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Jon Gruden may not be on the hot seat quite yet but it should be warming up at the very least. The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to make the playoffs in the three years since he’s returned. Fans are going to have a very hard time believing in the coach if he goes a fourth season without a playoff berth.
Gruden clearly still has a knack for coaching. He knows how to put together an offensive game plan. However, Gruden as a talent evaluator leaves a lot to be desired. The Raiders have made many questionable signings and draft picks since he returned. Opinions on the coach around the NFL vary greatly and now he has some insight as to how agents feel about him. Ben Standig of The Athletic spoke to several anonymous agents and asked them to give their assessment of Gruden. One agent, in particular, was very harsh.
“I didn’t like this signing even before he coached a game (with the Raiders),” an agent told Standig. “He should have stayed on ‘Monday Night Football.’ My experience is he’s not honest with players. He tells them what they want to hear, and that gets him in trouble.”
Gruden has had issues with former players in the past. Lynn Bowden and Bruce Irvin weren’t big fans. That said, there are also many players who are big fans of the coach. It’s likely that he has been dishonest with a few players in the past but that doesn’t he’s that way with every player. Most coaches and front office people aren’t always honest with players and agents.
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Different Agent Says Game Has Passed Gruden By
GettyLas Vegas Raiders GM Mike Mayock with HC Jon Gruden.
Gruden certainly has his faults. He shouldn’t be heavily involved with the roster-building side of things. He’s proven in the past that he had a strong offensive mind but not everybody is buying that he still does.
“It’s a disaster. The game has passed (Gruden) by considerably in terms of ingenuity, and him having full control is problematic,” a different agent told Standig.
There is merit to the idea that Gruden shouldn’t have full control. He’s never been a good personnel guy and has made some very questionable decisions with the Raiders.
1 Agent Defends Gruden
While many are off the Gruden bandwagon, there are still people who believe in the coach. One agent came to his defense.
“I think Jon is working hard at it,” the agent said. “He might have a QB he doesn’t really want. He needs to get some wins, but people jumping on the anti-Gruden bandwagon are early.”
There were times during last season where Gruden proved that he can still coach. Games against the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs showed a coach who can put together an excellent offensive game plan. The Raiders have put more money into their defense this offseason and hired a defensive coordinator they like in Gus Bradley. If Gruden can’t get the team over the hump this season, it’s hard to imagine he ever will.
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