not get better tasting ice cream. The Raiders were shit before Gruden arrived.
Sandy
Sandy, presuming you are correct that the only way to go was a total rebuild, how confident are you in Gruden to execute the three requirements outlined in this post in order for him to build a perennial contender?
Sandy...you say we know what is going on, a total rebuild. Ok, great, but who is making the trades ? Who is going to make the picks ? I don't know, do you ?
Take, and most everyone else on the board says Gruden is the GM. He is making $100 million, therefore he is the HC & GM. Except I've never heard the owner, Mark Davis say this.
Reggie Mckenzie still holds the title of Raiders general manager. Reggie is telling everyone he is making all the moves. Mark Davis has not said otherwise.
Until owner M. Davis tells the fans what is going on, and who is doing what inside his organization, to me, Reggie Mckenzie is still the GM of the Raiders, period!!!!!
On that note, if one assumes that Reggie is the GM and/or that it's a true collaboration between RM and Gruden, then you can swap those names into requirement
#1:
1) Jon Gruden (or RM, or a combination thereof) hits home runs on the many draft picks he's accumulated by selling off one of the best players in the NFL as well as other spare parts, and with the higher draft positions secured by tonight's debacle.
Who's feeling lucky?
Both Gruden and McKenzie have stated it's a collaborative affair. Why does it have to be one or the other pulling all the strings? Do Raider fans still think it has to be the way it was when Al was still here? One person has to dominate the franchise? Then we look at the last draft which was the 1st with this regime. I don't see anything wrong with the last draft. Yes not all the picks worked into pro bowlers the 1st year, but after just a half a season, it looks to be a solid draft class. Yes there are some moves that didn't work out, they have made a ton of moves since last year, no GM hits on every move.
Gruden/McKenzie are showing everyone that it's being blown up again. Why win some games this year and screw up the draft? Gruden is thinking way beyond this year. It's all about Vegas now, I would swear that the league is trying to sour any remaining Oakland Raider fan, they don't want them in Vegas. The team might take on a new image in Vegas and it might be the goal? It would seem that Oakland is getting crapped on one more time before they leave for good. If the NFL offered a new franchise down the road, would Oakland accept if it? Or would they tell them to go f themselves?
Body Snatcher
00- It all looks eerily familiar. One guy sits in the owner's box in an all white sweat suit; one guy makes all the decisions regarding personnel and coaching, and there's no organizational hierarchy to speak of... except that one guy is the supreme ruler.
We've come full circle! Just switched around some of the role players.
Also, if one hasn't noticed, the O-line is riddled with injuries. The QB usually doesn't do well when the O-line is a portion of what it is when healthy. So, I agree, there is no plan to kill the QB. And I agree, the D sucks, what else is new?
Sandy,
Since realizing the team was getting blown up, I've been rooting for the Raiders to gain the top draft pick (Nick Bosa!)... which probably means going 1-15.
But, simultaneously, I was hoping to see them play competitively and maybe even show us they had something up their sleeves in terms of savvy playcalling.
Instead, what I've seen is the most incompetent Raiders team I can ever remember, well beyond just bad players. I am still waiting for Gruden to demonstrate any semblance of coaching skills that he may have retained from Oakland or Tampa Bay.
That has me more than a little concerned.
BTW,
It would have been really nice to draft Nick Bosa while Mack was still on the team. Unless you quit your job and became an NFL GM, you have no idea if keeping Mack would have created a cap hell. Most of what I've read detailed the Raiders salary cap room. It was very doable.
And drafted players have wage scale, so the Raiders would have had a significant 4 to 5 year window.
RT, 00/Otto the Great
Thanks for your reply to my comment.
Gruden definitely needs help going forward on the GM side. I a fine with getting rid of Reggie for Scott McCloughan or an equal talent.
NY, you know I give you props for your knowledge ad opinions. No one is arguing its an incredibly miserable situation. I do strongly disagree with you in not recognizing that having two 25 mm players is a severely limiting to you cap.
