Raiders head coach Jon Gruden finally weighed in on his decision to trade star defensive end Khalil Mack, saying it’s “tough to swallow” and that he simply didn’t think adding a second exorbitant salary was prudent. In the end, Mack and the Raiders engaged in a high-stakes game of contract chicken that ended with Gruden
Jon Gruden rationalizes Khalil Mack trade by saying Raiders didn’t want to allot too much money to two players
QB Derek Carr earns $25 million per season; paying Mack comparable salary would have eaten up 28 percent of salary cap
Unless Gruden is a great actor, I believe he’s sincerely disappointed in not having Mack on the team. He stated he took the job because Mack was on the team. Does anyone really think that Gruden wanted to part with Mack. The pep rally in July at the Oakland bar, he yelled to the crowd that they would resign Mack. Well, it didn’t happen.
In the Athletic today, Michael Lombardi mentioned that Gruden wants to follow the Patriots philosophy. Gruden’s decision to trade Khalil Mack was more about his cap philosophy and how to allocate cap dollars than it was about cash flow. He is going to build the team based on his philosophy, and that philosophy does not include paying anybody but a quarterback more than $20 million. You can argue with it all you want, but Gruden isn’t alone among coaches and GMs in the league in subscribing to this philosophy. Patriots coach Bill Belichick would never pay Mack that kind of money. This has nothing to do with whether Mack is a future HOF. With Mack and Carr, approximately 30% of the payroll would be allocated to two players. 70% would need to go to the remaining 51. It’s tough to make that math work.
I also think it came down to the amount that was guaranteed, which was astronomical. Good luck to the Bears, as an ESPN analyst mentioned today that the Bears will have difficulty recouping the value from Mack to offset his contract and the picks that they forfeited.
The key to all of this: Carr. Carr got the big money. He now has to elevate his game and then Gruden can build around him and the defense through greater FA $ (Raiders will be 8th in the league in cap money to spend) and picking good players in the draft.
By “wanted” he means.. pay me the money.. The money the Raiders wouldn’t and couldn’t do. We were somewhat unlucky really. We would have gladly given him a increase from Von Miller but that wasn’t going to cut it.. not by a long shot. Combine what he was asking and what they are paying Carr – they decided it wasn’t a smart business transaction. Now criticize Gruden for the Bryant fiasco and perhaps his completed trade values – but what I don’t understand is the mass media and the local media absolutely tearing apart the Raiders for their Mack decision. Economical factors and looking into the future and gauging the landscape is what we do in business every day. Does it hurt – Gdamm right it hurts. It almost feels like the end of the season rather than days away from a fresh start. I wish we could have watched this great player do his thing here in Oakland and then in Las Vegas. We will always follow KMack and be thankful for the 4 magical years we saw him play. But winning the Super Bowl is and should be our goal. It takes 53 players and smart business decisions to do that. Gruden and the Raiders chose the path they believed was right — They better be right or Gruden will wish for the comfort of the Monday Night press box.
Ben
Another point:
The Ringer site has two reporters saying the trade was was due to Raiders cash flow issues.
Benjamin Allbright
✔
@AllbrightNFL
Had several conversations about this, this week. Raiders source stressed faith in Arden Key and lack of cash flow as impetus to dealing Mack.
Greg Gabriel
@greggabe
A second source has confirmed to me that Raiders did not have cash flow to do me contract that’s why deal was made
I tweeted Tafur and he said there is zero truth in those cash flow rumors. Have to believe someone who covers the team tightly. Didn’t even flinch and suggest that it maybe could be true.
Corkran, Gruden didn’t blink first. I love Mack and he has been a joy to watch for 4 years. But just because someone else will overpay, doesn’t make the Raiders stupid for walking away. That’s not blinking. And they can add a helluva lot of nice role players and seasoned vets with that money.
Raiders had to sign Carr. He’s a legit franchise QB that all teams dream of getting, and he had to be paid accordingly.
So, quit making it sound like Mack was an effing victim. He could have played for less, but he chose money over loyalty. And I can’t fault him for that. That’s his decision and I wish him the best.
I think the Raiders did the best they could for Mack.
But the stupid Martavis Bryant deal, that’s all on Gruden and that was idiotic. Am I the only one unimpressed with the receiver room? Sheesh.
This current team can still win. The D Line is greatly improved as a unit, even without Mack. Finally the Raiders have a real D.C. instead of that clown Norton.
Yesterday was brutal as a fan, it will hurt for a while. But let’s not make Mack out to be some poor martyr. Gimme a break.
No one is making Mack out to be a victim, Luca. He is being paid $90 million guaranteed after all. Just pointing out that he refused to cave to the Raiders wanting him to take a less-than-market offer and the Raiders made little effort at retaining Mack beyond a contract offer in February. Thanks for the feedback, as always. — Cork
I am glad for the great comments here. I am of course sad that Mack left but I think it was better for Mack that the Raiders did not let this contract issue become negative for Mack and the rest of the team. The Raiders could not pay that much and actually did Mack a favor by trading him. Another team could have dragged it out and it would have been ugly and messy and a distraction. Do the rookie D lineman, and much better DC in Guenther, have what it takes to cover Mack’s loss. We shall see . . .
Amen to what Ghost, Benjamin and Luca expressed.
We are emotional fans Cork; why are you throwing negativity towards the Raiders? Was a close personal friend or comrade of your’s jilted by the team? You’re tearing some of our hearts out with stuff like this negative zinger:
“When asked what excited him about joining the Bears, he said: “To be wanted. Uh yeah that’s all it takes. That feeling that a place is excited to have you.””
