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Interestingly enough, the pundits are actually saying just the opposite. What looked like a dumpster fire may actually turn the Raiders into contenders. The have a competent QB...not great, but not his doing. The have 3 #1 draft picks. They have one of the best rcvrs on all of football. the have the best cap space in the league. This as a departure from...
Quarterback Derek Carr, who finished 19th in passer rating in 2017 (one spot ahead of Blake Bortles), was the second-highest-paid player in the league. (He’s now seventh highest paid.)
Defensive end Khalil Mack, coming off of a 10.5-sack campaign, wanted to be paid more than Carr. on a
Defense that finished 29th in DVOA last season, was tied for the second-fewest forced turnovers, and was tied for 24th in sacks.
The no. 1 running back (Marshawn Lynch), receiver (Michael Crabtree), and tight end (Jared Cook) were all in their 30s.
The only skill player of note, receiver Amari Cooper, led the league in dropped-pass percentage for the second time in three years in 2017.
Gruden did NOT come in and the first year turn them into contenders. They didnt have the talent. What he did was laid a foundation for a contender, just as the Browns did, and just as he did when he took over Tampa Bay many moons ago.
There was a time I was a Gruden fan, but at this point the bloom is off the rose. There are things that are indisputable:
1) Gruden is really bad at assessing draft talent. He was bad at Tampa (when he was also a combo GM-Coach-OFF. Coor) and he was bad in his 10 years of broadcasting work. EVERY QB he thinks is a winner, and showers praise on total flops (e.g. Connor Cooke).
2) Gruden is untalented at developing players. No wonder he likes vets, apparently he can't fix or scheme around flaws. Cooper has had a rebirth, not under Gruden as expected, but under decent coaching and scheming at Dallas.
3) At this point, Gruden (et. al.) have screwed up what was a 10th pick last year, opting for a 15th pick and a horrible failure at OT. Nothing but question marks for all his other picks (but one).
4) He doesn't have a foundation, he has fire brigade. Last year, after gutting the team, his team had the oldest average age in the league. His younger of real talent (Mack and Cooper) are gone. Instead of restoring an offensive line that two seasons before was impermeable, he prematurely demoted Penn and no longer has anyone other than the hyper expensive Trent Brown.
5) Ya Mack wanted the highest pay - but its not like the Raiders had to give him that. He would have returned for at least 8 games, and they could have franchise tagged him for two more years (and likely got two clean first round picks as compensation if he went elsewhere).