Most Memorable Moments From the Raiders’ Offseason so Far

raiders derek carr

Getty Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr with head coach Jon Gruden.

The Oakland Raiders’ offseason has been the gift that’s kept on giving in terms of memorable moments. It started with a bang and somehow just keeps getting better and better. Keep in mind, memorable doesn’t necessarily mean bad. A lot of the noise to come out of Oakland was positive for the team. Below we’re going to go through the most memorable moments we’ve seen from this offseason so far.

Mike Mayock Hiring and Pre Draft Drama

When the Raiders fired their general manager Reggie McKenzie, it was anybody’s guess what Jon Gruden and Mark Davis were going to. They decided to go with a name that everybody knew, but nobody expected in Mike Mayock. Mayock played in the NFL back in the day for a short time, but the majority of his experience was as a draft expert for the NFL Network. Reaction to the hiring was mixed. However, Mayock has proved in his short time that he has the chops to be a solid general manager. He pulled off a trade for Antonio Brown that didn’t cost him much and he also got offensive tackle Trent Brown to join the team. Some of his draft picks during the 2019 NFL draft were questionable, but overall, he did a nice job.

Probably the most controversial thing that has happened in Mayock’s tenure so far was when it was leaked that the Raiders sent all of their scouts home right before the draft. What was under-reported was the fact that Mayock inherited most of those scouts, including Reggie McKenzie’s brother. The Raiders were incredibly leaky in the months before the draft so it makes sense why Mayock and Gruden wouldn’t trust their scouts. Mayock is still green, but all signs point to him being a solid addition for the Raiders.

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The Derek Carr Conundrum

Rumors that Jon Gruden was going to move on from starting quarterback Derek Carr come draft were aplenty this offseason. Apparently, Gruden loved eventual first overall pick Kyler Murray. There were also rumors the Raiders were interested in quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Now, whether these rumors were intentionally leaked by the Raiders so that they could trick a team into trading ahead of them is up for debate. We’ll never know with Murray because the Arizona Cardinals weren’t giving him up, but in Haskins’ case, it seems likely.

Derek Carr addressed the rumors by saying, “the owner, the GM, the coach, and the quarterback – I’ don’t know about other places – but we’re all on the same page here. I’m honestly going to be here a long time. I’m not going anywhere and this is my team and it will be for the next, however long I want to play.”

It would seem that the rumors were mostly unfounded and the Raiders plan on rolling with Carr. Mayock and Gruden surrounded him with much more talent than he had last year, so he’ll have to show improvement or the team might move on.


The Many New Faces in Oakland

The Raiders started making headlines early in the offseason when they traded with the Pittsburgh Steelers for superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown. Wide receiver was one of the team’s two biggest needs and they got one of the best in the game. With the addition of Brown, headaches were expected because of his tendency to act like a diva. However, besides some drama early in his tenure in Oakland, all signs point to him loving it in Raider land. Antonio Brown gives the Raiders their best receiving threat since Tim Brown and he should pair up nicely with Derek Carr. Also, new wide receiver Tyrell Williams will help put the Raiders receiving corps over the top.

Some of the Raiders offseason additions were met with some criticism. Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict has faced his fair share of controversy. When the Raiders added him, there was concern, but he’s only on a one year deal, so he’ll be easy to cut loose if he starts causing trouble. Same with Richie Incognito who will be easily dismissed if he can’t keep his head straight.

One thing all the new Raiders have in common is that they’re talented. If this band of misfits can pull together and focus on a singular goal, the Raiders could be formidable in 2019. And this is without even talking about new offensive tackle Trent Brown who will lock down the right side of the offensive line for years to come.


It’s a Hard Knock Life

Speculation about whether or not the Raiders would appear on HBO’s Hard Knocks ran rapid throughout the offseason. Jon Gruden seemed to be playing hot potato with some of the coaches of teams that were eligible for the show, including his brother.

Well, after months of speculation, the announcement that the Raiders would be featured on the show finally came, making an already fascinating offseason that much more exciting. There are still months before the regular season is here, but it’s already been a memorable offseason for the silver and black. Look for the stories to keep on coming once training camp rolls around.

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