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Why Greg Olson isn’t a bad OC choice for Jon Gruden

Bill Williamson by Bill Williamson
January 4, 2018
in Raiders
5
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The Raider Nation has been dreaming about the return of Jon Gruden essentially since the day Al Davis traded him to Tampa Bay 16 years ago.

Sweet sixteen. It seems like Chuckie in on the cusp of coming back. Nothing could harsh the high of Gruden coming back, right.

Well, we think we found a blemish in the Gruden homecoming party. There have been several reports that Gruden’s offensive coordinator will be none other than Greg Olson.

Buzz kill.

The Nation is aghast. They’ve done the Olson trip. It was a bummer.

Olson was the Raiders’ offensive coordinator in 2013-14 under former head coach Dennis Allen. He didn’t do a great job.

However, that doesn’t mean he is a bad choice by Gruden. In fact, I think it is a strong decision by Chuckie. Why?

Well, take a drink, get warm; I’ll tell you.

Like everything with the Gruden addition, it revolves around quarterback Derek Carr. Carr, 26, regressed in his fourth NFL season, months after signing a five-year $125 million extension that kicks in this season. The Raiders need Carr to get it back together.

That will be Gruden’s chief task. Having Olson in the building will help. Carr is going to have his fourth coordinator in five NFL seasons. That is daunting. However, the fact that Olson is the new coordinator, it actually keeps the number at three.

Carr broke into the league with Olson as his offensive coordinator. They had a good relationship as Carr did with subsequent OCs Bill Musgrave and Todd Downing.

The fact that Olson is working with him will be soothing to Carr. It’s a familiar face during this transition.

Olson can also act as the good cop to Gruden’s Matt Damon in ‘The Departed’. Gruden is famous for getting salty with his players, especially his quarterbacks. Olson can help Carr stay focused when the head man goes all Chuckie on him.

There is a chance Rich Gannon will make his coaching debut as Carr’s quarterback coach. Like Gruden, the former Raiders’ MVP quarterback can get nutty. Olson is more like Carr’ the nice-and-easy type.

If you’re still nauseated by the idea of Olson roaming the Raiders’ sideline again, well, take another belt, and remember this – Gruden will be calling the plays.

Olson will not be the chief offensive general in Oakland like he was the last time. He will be there to give Carr a familiar shoulder to lean on and he will help Gruden as he did when he was an assistant to him in Tampa Bay.

This is not 2014. This is a new world in Oakland and Olson has a place in Chuckie’s world. So, relax, the Gruden hiring is still very much a cool thing.

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Tags: Derek CarrGreg OlsonJon Gruden
Bill Williamson

Bill Williamson

Bill Williamson has been a professional sports journalist for 28 years. He has covered the NFL for 22 straight years. He has been covering the Oakland Raiders for the past nine years, including seven at ESPN.com.

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Comments 5

  1. Joe Ricketts says:
    3 years ago

    I am elated to have Coach Gruden back roaming the sideline for the silver and black. There’s always been a sense of unfinished business or what ifs related to Jon Gruden among the Raider faithful.. I think the coach feels the same. He was and is the perfect fit for our team. We got our Chucky back!!! I hope his new ontract has a no trade clause.

    Reply
  2. thankaveteran says:
    3 years ago

    Even for all the positives, this still makes me nervous.

    I agree it is a very important hire and a familiar voice should help the transition for Carr.

    And I TRUST GRUDEN, not necessarily Olson, so I am willing to see what happens before passing judgement on him again.

    Reply
  3. Truthman says:
    3 years ago

    Truthman,

    Over the past dozen years or so Greg Olson has been hired and fired as a QB coach and, or, offensive coordinator eight times. I understand Gruden wants to hire “yes men”, which Olson is and why Reggie McKenzie (who also likes yes men) had hired Olson a few years ago.
    It is alarming that the Raiders can’t do better than this type of hire.
    Instead of yes men (Olson) or media attention seekers (Gruden), Mark Davis would have been better off hiring smart coaches capable of preparing the Raiders well and making good sense game time strategy adjustments.

    Reply
    • thankaveteran says:
      3 years ago

      I have a hard time believing Gruden wants to surround himself with yes men.

      If Gruden hires Gannon it will prove that untrue. Gannon is no wall flower and is man enough to speak his mind to Gruden and everyone else. Just like he did as QB on this team.

      I don’t believe for one second that if an assistant coach had a way to make the team/player better and it help us win games that Gruden would balk at that. Gruden knows it is not just him who will make this work. It takes a village as they say.

      Reply
  4. Luis Garcia says:
    3 years ago

    Let us not forget… more than once Greg Olson had many of us thinking Terrelle Pryor was a good QB…

    Reply

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