Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock scored big time with a handful of players they drafted beyond the second round a year ago. The five players they picked in rounds three through five last week have the potential to give Gruden and Mayock a repeat. On Monday, we ran the first
Taking a look at what addition of Muse, Simpson and Robertson means for Raiders already under contract
Joyner has been a bust so far, IMO anyway, Robertson is his replacement either this year or next.
Why is it that Gruden and Mayock seem to bypass OT? We have a bunch of Gs. Good has proven to be a decent stater when called upon. I get they see Simpson as a starter, likely sooner then later. But Parker and Sharpe have both proven to be ineffective. That is being very kind to Parker who has looked like a turnstile at times. I will say Sharpe looked better last season than he ever has. But I would like to see us address the backup OT spot.
Big things on STs is what Gruden expects right away. Even mentioning being a captain. I dont see us taking him without a real feeling he can make that switch to LB. Even if he can backup at two, hopefully all three, spots that will go a long way in helping our D.
One reason they have ignored offensive tackles is the fact that Denzelle Good has the versatility to play there, as does Andre James. But, yes, at some point they are going to need insurance for Trent Brown because of his massive size and the fact he missed five games last season.
I don’t think we can say Joyner has been a bust. Bust at the slot defender position like Vet says above. YES.
However, Joyner should be playing safety and don’t know why they keep playing him in the slot. If Robertson can play slot and Joyner can go back to his natural position, Joyner can potentially be productive.
Look for Jackson to be released prior to June 1. Other teams didn’t bite on trading for him.
Joyner certainly was a bust last season, which is the only thing we have to go off. He made no impact plays, yet was the the marquee offseason acquisition on the defensive side of the ball. He is being paid to be an impact player. Fortunately for Joyner, he has this season to change the perception and label. But, for now, he has been a certified bust.
This is an odd feeling for me. Rather than finding players to fill roles we are actually upgrading, adding depth, and shedding big contracts like good teams do. I love this. We are improving our talent level and preparing for battle.
Good point. The good teams churn the bottom of the roster, meaning they look for players that can add depth, be more versatile, shore up special teams, fill a particular role, etc. The Raiders are getting closer to that point. Great feedback and observation.
Honestly, in years past, I would probably be more upset with this draft class–I always seemed (and still do) to want different players. In reflecting on the choices, it does look like there was a little focus on special teams which is interesting because teams usually don’t draft for special teams (other than maybe kicker/punter). But, it does make sense because ST are important field position (and game) changers. So, I kinda like that the powers that be are looking to better all three phases of the game rather than have “just anyone they can find” play ST.
I agree with Ghost on this one (sorry Vet), I think Joyner was not put in a position to succeed last year (aka safety) which, to me, reflects poorly on Guenther. Oh, and Kidstretch, you make an excellent point, I had not really thought of it in those terms.
Isn’t it funny how the team (Gruden) reached for Parker and that is not turning out well, but the team “reached” for Ferrell which was not as horrible as Parker? Ferrell was pretty good against the run (set the edges) and appears motivated to become a better pass rusher.
Truth be told, I had my doubts about Mayock and whether he could be a counter weight to Gruden’s impulsiveness, but I am thinking Mayock is going to prove me wrong. Do us fans dare believe that the never-ending roster rebuilding may be over soon? Although, I do have (yet another) question for all of you with more knowledge about this stuff: have you noticed that Mayock seems to always talk about which positions he sees players playing? Does it remind you of Billy Beane building a team based on metrics and telling Art Howe who to play?
I hope everyone is staying safe!
Michelle and Ghost always give valid points. Trust me, I dont take offence when you guys take an opposite view. That is what I love about this sight, we all want whats best for our Raiders and we dont have to be a-holes about disagreeing on subjects. Short rant, back to business!
I dont blame Guenther for not using Joyner properly. Remember when he was signed, Gruden was the one who said he would play the slot and not Safety. Comparing him to Barber, who he coached in tampa.
I think Mayock is addressing what he and Gruden see as needs. I know he talked more about depth this year prior to the draft, but we all knew we had a big need at WR and CB, especially seeing as we were not able to sign either FA CB we wanted.
I too hope the enormous carousel of players is coming to an end and we can get back to fighting for championships each year.
We’ll know we’re there when we start letting some of our good veterans go, or trade them, and replace them with young, newly drafted talent. It’s hard to watch sometimes, since we grow attached to some of these players and they still have a few good years left, but we move on while there is still value to be had. We’ll know we’re deep into the draft feed cycle when that starts happening. Raiders getting the benefit of the last few years of Seymour is a good example of that cycle in New England.
Another gauge is when Raiders free agents are hot commodities on the open market. When is the last time that happened, beyond the occasional player?