Tag: Raiders news

One NFL exec’s view: Raiders are Tom Brady’s ‘fallback’ and ‘next best possibility’ after New England

With reports of the Raiders’ interest in quarterback Tom Brady, everyone is speculating, including professional NFL executives.

With credible reports of the Raiders’ interest in free-agent quarterback Tom Brady, combined the team’s adamant goal of continuing to improve at every position, including quarterback, speculation about Brady coming to Las Vegas is pouring over the NFL landscape to the point of overflow.

The Raiders’ quarterback for the last six seasons, Derek Carr, is just 28 years old and has performed well throughout his career. But he was hand-selected by the previous general manager, Reggie McKenzie, not the current GM, Mike Mayock.

According to one anonymous NFL executive quoted by The Athletic’s Mike Sando, the Raiders provide Brady with a potential landing spot if the nearly 43-year-old QB doesn’t re-sign with the Patriots, with whom he’s won six Super Bowls.

They don’t need the bang the way the Chargers do, but I think they would like it and I do think where there is smoke, there is fire, and some of that stuff that comes out about Carr and Gruden is probably true.

The Raiders become a fallback position for Brady in my view. If it turns out Brady really wants to get away from Bill Belichick and he is out of there no matter what, then I think the Raiders become the next best possibility.

As a “fallback” option, it’s very likely that the Raiders are being used as leverage for a new deal for Brady in New England. It’s not hard to believe the Raiders are interested, but Brady will command a hefty salary, especially for a team that is rebuilding.

If Brady did sign with the Raiders and was their first quarterback in their new Las Vegas home, it would be one of the largest NFL storylines in recent memory. Brady is perhaps the league’s most recognizable star and would make a splash in Las Vegas big enough to empty the water reservoir in front of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.

It’s anyone’s guess how much serious interest the Raiders have in Brady, however. With coach Jon Gruden’s reputation for being a quarterback guru, or maybe just an admirer, the Raiders will always be connected to available quarterbacks until they sign one to a long-term contract, which they haven’t done with Carr.

And though Mayock hasn’t said Carr is his franchise quarterback, he’s been complimentary of Carr and pointed out the many other needs on the team, such as nearly every position on defense and also at wide receiver.

Also, if the Raiders did acquire Brady, they’d still likely have to draft a young signal-caller to groom for the position, exhausting more resources.

But the Raiders are looking at every option, and Brady appears to be one they could pursue. Gruden’s success with other veteran quarterbacks, such as Rich Gannon and Brad Johnson, only adds fuel to the speculation. Don’t expect any such quarterback chatter to stop until the Raiders’ roster is set for training camp, or they make a move in free agency or the draft.

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One of Al’s guys: Lamarr Houston retires as a member of the Raiders

Defensive end Lamarr Houston says he had his best years with the Raiders, and he’s thankful he was drafted by the great Al Davis.

The Raiders are a professional sports organization like no other. One of the reasons for that is a familiar saying.

Once a Raider, always a Raider.

It started with the late, great owner of the club, Al Davis, and his admiration for his players. The tradition continues with Raiders Alumni Weekend during training camp, which includes a highly-attended dinner in Napa, one of the world’s premier dining destinations.

So when former Raiders defensive lineman Lamarr Houston, who was drafted by Davis, decided to retire, he came back to Oakland, where his career began with the newly re-named Las Vegas Raiders.

“Today is a great day. I’m retiring a Raider,” Houston said, according to the Raiders’ official Twitter account. “It was a blessed career—I had a great career. But my best days were here in Oakland with the Raiders.

“I really take pride in being one of the last hand-picked players by Al Davis. For that reason, I wanted to retire a Raider. Once a Raider always a Raider.”

Davis drafted Houston in 2010 in the second round out of the University of Texas. He didn’t miss a game in four seasons in Oakland and tallied 16.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss, with 228 tackles (171 solo).