Every pundit says so and just look around the league the only teams that can do it are the ones with QBs on rookie contracts---Rams, Bears. Rams will be a very different team 2-3 years from now. Further more Cooper was going for sure no way they are having 3 guys making 20m, so that trade was great.
Many on here are calling out Mark Davis. The guy got the Raiders a stadium and made the team 3x as valuable. I say he far exceeded his fathers or anyone else expectations. To expect more from Tommy Boy on the football side is a non starter. He brought back the best coach the Raiders have had in the last 30 years.
Many are also saying Gruden is saying something stupid things and not leading. I would agree with some of that, he does seem overwhelmed at times.
His fire burns strong still for the Raiders, I will pass judgement on him as a coach when he has a roster 2 years from ow.
In the meantime my credo is 8-8 is a purgatory far worse. As Gannon said a few years ago the Raiders should "Blow up the Building". Glad someone decided to do it finally. The draft is the only way. Kudos to Gruden for selling high. I look forward to the future.
Good weekend to all, I will be enjoying what looks like a good slate of college games.
Sandy
Sandy,
This was discussed before. Derek's Carr's contract was structured with the understanding that Mack's contract would come next, and Cooper's after that. Cooper is gone and the Raiders received good value in that trade.
However, Carr's cap money goes down every year. That was set-up intentionally with Mack in mind. And this year the Raiders had an extra $8.0 million to front-load Mack's deal. That's what the Bears did. Mack's cap hit in 2018 is only the $13mm the Raiders owed him under his rookie contract.
So as Carr's cap went down, and the overall NFL team caps went up, the Raiders were in a position to sign Mack.
Looking ahead, the Raiders will be signing wage-scale rookies and bargain-shopping the free agent market (as they always do).
The simple fact is Mack was affordable, especially with Cooper none gone.
As far as blowing up the building, didn't McKenzie do that many years ago?
Looking forward, maybe we should be asking ourselves this question:
Which two of the following would we rather keep?
Keep Olsen and Cable?
or
Keep Osemele and Jackson?
Because Gruden is unlikely to keep both pairs. Raiders are about to once again commit to zone blocking, meaning power blockers Osemele and Jackson are probably trade bait leading up to the draft... opening more holes to fill.
I read somewhere that it took Tom Cable leaving Seattle for the Seahawks O-line to improve.
My vote is to keep Osemele and Jackson!
NY,
I think it would be a waste to draft Nick Bosa. He hasn't proven to stay healthy in college (like his brother). I'd prefer drafting Ed Oliver Jr, who is listed as a DT, but plays along the entire line like Howie used to. Houston says he is playing this season at 275, even though he is listed at 290. Perfect DE.
Offensively, it is a light draft, and not much better in Free Agency. Running Back is going to be an issue. Jay Ajayi and Tevin Coleman are the best value backs, expectations are the Steelers cut Bell after this season, but will anyone meet his salary demands, especially after being off an entire year? Raiders are in need of RB, WR, OT, and possibly Guard on offense. Not going to find those in this year's draft or free agency.
Gruden has bit off more than he can chew. He was angry with Guenther on Thursday, but couldn't fix his own offensive problems. If I was Guenther, every time he got in my face, I'd respond, "You traded Mack, not me." Defensively, we need DE's, OLBs, and DBs. We can find some good OLBs in the draft, and one DE (Oliver Jr), but DBs are going to have to come in Free Agency. Guenther will work, but he needs players.
Our offensive line was the only strong point, with exception of RT. Gruden has felt it necessary that the entire line needed fixing. So he moved a premiere left tackle out of position, which ended up injuring him and possibly ending his career; and now has 2 rookie tackles playing. One hasn't done bad, the other is atrocious.
Now there are grumblings of Osemele and Jackson being cut at the end of the season. Howie said it best, "Raider Nation felt like we were close to a championship with the team in place when you came in, and now they are seeing it dismantled. What happened?" Gruden didn't answer it, he dodged and snaked away from the answer. He's a celebrity, he acts like a politician in interviews, and looks like he didn't know the talent of Mack when he traded him away. Yet, tries to blow the smoke that we have 3 first round draft picks. Again, outside of Talib, who has he ever drafted that has made an impact?
