Along with Mack and Cooper, did Gruden lose team?
On Tuesday, sources told The Sports Xchange that the Oakland Raiders hired a new staffer to help with pro personnel. On Wednesday, it became obvious why, after head coach Jon Gruden said – out loud – that when the sun came up he still didn’t know the status of the Amari Cooper trade.
Yes, the trade that became national news on Monday that Cooper, the team’s first-round pick in 2015, was sent to the Dallas Cowboys for a first round pick in 2019. Yes, the same trade that Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie spoke about with the media on Monday, when Gruden said he would wait until Wednesday to tell the players.
Way too late. The players knew about it when they picked up their phones after practice Monday. Cooper knew about it because he traveled immediately to Dallas and participated in practice Wednesday. By Wednesday, Raiders players were talking and tweeting about concerns over Gruden’s credibility and a disconnect of ugly proportions within the organization, from the front office on down.
So, good luck to the new hire who is tasked with helping the team with pro personnel.
By Wednesday, the week was already a traffic jam of bad news and people going out the door. On Monday, Cooper was traded and veteran hometown running back Marshawn Lynch was put on injured reserve (groin). On Tuesday, safety Obi Melifonwu, a second-round pick in 2017, was waived off injured reserve (hip). On Wednesday the locker room sounded as if Gruden lost the entire team.
So it was not surprising that both players and the media were not totally convinced when Gruden said, “I don’t see us making any more trades. Certainly, I don’t see us trading our quarterback (Derek Carr).”
Similar things were said about edge rusher Khalil Mack and Cooper before they were traded. So who can blame somebody for wondering about Carr as the NFL trade deadline of Oct. 30 draws near?
Safety Karl Joseph, a first-round pick in 2016, is also a trade suspect, although his play with the Raiders won’t demand a very high pick in return. That would make it a clean sweep of traded first-round picks from 2014 (Mack), 2015 (Cooper) and 2016 (Joseph).
While some players were being quoted or summarized off the record, Raiders tight end Lee Smith was up front and loud about his feelings Wednesday in what can be properly categorized as a locker-room rant.
“All these reports about this locker room being fractured with Derek Carr is the most obnoxious and ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard – ever,” he said. “It’s to the point where it’s comical and laughable that I’m even sitting here talking about it. Us as players have zero issue with Derek Carr. Coach Gruden and Derek are going to take all the bullets. We’re 1-5. We’re not playing the football we want to play.”
Oh, speaking of playing football, those Raiders still on the team will face the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
SERIES HISTORY: 15th regular-season meeting. Raiders lead series, 8-6. The Colts won four of the past five meetings, although the Raiders prevailed in the most recent game, 33-25 in 2016 at Oakland. The two most memorable games were in the playoffs when the Colts franchise was in Baltimore. Tight end Dave Casper’s “Ghost to the Post” catch in overtime sparked a 37-31 overtime victory in 1977 in Baltimore. The Colts defeated the Raiders 27-17 in the first-ever meeting in an AFC Divisional playoff game in 1971 in Baltimore.