Houston’s first two years in Oakland were entertaining for fans, with the team winning as much as they lost, a rarity in the decade preceding Houston’s arrival. The Raiders almost rallied and made the playoffs after Davis’ death in 2011, but they fell short down the stretch and finished 8-8, just like the year before.

It was the last Raiders team built by Davis, and the team’s deconstruction under new general manager Reggie McKenzie began in 2012, which ushered in more losing. After the 2014 season, Houston signed a free-agent deal with the Bears worth $15 million in guarantees.

Incredibly, he tore his ACL his first season in Chicago while celebrating a QB sack late in a blowout loss to the Patriots. Houston played just 31 games for the Bears in three-plus seasons. He finished his career in 2017, playing five games with the Texans.

But Houston is a Raider once again, and he always will be. Add one more of Davis’ draft picks to the alumni dinner reservation list — and perhaps clear a spot in Mark Davis’ owner’s box at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

In a display of diligence, Raiders first to visit stat-stuffing, small-school EDGE prospect

The Raiders scouting department was the first on the scene to scout one obscure, high-performing 2020 pass-rush prospect.

The Raiders selected a small-school EDGE player late in last year’s NFL draft, and in a display of diligence, they were the first to take an in-person look at a similar 2020 prospect.

Last year, it was DE Quinton Bell, drafted in the seventh round out of Prarie View A&M. This time around, the Raiders gathered information on pass-rush specialist Shaq Bradford, who dominated the competition for tiny Kansas Wesleyan University, an NAIA school. (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.)

Listed on Kansas Wesleyan’s team website at 5-foot-10 and 223 pounds, Bradford went on a two-year tear after attending junior college, finishing with an incredible 63 tackles for loss and 43 sacks.

Bradford told On Air with Chris Shanafelt it was a visit from the Raiders in early 2019 that made his NFL dream seem attainable.

“I had the Raiders talk to me and they and did a measurement test, and that’s when I knew, like, there’s a possibility. These teams are looking,” Bradford said. “They’re at least giving me somewhat of an opportunity. That Raiders scout didn’t have to come talk to me and take all my measurements. When he took that time, it really opened up my eyes.”

More NFL scouts followed the Raiders lead. According to Bradford, teams visited throughout the season to take a look at him and another Kansas Wesleyan prospect, offensive tackle Ely Smith.

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock is open to selecting little known prospects, judging from his selection of Bell, whom NFL Media didn’t even have highlight footage of. Mayock could also potentially sign Bradford as an undrafted free agent.

But that Mayock’s scouting department was the first on the scene at tiny Kansas Wesleyan should bolster the confidence of Raiders fans. It’s an important offseason, with the team looking to take another step forward in their new Las Vegas home, and it seems that Mayock is leaving no stone unturned in his search for future Raiders.

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Mike Mayock: Raiders’ 2019 rookies face big challenge in Year 2

The Raiders’ rookies from 2019 face a big challenge in 2020, according to Mike Mayock.

It’s kind of hard to imagine a team relying more heavily on their rookie class than the Raiders did in 2019. Nearly every player they drafted through the fifth round became a regular starter for the team – in part through sheer desperation by a team that had major needs, and also because those rookies earned their playing time.

Each of the team’s three first-round picks was an immediate starter, though safety Johnathan Abram was lost to injury in the season opener. Fourth-round tight end Foster Moreau and fifth-round receiver Hunter Renfrow were early-season starters, as well. After four weeks, fourth-round defensive end Maxx Crosby was a starter. And by midseason, second-round pick Trayvon Mullen entered the starting lineup in the secondary.

The only player drafted in the first five rounds who didn’t become a starter and play significant snaps was cornerback Isaiah Johnson; he spent the first half of the season on injured reserve.

Those snaps were crucial to the Raiders and the class was an overwhelming success. The question is, what will they do for an encore? Raiders GM Mike Mayock knows a player’s second season comes with potential pitfalls, of which these young players must be wary.

