Whatever your opinion on Khalil Mack’s holdout, it’s come with very limited details to what’s actually going on between Mack and the team. Neither side is saying much, but there’s no question that both sides are frustrated and Jon Gruden admitted as much on Monday, saying it’s been a “grueling process” for all parties involved.
For those having a difficult time understanding what’s taking the Raiders so long to extend Mack, don’t feel bad – at least one former league executive is in your corner.
“OBJ almost done, [Aaron] Donald almost done, Mack and Raiders not even talking,” former general manager Joe Banner posted on Twitter on Monday. “This is one of the strangest situations I have seen in over 20 years of being involved in NFL contracts. Would love to know what the Raiders strategy is.”
General manager Reggie McKenzie has been preparing for Mack’s new contract for a year (he talked about doing it last year) so it’s not easy to understand why there’s been so little progress over the past several months – especially knowing that both parties wanted Mack to have a full training camp in the new defensive system.
Explanations for the standoff range anywhere from the Raiders being too cash poor to pay Mack’s signing bonus all the way to theories that Gruden simply doesn’t value defensive players. Salary cap isn’t much of a reason because the cap can always be manipulated by adjusting contracts and rearranging bonus money.
And a final note… while a trade still seems unlikely (in terms of common sense), the trade rumors would have a much shorter shelf life if there was just a small sign of progress between the Raiders and Mack. So far, even the most reputable of reports say everything is quiet, with no end to the impasse in sight.
twitter: @raidersbeat
“Guy Who Doesn’t Know What’s Happening Wonders What’s Happening”
Big Reg phucking up the team pay the man
Can’t pay them all…Carr, Gabe, Rodney, Kelechi, Irvin, Cook, etc…Mack and Coop on the horizon.
Those 2-4 round picks from Reggie are haunting this team. It’s putting pressure to sign big FA’s to huge contracts, and extend the players who are descent. All that money he gave away to better the team is killing them because he can’t draft worth crap.
With that said, Something has to give. I love Mack, and would love to see him stay, but it’s gonna be hard. I think the strategy is to do nothing, Mack will return, and they will see who they want to tag next year based on Coop’s season. OBJ just got paid too…3 players over 20M is unrealistic…Trust Chucky, he knows what’s up.
Gruden just pieced together a team, which will be much more competitive. Players signed merely based on his reputation/credibility. The guy is a stud and knows this business.
Go Raiders!!
@Bryan – You’re absolutely right! Reggie has whiffed on SO **** MANY high round draft picks since 2015 it’s beyond ridiculous. You can’t piece together top-tier free agents and stay under the salary cap. We should have a pile of starters working for peanuts from the previous 3 drafts (2015-2017), but most of those players have been busts or are not legit starters.
Reggie McKenzie stated last year that they will not discuss contracts with players who aren’t in practice. Not sure why his agent doesn’t get this and sure hope he learns for are sake cause Amari Cooper (who he represents) is up next year. Look how things went last year for Donald Penn…. Didn’t get a contract till he reported!
I just don’t get… they’ll pay a coach that hasn’t coached in a decade $100 mil but won’t pay a guy who’s the best defender we’ve had in the last 30 years and has been a model citizen?
he’s still under contract for this year and they can franchise tag him for the next two. So, why would they pay him now if they have these options? NE wouldnt do it I can promise you and the world would be saying its a great move by a great organization. They have never paid a defensive player this much money and they seem to be doing just fine.
I wonder if he just might not want to play for the raiders any more? Or if he values money so much more than his teammates. What ever his mind set is it’s hurting his team and at this point I would be fine with them saying see ya later and take the best offer on the table.
Mack…..is……already……under…….contract, under his rookie deal, people. We can control his destiny for the next couple of years, by tagging him, so what’s the big deal? Sure, it would be nice to sign him to a big deal, so all the fans will shut up and feel good……but the Raiders don’t have to. It’s business!