Jon Gruden’s brain is a lot better than mine when it comes to football (and probably beyond), but this is America and we still get to have an opinion… and are free to write about them.
So sit back and enjoy a few.
Overall, Gruden is enjoying a nice offseason. There have been controversial decisions, but losing a punter can’t be considered that significant and replacing a wide receiver with a whopping 618 receiving yards isn’t either – especially if it’s true that Crabtree didn’t talk to his quarterback for a month during the season last year.
Nevertheless, there have been a few uninspiring decisions made by Gruden and it will be interesting to see how they hold up.
1 – The decision to bring back Reggie Nelson was an absolute head-scratcher. Yes, he knows Paul Guenther’s defense, but can he run anymore?
Yes, it’s a familiar defense for Nelson this year, but what was so complicated in last year’s scheme about “don’t get beat deep.”? Surely “don’t get beat deep” is an important element of Guenther’s defense as well.
That said, Nelson is hard worker and brings the approach to the game that Gruden loves to see. I’m just not sure he can still play.
2 – Derrick Johnson was a nice addition to the defense, but how can the Raiders go into training camp with a recently cut 35 year-old linebacker, who struggles against the run, as their solution at middle linebacker?
Move around some money or do something. There are two starter quality middle linebackers looking for a team. Sign either NaVorro Bowman or Mychal Kendricks before another team loses a linebacker and one or both are scooped up. Waiting until week seven to find a middle linebacker won’t be acceptable again.
3 – The players seem to love Tom Cable so maybe he was a great hire, but his expertise is zone blocking (yes, of course he can teach everything) and his offensive lines in Seattle were terrible at almost everything. And now the Raiders have gone and invested high draft picks in two young tackles for Cable to groom.
Hopefully the way this plays out is that Gruden can groom Cable into a great O-line coach and the skeptics (raises hand) will all go home with egg on their faces.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Keeping Nelson is silly he simply can’t run anymore hopefully they will wake up to this fact. Cables track record isn’t good so it would appear to be a mistake it definitely a head scrature. Hopefully the offensive line will play better and Gruden and Olson will help cable to lessen his weaknesses.
Keeping Nelson was simply to teach the new defense to the younger guys
Not surprising that Nelson is at least in camp since he played under Guenther’s D scheme before and yes the eye test he was slow in coverage but played decent against the run.
People write articles and folks make comments and nobody seems to understand whats going on. One of the raiders biggest problems the last few years was veteran leadership. Coaches teach schemes, players teach each other how to win 1 on 1. They are bringing in all new coaches and they brought in vets at each position to help teach the different systems to the younger guys. Its not that hard to understand. I guess ya gotta write about something 🤷♂️
Totally agree. All 3 are trash. This team is going to be set back 5 yrs with this awful off-season, including the draft. I feel like Al Davis (in his later yrs) was resurrected to build the team foolishly once again. {sigh}
I think Gruden brought in a hard working older veteran in each position to show his younger studs a work ethic. If the young guy learns that, the vet can be sent packing. If he doesn’t, Gruden has insurance. Remember, over 30 people need to be cut still.
I think some of these guys are on the team as a 1 year solution. They have some capable young linebackers who aren’t finished developing. Johnson can fill the gap for a year while helping complete their development . Then there is the draft . Reggie Nelson is a head scratcher, on that most everyone with an opinion would agree . Jordy will probably be there the full 2 years as speed is not the only requirement for being a good receiver. There are plenty of spaces on the field for slower , gifted receivers to work . Remember Fred Biletnikoff ? Gruden seems to be getting players that will help the team compete this year while they develop some of the younger talent . Leadership is also a big part of why he made the moves he made as several people already pointed out . It’s nearly impossible to judge a team in OTA’s and even in training camp . I’ll wait until they’re 4 or 5 games into the season before I make a decision on how the offseason went .
Yah, I have to agree w/ all three points. There is a difference between signing FA’s in the offseason and having them take a 5-man roster spot. Hopefully that gets rectified in Reggie’ s case. Signing Kendricks could take care of item #2. And Cable should never have been aloud inside the Oakland city limits.
The Nelson re signing doesn’t cost much and a veteran presence is needed in that young secondary. They now have depth in that position with Obi really to play
Jordy Nelson will bounce back with a big year . Raiders will sign a MLB
Raider Nation all day everyday now what!!!