“They have a challenge now because they played so much, and people have tape on all our rookies,” Mayock said in an interview from the Senior Bowl with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “The old saying is, you have your biggest jump between Year 1 and Year 2. So the challenge for our guys is making sure that happens. Don’t be fat and happy. Teams are going to game plan for you. Maxx Crosby gets 10 sacks. Hunter Renfrow has two consecutive 100-yard games at the end of the season. Josh Jacobs could be the Rookie of the Year. People are going to game plan for these kids. And it’s going to be a big challenge for them to take their game from where it’s at today and move it to another level.”

For Jacobs, Crosby, Renfrow and Mullen, they all must continue their trajectory from last season. You can add undrafted fullback Alec Ingold to that, as well. Top pick Clelin Ferrell showed some flashes and must get more consistent with his pressure and run stopping. Abram and Moreau just need to get back to showing what they did early on. Anything they get from Isaiah Johnson is a bonus.

Even with their significant contributions, the team faded down the stretch, losing five of its last six games. That was in part due to a rash of injuries, which exposed the team’s youth and lack of depth. Though even with the late stumble, there was little indication of any of these guys hitting a rookie wall. That’s certainly a good sign they can face that ‘sophomore slump’ head on.

Raiders QB Derek Carr looks forward to taking ‘every snap’ at new Allegiant Stadium until he’s ‘done’

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr plans to make Allegiant stadium his home away from home.

The Raiders officially became the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday, and it was a sight to behold. A ceremony outside a burgeoning Allegiant Stadium represented a monumental change for an iconic franchise.

But one thing about the Raiders that seems to never change is the supposedly precarious quarterback situation. With coach Jon Gruden having gutted most of the roster since taking over in 2018, replacing it with his own, hand-selected players, veteran QB Derek Carr is often the subject of rumor.

Will Carr go? Or will he stay? And how about the Raiders’ two first-round draft picks? Will the quarterback-crazed Gruden become sold on a young prospect and toss the progress he’s made with Carr out the window, favoring a player with a higher ceiling? Or, might the Raiders acquire another veteran to take Carr’s place?

Carr, while playing a starring role at the Raiders’ ceremony, made it clear that he plans to be in Las Vegas — not only for the first snap at Allegiant Stadium but for every snap.

“I’ll say it this way: I look forward to taking the first snap in that stadium, and I look forward to taking every snap from here on out — until I’m done,” he said, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.

Carr acknowledged the most recent Raiders QB rumor, which started when NFL QB Tom Brady was photographed chatting with team owner, Mark Davis at a UFC fight on Saturday. To Carr, it’s just the nature of the business.

“Especially when people are seen with certain people,” Carr said, per Gutierrez, addressing the Brady rumor. “It’s like, ‘Oh, gosh. Well, I was at dinner with [Davis] last night. Does that count for anything?’ Golly. It’s just funny.”

Carr is clearly the man for now. General manager Mike Mayock told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur that Carr improved in 2019, his second with Gruden. Mayock also said, however, that he’s evaluating every position, including quarterback.

That statement will leave the door wide open for more speculation surrounding Carr. Will he stay, or will he go? Carr doesn’t have the luxury of pondering that question, and he clearly aims to make Allegiant Stadium his home away from home until he rides off into the Vegas sunset.

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Mike Mayock: Raiders’ move to Las Vegas could attract free agents

The Raiders move to Las Vegas is creating a ‘buzz’ around the NFL, according to general manager Mike Mayock.

In building an NFL contender, any advantage is welcome. Raiders general manager Mike Mayock believes his team’s move to Las Vegas sweetens the pot for potential free agents.

According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, Mayock says he hears that NFL players, not to mention their agents, are intrigued regarding Nevada’s tax laws, which don’t collect income tax.

Additionally, Mayock said that Allegiant Stadium, complete with it’s glossy, black exterior and a view of the Las Vegas strip, is an attraction in itself to potential Raiders.

“There is definitely a buzz about our move into Las Vegas,” Mayock said. “Could be one of the big stories of free agency.”

As another advantage, the Raiders have ample space under the salary cap. They’ll certainly look to bolster their young roster with proven NFL players.