Ny, it is a waste of time discussing things with your approach is similar to Donald Trump in making up falsehoods. Mack's cap hit is 25 million a year for the next number of years Carr's is 22 million for the next 4 years. So when you say his cap hit goes down you are wrong. If you don't believe me go to sportstrac.com
But hey you know better than all the general managers in the NFL. Two guys making combined close to 50 million dollars LOL.
Sandy
Easy fella. Don't blow a gasket. Unfortunately, you didn't check your own source before calling me a liar.
It's Spotrac.com
Carr's cap numbers (millions):
2018 @ $25.0
2019 @ $22.5
2020 @ $21.5
2021 @ $22.125
2022 @ $19.877
It absolutely goes down, except for a minor blip in 2021 (which is still millions less than 2018).
And the NFL cap will continue to go up.
And the Raiders had cap room this year to front load Mack's contract.
And forward looking, they will sign rookies on a wage scale.
What did I say, exactly, that was a falsehood?
Funny thing is, Gruden will probably end up trading or dumping Derek Carr, and the only "star" player that he should have kept will be the first one he let go, Mack!
Btw, Carr's Dead Money hit drops from $32.5 to $7.5 next year.
Wow NY it reduces 2.2 mm big deal. Mack and Carr would still take up over 33% of the cap which is way too much and would limit the talent on the team. Add in Copper next year and that would have gone to 41% of the cap. Which means no for for any other good vets and no way to pay Cooper in 20.
Reggie had a plan to resign Mack but it was not at 25 mm as soon as they started to hold out the writing was on the wall. iF they kept him the Raiders would be a 3 win team instead of a 1 win team and stuck in bind for years to come.
Sandy
Sandy,
Mack was not asking for the kind of money he got in Chicago. He was asking for a similar deal to what Von Miller has ($65 million, btw, and in Mack's own words). Reggie said all last year that the Raiders had the money and space to sign Mack long-term. Gruden came in and said no, and traded him off.
This isn't about the Raiders, it is about Gruden not willing to go to a Super Bowl with a team someone else built, regardless of the talent. He's lived for years with the thought that the Bucs were Tony Dungy's team, not his, and he is not going to come back and hear the same thing about this team being Reggie's and Del Rio's. It is all about Gruden's ego.
By the way, they just cut Bruce Irvin. Of course, the local beat writers are calling Irvin a quitter, but Gruden quit on the Raiders first, and blew them apart. Again, a team rebuilds around their young talent, not trade them away and cut them. Mack, Cooper, Carr, Irvin, Hudson, Jackson, Penn, Osemele, Amerson, TJ Carrie, Seabass, Karl Joseph, Gaeron Conley, and Marshawn Lynch were all leaders or young talent that this team was building around when Gruden came in as coach. Now Mack, Cooper, Irvin, Amerson, Carrie, Seabass, Penn, and Lynch are gone by either being traded, cut, or letting them walk in free agency. Carr, Jackson, Osemele, Joseph, and Conley are rumored to be gone at the end of the season. Gruden is asking for 2 or 3 years to rebuild this team in order to win, while neglecting the fact he had a team that could have won for him if he utilized their abilities. Gruden is not going to turn this around, he's blowing it up. Why? ALL EGO! COMMITTED TO GRUDEN'S EGO!
Sandy,
So I'm still a liar in your book because the reduction wasn't significant enough?
And it's not a reduction of 2.2 mil, it's $14 mil cumulative over the remainder of the contract.
You may agree with the move to trade Mack, as it appears you do, but it's disingenuous to suggest the Raiders could not have retained Mack and still made plenty of hey in the draft and FA market, particularly with the well-orchestrated Cooper trade.
The Mack trade is a big part of why the Raiders did a face plant to start the season. It was demoralizing to the entire org and fans. Mack is more liked than Gruden.
