The Raiders don’t deserve credit for much over the last few years (or decades), but they did get something right this week: they got a draft pick in exchange for Trent Brown.
There has been a lot of speculation about Brown over the last few weeks, but it was obvious that the relationship between Brown and the Raiders was essentially on life support. Brown wasn’t happy and the Raiders couldn’t risk another year of his $14 million salary in exchange for the kind of effort he gave over the last 12 months.
The Raiders (or at least a lot of important people in the building) felt like Brown quit on them last year and what exactly was going to stop him from doing it again this year?
Because of his salary (and the Raiders lack of salary cap room), Brown actually had enough leverage to push the Raiders to trade or release him. There was a little risk on Brown’s part in taking that approach, as the Raiders could have held onto him through free agency and cut him loose when teams wouldn’t have as much cap room. But in that scenario, the Raiders would have $14 million on the books that could have been used in the opening waves of free agency. In other words, by playing stubborn with Brown, the Raiders would have been more handcuffed entering free agency.
Somehow, though, the Raiders sold the narrative to members of the media that they were going to hold onto Brown and possibly let him compete for a job in training camp. Even New England media bought into the narrative.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, it isn’t that big of a deal they got a 2022 fifth-round pick from the Patriots when no one else was thought to be in the running. The Patriots came away with a seventh-round pick from the Raiders in the deal – so Jon Gruden and the gang essentially got the value of a sixth-round pick (in a draft 14 months from now) in exchange for Brown. A sixth-round pick in 2022 is worth approximately the same value as a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft. Therefore, the Raiders walked away with about the least amount of compensation possible for #TB77.
Any player that is worth so little compensation would be a strong candidate to be released. And when you consider Brown’s $14 million contract, there was almost no chance the Raiders were going to keep Brown around to sour on the roster for the next few months.
But credit to the Raiders for getting so many media outlets to report it might happen. A Vegas-worthy bluff that netted the Raiders… not much of anything at all.
twitter: @raidersbeat
So even when they do something right, they do something wrong?
Maybe he really is a piece of s*** and they were happy to get anything for him.
I hope that fat piece of **** sucks in NE and gets cut and never plays again
couldnt agree more… lazy piece of ****…
A 5th round pick is more than anyone thought they could get…now mayock needs to work some more Vegas poker bluffs and get a 3rd rounder for Marcus Mariota….now that would be some world series of poker ****!!!!…..F trent brown….go RAIDERS
really corny to read all the (lives in mom’s basement) ‘sports writers’ rag on about ‘the raiders and free agency screw ups…when two years ago, the same ones were cheering them on.
Same guys insist derek is or should be traded, when in fact he typically plays at or near a pro bowl level.
The raiders have improved markedly under Gruden.
The bears have paid khalil mack $2.5 MILLION – PER SACK! and are now considering trading him for russel wilson.
Nobody talks about that.
Isn’t it called “pathetic” when someone or some organization is given credit for rectifying a bad decision? The past 3 years of the “Gruden Experience” has been full of bad decisions so expect this organization to receive more “credit” with each departure from previously bad decisions. I guess that their “leadership” needs something to boost their morale since they can’t play competitive football. Just another sad day in the history of this once proud franchise. So, on to year 4 of of the “Gru-ling” saga with the Masque-Raiders.
Good job mark….at least we’ve shown in free agency that we are trying to improve our team. Nobody would have thought Maliki Collins and corey Littleton would be so ineffective. Or that trent brown would get paid and stop trying. The only free agent signing I wasn’t excited about was LaMarcus Joyner…grudens only real mistake was sticking with guenther to long. Even there he thought if he gave him a big free agent class last year he would change it around….I really think with Bradley we are going to be in the super bowl mix every year for the next five years….but I’m a real RAIDERS fan
….F fake RAIDERS fans….go RAIDERS
Trading this guy for a ham sandwich would have been a good trade.
Anything to get rid of this lazy slob.
I Hope he slips on the on his ankles and Gravy Pours Out BIG FUCKING BUMB TO PUSSY TO BE A RAIDER 💯💪🏾
Everytime we release a player everyone has a stupid comment about it. And that player goes to another team and now he’s the best thing to the invention of the wheel. Supposedly the patriots are a better team now but we weren’t. Media are such clowns.
I wasn’t concerned with being a raider nor giving his all in competition. All he wanted to do is get him HIS MONEY and read his press clippings about how good everyone thought he was and boast about his contract. He’s got to look in the mirror knowing he didn’t earn his keep or try to.
The egg is on his face. He really belongs as a teammate of his bud anttoni brown.
Can anyone say DIVA ??