Why end the article so cutting? Are you deliberately trying to dowse support for the Raiders and our hopes of them winning games?
How bout not making anyone look bad, and ending it with this instead:
“Jon Gruden said he spoke to Khalil Mack after he was traded and thanked him for being a great Raider.”
I’m sorry, but if you are comparing the Mack situation to the Cousins situation then you are not being honest. Cousins is no where near the generational player that Mack is and will be. Mack single-handedly closed out games to secure a win for this team (often while double and triple teamed). Also, the Redskins got two more years with Cousins by using the franchise tag to get his replacement. What did we get for Mack? The hope that maybe the team can draft and develop his replacement in a couple of years? Given the way that Gruden is treating draft picks and McKenzie’s draft history, that seems unlikely. If Carr’s contract was truly an issue, then the team should have addressed it last year when they signed him. McKenzie (and Carr) said that there was still money to pay Mack and Amari.
The Patriot analogy is also BS. I do not recall Belichek trading a player of this magnitude in his prime (maybe I am forgetting a player)? Also, Tom Brady is purposefully not paid what he is worth–Carr can’t say that (to a certain extent, Carr may be overpaid). I have not heard that the Raiders sought to restructure Carr’s contract.
This was Gruden’s ego and Mack’s pride plain and simple. Giving Mack away (and a second rounder!) was not good business for the football team and it does not send a good message to the fans. Gruden better hope that the team wins and makes noise in the playoffs or the pitchforks may be out.
Gruden’s off season moves sure has taken the shine off of his return for me.
When you restructure a contract, the player doesn’t get less money and many times is given more money for restructuring. The CAP hit would have been simply delayed down the road – (remember those days?). I believe Gruden’s reference to Washington to simply point out all the distraction and issues that come with a player that holds out and plays on the franchise tag. Once you travel down that road with a player (L.Bell), the value you will get in return diminishes. I have read many reporters opine that this was all about Gruden’s ego. His feelings were hurt that he wasn’t contacted, didn’t get call back from Mack, on and on. He was so pissed he said “trade him now”. That is a crazy conclusion based on what? Everyone’s opinion on how he operates? What examples do they have to substantiate this conclusion? I don’t expect the Raider beat writers to support the Raiders or their fans by not pointing out contradictions or bad decisions – but piling on and joining all the other beat-heads with their crazy assumptions because its a popular position is different. Thankfully their are a few that have done just that.
One thing the Patriots analogy misses. They have a stable and winning organization. Most players, prime or not, would cut off their you know what to win Super Bowls.
As we know, the Raider organization has been far from stable for decades now. And the winning tradition is a distant memory. I know we are trying to get to that level, but the internal strife I sense between Gruden and McKenzie is concerning. Their messages yesterday were not consistent.
Add the two lame duck seasons in Oakland to the mix….just adds to the chaos.
Fault on both sides.
Money, no money, suddenly Mark Davis pockets are empty? To much money to two players? Both poor excuses.
We did not get enough in return for Mack. Plain and simple.
I find it tough to digest that Mack “feels wanted” considering he never showed up to meet the new staff.
Whatever, its over and we are forced to move on. Still pissed off, don’t get me wrong.
If Cooper thinks he is going to be getting a blank check next year without huge production increases, he is nuts. His agent, the same agent as Mack, might just as well start shopping his services now.
I wonder what the backlash will be if Gruden decides to move on from Carr eventually?
Way back when Gruden was hired I posted worry about his lack of GM skills. Reggie wiff’s a lot, but Gruden is way worse. This trade sucks, and I have zero faith that either of these future number one picks will be worth a crap. They will probably trade them away for 3rd rounders that they will cut before the end of training camp. UGH!
RM came in and due to certain circumstances remade the roster.
He was criticized for some moves and praised for others.
RM has drafted well and drafted poorly. Much like each and every other team.
Gruden has come in and started to do the same.
He deserves criticism for the Mack trade and other player questions.
Hopefully the future is full of praise for drafting well, signing key players and winning SBs.
Well.. Let’s see so far on the 2018 Draft. Miller a starter, PJ Hall will play, B. Parker depth, Key will play, Nick Nelson will play, M. Hurst will play, Townsend will play, Victor claimed by another team, Ateman on our practice squad/could play this year. I know its early and any or all of these players can suck – but I don’t think so. In fact I would say that a few of these players could be really impactful. A few days we will start to get the answer.. my point is this.. yea let’s just crap all over the scouts and front office personnel before we know anything. Let’s just crap on Gruden as a piss poor decision maker. If and I know it’s a big if.. if most of these players do perform very well, and we have more dollars to replace the older veterans with young free agents next year and with another draft class potentially like this one…the blueprint for success is there. I suppose I choose to look at the positives today rather than the negative. That could change tho if we crap the bed and go backwards instead of forward.
Mack chose to get paid rather than compete for a championship. The Bears stink, and are going nowhere with Trubisky and a rookie head coach whose main job with KC last year was get take-out for Andy Reid. Much like Suh broke Miami’s bank a few years ago and mired the Dolphins in mediocrity, the same thing is going to happen in Chicago. Enjoy the money, Khalil, along with going 7-9 every year while Green Bay and Minnesota fight for the division.
Great comment Assassin! Poor Khalil the Victim needs to “feel wanted”. So sick of the BS line. Khalil should have just stood up and said: “It’s about the money”.