Watching the Rams. they have Todd Gurley. An excellent running attack. When Goff uses play action, defense must respect it. Gives Goff more time to throw.
2016, Raiders ONE good season. Had very good rushing attack with Latavias Murray. Carr had play action to buy some time.
Another ill fated move by Reggie to let Murray go, bring in Lynch, an older back. Talented, but a flake. Running game not as good. Play action disappears from offense. Carr a sitting duck.
oh wait, maybe it was Gruden that switched Murray for Lynch.....LoL....After all, Gruden has torn apart Reggies "one good season" team, on cusp of multiple super bowls wins.....LOL!!!!!!
Raiders cut Irving but this article explains how much worse Whitehead is than Irving. He's allowed 100% completions for 7 TDs and a perfect passer rating. He's as bad as it gets, but Gruden "loves him," and chose to cut Irving instead of moving Irving back to OLB.
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2018/11/3/18059752/raiders-cant-justify-cutting-bruce-irvin-with-tahir-whitehead-still-on-the-team
If Whitehead is playing LB for the Raiders next year, that speaks volumes to how bad Gruden is as a talent scout.
NYR, you are correct. As much as I do not believe Grudens fingerprints are the only ones on the wrecking ball, I do not trust Gruden to draft the talent. Gruden has no history of working with young players. Teaching them, or turning them into greatness.
Gruden had an all veteran team first go around with Raiders. And walked into Tampa with a ready made super bowl caliber defense. On offense, he loaded up with vets, Keyshawn Johnson, Ricky Dudley, the QB, I can't even remember his name. Point is, Gruden has no history of building anything in the NFL with young players.
That is why sleepy Mark Davis must wake up and get the Raiders family in order. He must fire Reggie Mckenzie, who IMO is a failed GM. He must announce that Gruden is the HC, and strictly the HC only. And he must say he is going to hire a strong GM to work with Gruden to build the Raiders again.
if Mark Davis does not take this action, if he leaves it to Reggie & Gruden, or just Reggie, or just Gruden, you can flush all those high draft picks right now. Raiders will limp into Vegas in the state of an expansion team. Like the Cleveland Browns with 15 to 20 years of losing ahead of them.
Wake up Mark Davis!!!!!! We know you know what you don't know. But have you learned anything yet about what you should know by now ?!!!!!!!!!!
NY you are reading his contract details incorrectly. His cap hit is an avg of 22mm, you are talking about the dead cap hit if he is cut.
Big difference. IF they kept both Mack and Carr it would have taken up 46mm of cap.
NO other team in the NFL has two guys taking up that much cap.
Add in Osemele, Hudson and Jackson and you can see why there is little room to fill out the roster. Oh wait we could have 30 Keon Hatchers
Sandy
Sandy, you're still shooting from the hip on this. Please go look at it.
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/oakland-raiders/derek-carr-14445/
I gave you the cap figures. Carr's dead money drops to $7.5mm in 2019.
Carr's cap goes down starting next year, i.e., the year Mack's new deal would have started. Allow me to give the Raiders a little credit for this foresight and acumen.
The average annual savings against Carr's current cap figure, plus the Raider's available cap space this year (about $8.0mm which they could have used to front-load Mack's contract) is worth almost $5.0mm per year.
Also, the NFL salary cap went up $10mm this past year, and will go up again next year... maybe by another $10mm. That's an extra $10mm in cap space for 2019 alone.
As Raider Nate aptly stated, Mack would have signed with the Raiders for less than the Bears are paying him. That's not brain surgery.
You have become obsessed in your denial that the Raiders could have afforded Mack. The whole thing was set up when Carr was signed.
Mack's departure is all on Jon Gruden. He's already been shopping every other McKenzie era player.
Honestly, should any of us be surprised if Carr is gone within 1-2 years? Then trading Mack in his prime will look even worse.
