A report this week from Raiders beat writer Jerry McDonald credited Jon Gruden with the decision to trade Khalil Mack, essentially saying that defense personnel wasn’t going to be the top spending priority with Gruden in charge.
That may have been the case, but it’s worth noting that Raiders owner Mark Davis offered a little different explanation for the Mack trade a year ago.
“Everybody thinks that Jon’s the one who wanted to get rid of him,” Davis said last year of the Raiders decision to trade Mack. “Jon wanted him badly. Why wouldn’t you want this guy? [Then Raiders’ general manager] Reggie [McKenzie] wanted him badly. And I wanted him badly, too. But, if in fact we were going to give the type of money that we were going to give to him, and we had Derek on that type of a [contract], how were we going to go ahead and build this football team, with all the holes that we had?”
Looking back, Davis was politely pointing to the Carr deal as a reason for Mack’s departure, but what’s interesting is that 13 months later the Raiders have the fourth-most available cap room in the NFL. Furthermore, the Raiders are projected to be more than $77 million under the cap next year. Some of that money was earmarked to go to Antonio Brown, but the idea that Carr and Mack couldn’t have been together on a winning roster still isn’t a good one. Carr’s $25 million per year ranks only 11th among quarterbacks in terms of per-year money and there are 19 starting quarterbacks right now earning 20 million or more per year.
The better explanation for the Mack trade would be to admit Mack ticked off Gruden with the holdout and sold the Raiders on the idea that he wouldn’t report to the team without a new deal. The Raiders got impatient and took the best trade offer at the least opportune time… and the rest is history.
To be fair, it will be years before we know who made out best in the Mack trade, but one of Gruden’s first real opportunities to make a statement on the trade will be to beat, or at least compete, with the Bears on Sunday.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Finally some truth. Whatever the reason Gruden decided 2 trade Mack is nowhere within the idiot tales that Gruden or retard Davis spew from their mouth. You are correct Raiders could have afforded Mack and still assembled a team but Gruden chose not 2. 2 listen 2 bs about how much Gruden wanted Mack but yet Gruden did not stay in contact with Mack as Rams Coach did with Donanld. N Gruden lied bout how Cooper was big part of offense n offense would run thru Cooper was bs n so many other lies. I could list many but the truth is Gruden made decision n its horrible one n no need 2 wait 4 years 2 see who won the deal the Bears won hands down n Gruden is unworthy of million dollar contract let alone 100 million. Everyone knows if Al Davis was still alive he NEVER would have brought Gruden back n surely nowhere near 100 million or 25 million so Mark is the only retard dumb enough 2 pay stupid money
I think they should’ve paid Mack and kept the Stud, a Rare Breed a One Man Wrecking crew Mr. Mack is the next Ray Lewis and if no more dirty football on Sunday we will see.
-Zac
It’s comical the way people talk about spending cap. They assume all organizations are financially capable of spending all the way to “the cap”. They’re not. The Raiders certainly are not, haven’t been in many years.
No matter who’s to blame. We’re definitely not complaining in Chicago!
THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE CARR LISTED AS A TOP 20 QUARTER BACK ON ESPN
Gurden is not a coach he and Tampa Bay organization stole a championship from Tony D. So why did the Raider’s owner select Gurden. I am done with Gurden but I am a Raider’s fan.
Mack got shut down, what say all of you now?