While doing so, the Raiders would be wise to continue building a roster with high-character athletes. The new stadium and advantageous tax laws are alluring, but so are the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip. That is a factor that Mayock apparently didn’t mention, but it’s undoubtedly causing a stir of its own around the NFL as the move draws closer.

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Raiders GM Mike Mayock on Antonio Brown fiasco: ‘I put that on me’

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock spoke to team beat writers for the first time since the Antonio Brown fiasco and put some rumors to bed.

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock commented to team beat writers for the first time since cutting former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, and he took ownership of the disastrous situation.

Absent any comment from the GM, rumors of discontent between Mayock and coach Jon Gruden festered. They centered around the Brown fiasco, especially with the reportedly heated confrontation between Mayock and Brown as Brown’s time with the Raiders circled the drain.

It was assumed that acquiring Brown was mostly Gruden’s idea, but according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, Mayock stated that he wanted to take the chance on Brown as well.

“I put that on me. My anticipation was that he was coming off a situation in Pittsburgh where he wants to prove everybody wrong and he wants to ride into the Hall of Fame. That he was going to come in with Jon Gruden and Derek Carr and our offense and lead the way. … I really thought we were going to get the best out of Antonio Brown and we didn’t.

“We weren’t able to get anything out of him. So, at the end of the day, in hindsight, we lost a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick, and I can’t tell you how much pain that causes me.”

For added assurance, Mayock said, “Jon and I are good. Jon and I talk everything through,” when asked if he and the coach agreed on every step taken in attempting to get Brown to play ball with the Raiders.

That Gruden and Mayock are on the same page is great news for the Raiders organization. Gruden and Maycock appear to be a dynamic duo when it comes to acquiring talent through the draft. The Raiders’ draft class, led by running back Josh Jacobs, was superb in 2019.

There are several more holes on the roster to fill before the Raiders are contenders for the first time since 2016. With a move to Las Vegas on the horizon, complete with the pressure to win with a new stadium partially funded by local tax revenues, Gruden and Mayock must keep building through the draft. Avoiding catastrophic mistakes such as the Brown trade is clearly a priority as well.

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Back to back replays stop Raiders’ drive of the game against the Broncos

On back to back plays, it appeared the Raiders scored the first touchdown of the day against the Broncos.

The Raiders’ offense had a great day in terms of total yardage but didn’t capitalize in the red zone against the Broncos on their way to a 16-15 loss.

On six tries from inside Denver’s 20-yard line, the Raiders scored a single touchdown, which tied the score late before Oakland missed a two-point conversion, sealing their fate.

On this week’s drive of the game, it appeared the Raiders scored an early touchdown, the game’s first. But two consecutive official replays stymied their second-quarter effort.

On 3rd and goal from the 5-yard line, quarterback Derek Carr hit wide receiver Hunter Renfrow at the goal line, and officials on the field signaled for a touchdown. The replay official overruled the call, though video evidence wasn’t overwhelming.

The Raiders elected to go for it on fourth and short, handing the ball off to fullback Alec Ingold. Officials ruled him short of the goal line. The video showed Ingold appear to cross the plane, but it was hard to see the ball and after a Gruden challenge, the call stood.

Coach Jon Gruden’s offense outgained the Broncos 477 to 238 but failed time and again when near the end zone. The Raiders must do a much better job of converting in Las Vegas next season so they can overcome rough breaks from the officiating crew that are bound to happen.

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Raiders shake 3rd-quarter blues with drive of the game against Chargers

The Raiders scored their first third-quarter touchdown since Week 8, helping them stay alive in the playoff hunt.

In beating the Chargers to break a four-game losing streak and stay alive for the playoffs, the Raiders did something they haven’t done since Week 8: score a touchdown in the third quarter.

Oakland got the ball first to open the second half and methodically marched their way down the field to take a commanding 21-7 lead, resulting in this week’s drive of the game. The Raiders eventually won, 24-17 in front of thousands of Raiders fans in LA.