NY,
The way the rumor mill is working around the league, it sounds as if Derek Carr will be released at the end of this year. Not too mention Conley and Joseph. If that happens, every single piece that McKenzie and Del Rio put together to build this team around will be gone, and I believe, this is what Gruden wants. He wants to win his own way. He doesn't care about the talent that he already had, or inherited (depending on who you talk to). He quit on the talent on this team before he walked in the door, and as soon as he got here, the players knew it.
The problem is, I don't think there are players "lined up waiting to play for the Raiders" as he claims. I don't believe a word Gruden says at this point. The second problem is that I don't think Gruden can build a solid team with the draft. McKenzie has a better draft record than Gruden, and for all the draft complaints on here the last several years, that should say alot about Gruden's "draft acumen".
It doesn't look well for the Raiders at this point.
Now, let me just say this. To me, the Raiders motto of "Committed to Excellence" is a motto indicating the organization's current product. Not the future product, but the present. This is the problem I have with Gruden, he wants it to be future, not the present. This season is shot, at his own doing. I am only giving him one more season; not 2 or 3, to turn this around. If he can't, then he should go.
Now, if he has turned it around next season, and the Raiders are competitive and in the playoff hunt, I will be man enough to eat crow. At this point though, it doesn't look good for the Raiders.
Nate, I'm still hoping to see a smart play call. My bar is incredibly low right now.
You guys both sound ridiculous. I'm glad Nate was was on the three-way conference call with Macks agent and Reggie when he agreed to take less money. Lol
Trying to get you to answer the point that no team Can field 2 guys making over 20 million is a waste my time. I'm done here. Enjoy your whining by yourself.
Sandy
Sandy,
I wasn't on the phone, but Mack has openly expressed what he was asking with the Raiders. You can use the internet and go to google and search for yourself.
Steelers have Big Ben, and Antonio Brown over $20million, and Bell to deal with. The Rams have both Suh and Donald making over $20mil. Doncos has Case Keenum ($18 million) and Von Miller ($19+ million), Giants have Odell Beckham and Eli Manning both over the $20 mark next year with a defensive player making $19 million. Lions have Stafford (over $20mil) and Ansah ($18 mil). Panthers have Cam ($21.5 mill) and Short ($17 mil). The above teams and the Falcons, Cowboys, Saints, Bears, Chargers, 49ers, Vikings, and Redskins will all be in a position to have 2 or more players over the $20 million mark on the same roster in 2019.
NYR..you want better plays called. I'll take better play makers.
Look at Chefs & Rams. They are not re-inventing football. A lot of their plays are pretty basic and simple. They just have great skill players, and many of them. They make simple look spectacular.
These teams can throw a 5 yard pass that turns into a 50 yard gain. Or a 20 yard pass that becomes a TD. Most everyone can touch the ball, and make a big play happen.
Who do the Raiders have as play makers ? Where are the big play threats ? Cooper was one in rookie year, but nothing after that. Crabtree was effective in the redzone. Latavias Murray had some nice runs, so why keep him around. Reggie drafted 3 tight ends that all got waived within 3 years. Finally signed Cook, who's very good, but not great.
And Andy Reid is from the same west coast school of coaching as Gruden. But Reid somehow is still a top HC, while people say Gruden has forgotten everything he knows. Makes no sense.
Just give Gruden some play makers. I bet the plays called will look a lot better as a result.
Nate
the only team you mentioned that have two guys making 20mm plus this year is the Giants and look what has happened to them.
The Raiders made Mack an offer the same as Miller in Feb and he refused it and held out. That is the truth.
Sandy
Miller's deal is two years old. That's not much of an offer when you ignore two years of the market.
Even still, Miller is listed with a cap hit over $25mm in 2019 and 2020.
So it's a bit ironic that you assume the Raiders could afford Miller's deal but they couldn't afford $25mm cap hit... because it's the same thing, at least over the next couple years.
And perhaps Miller's contract wasn't structured as effectively as Mack's could have been, since the Raiders had room to front-load the deal.
Lots of variables.
Raiders could have afforded Mack but chose not to...
As it is, Raiders will probably end up overpaying free agents to entice them to play for the team, and so they can meet the minimum spending threshold.
Ummm, Mack is gone, lets get over it. With Mack, Raiders probably would win 3 or 4 games this year. We've seen this movie before.
I know, I know, Reggie was going to build a great defense around Mack. Except that he never did.
Where was Mack in playoff game vs Texans, Oswieller?? A no show.
Best teams in NFL right now don't have Mack on their team. We can win without Mack. Question is, can we win without a real GM, and a clueless owner.
Mack is just one piece of the puzzle with which we will be able to judge Gruden's success or failure.
Here's mid-season grades of Gruden's first draft class. Looks like Hurst is the only one carrying a pulse.
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2018/11/6/18069820/midseason-draft-pick-grades
I really thought PJ Hall would be better. He has incredible burst and speed. Maybe he should be moved over to DE. He and Hurst are getting pushed around in the middle. Key can't get to the passer or hold the edge.
Kolton Miller has shown flashes, and may grow into the position. But he's also been tossed around like a rag doll at times, and not just when he's been injured. He gets pushed back into Carr a lot. Parker is terrible on the other side.
Townsend is a total disaster. How is this guy still on the roster? He misses about every other punt.
I guess there's still hope for Nelson and Ateman.
Folks who mocked me for suggesting the current Raiders team is the worst in memory may want to rethink that.
This team is absolutely laughable. We still have eight games left in the season, yet, the Raiders season has been over for about a month.
As for the first eight games, Jon Gruden has yet to show us any of the savvy coaching we expected from him when he was hired. He's looked incompetent up to this point. Personnel decisions and playcalling stand out the most, because it's hard to say what dysfunction is going on behind the scenes. As others here have pointed out, slim chance Gruden and McKenzie are in lockstep.
This week, playing against the Raiders defense will be like shooting fish in a barrel for Phillip Rivers. If you play FFB and have any Chargers players on your team, it's a no-brainer to start them.
Have a nice weekend!
People are suggesting the Raiders take Nick Bosa. NO WAY! Like his brother, he has never finished a season without injury. Draft Ed Oliver Jr, and put him at DE, since he is down to 275. Also, we are primed not only to get a top D-lineman, but also a top OLB, that could also switch to DE in Kentucky's Josh Allen. The first 2 picks the Raiders can make in this year's draft will immediately improve this defensive line. Imagine, LDE-Oliver Jr, NT-Hurst, DT-Hall, RDE-Allen.
With their 3rd first rounder, they should pick up Dalton Risner (RT, Kansas State) or Cody Ford (RT, Oklahoma). Andre Dillard (OT, Washington State) is another good pick, but not until the 2nd or 3rd round, and unless the Raiders get back into the 3rd, they would have to use their 2nd round for him. If they went this route, then they could go after another need with their first rounder like:
Tre Lamar (ILB, Clemson)
Trevon Diggs (CB, Bama)
Montez Sweat (DE, Miss State)
Zach Allen (DE, Boston College) *if the Raiders pick either Allen or Sweat, then they should use Josh Allen as an MLB or OLB.
Jalen Jelks (OLB, Oregon)
Depending on what Gruden does this offseason, Justin Herbert (QB, Orgeon) may be on the radar as well. Those are some names I am keeping an eye on for the draft. If the Raiders want to change their defense, and make it impactful, Oliver Jr, Josh Allen, Zach Allen, or Montez Sweat should be the ones they draft. Then they should go RT or LB with their third pick. Not much there on the offensive side worth picking though; so I think their first 3 picks should be defensive; and in the trenches. I'm gaining hope again, it ebbs and flows though. I still do not have a lot of confidence in Gruden.
Raiders had dire needs on defense and were in excellent position to draft help with their top pick but traded down and reached for Miller. They could have kept Penn at LT for another year and still taken Parker in the 3rd... although that was a reach too.
Everything always looks better during the off-season. Raiders off-season started a little early this year... like Week 6.
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