After having just 19 rushing yards in the first half, Oakland turned to the run game for this drive. It must be noted, however, that three of those yards came on a touchdown scramble by quarterback Derek Carr to close the first half. Still, the Raiders had done nearly all their damage through the air when the third quarter started.

The 13-play, 75-yard march began with three carries for 14 yards from running back DeAndre Washington, who started in place of the injured Josh Jacobs. Carr switched things up with a 20-yard pass to tight end Darren Waller on 2nd and 4.

A short Washington run and a 6-yard pass to TE Derek Carrier set up a 3rd-and-1, which Washington easily converted with a 5-yard tote. Gruden called Washington’s number again and the back rewarded him with a 6-yard gain.

On 2nd and 4 from the Chargers 21-yard line, RB Jalen Richard spelled Wahington for four plays, running the ball twice and hauing in two receptions. On the last Richard touch, he made his defender miss after catching a third-down pass, gaining a crucial last yard to set the Raiders up with 1st and goal at the 5-yard line.

Washington didn’t waste time after coming back into the game and ran it in from there to cap the drive, which itself ran 8:49 off the clock and set the tone for the second half, something the Raiders have struggled mightily to do.

Carr’s run in the first half capped another drive worthy of this column’s weekly honors. That 11-play march built momentum for the second half. But with the Raiders having been outscored in the third period 101 to 20 entering this game, the third-quarter effort gets the nod.

Gruden dismissed his club’s poor rushing numbers in the first half and put the drive in the hands of Jacobs’ backups, making what amounted to an adjustment after multiple pass-happy drives led by Carr.

It worked like a charm, instilling confidence in the Raiders while punching the Chargers in the chops, leading the way to victory and a possible playoff berth.

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Raiders QB Derek Carr cools his hot seat with stellar performance vs. Chargers

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr quieted reports of disconnect with Jon Gruden with a stellar performance against the Chargers.

With the Raiders losing four consecutive games in large part due to a struggling offense, there were rumors of disconnect between quarterback Derek Carr and coach Jon Gruden.

Carr did his best to quiet any such chatter by turning in a stellar performance against the Chargers, leading his team to a 24-17 victory and keeping the Raiders’ playoff chances alive in front of thousands of Raiders fans in LA.

Carr completed 26 of 30 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. He failed to notch his first 300-yard passing performance but was a perfect 10 for 10 passing in the second half.

The return of wide receiver Hunter Renfrow helped Carr’s cause, especially on third-down plays. The two paired for five completions on that crucial down, including a 56-yard touchdown on the Raiders’ first drive of the game, per The Raiders Wire’s own Levi Damien.

Carr and Renfrow’s on-field relationship was solidifying before Renfrow was injured against the Jets, and Carr acknowledged his rapport with the rookie after the game, telling reporters, “Obviously the chemistry is there. There’s no denying that.” 

Carr also made an impact while running the ball. His hesitation to bolt from the pocket when needed this season is part of the reported disconnect between Carr and Gruden. Carr scored a touchdown on a pass play that saw him roll out to the right and keep running when tight end Darren Waller and fullback Alec Ingold were covered.

After the game, Gruden noted that Carr’s athleticism is underrated and sounded more than pleased with his quarterback’s ability to threaten the defense with his legs. He also reaffirmed he wants more from Carr in that regard.

“I think that was something that we were really looking for and excited about. He is a much better athlete than people know about and we have been trying to encourage him to do more of that,” Gruden told reporters after the game. “It was a bootleg … LA did a nice job to cover it. That’s what you need to be. You need to be a threat to run and that’s what he did today. That was a big play for us.”

That the Raiders were booed last week after losing the last game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum only fueled speculation about Carr’s future with the club. Gruden notoriously has a wandering eye when it comes to quarterbacks, as well.

But Carr executed the offense at a high level against the Chargers — through the air, and on the ground, earning a second chance to succeed in front of a friendly crowd.  If he can do the same next week when the Raiders travel to Denver to face the Broncos, rumors of a new quarterback for the 2020 Las Vegas Raiders will greatly subside.

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