Raiders & Texans Turn Over Scouting/Personnel Department

[Broncofan]

Now, the timing is no coincidence - teams usually do this after the draft, because to to do it in January, a new team has to take over midway through the draft evaluation process.    There are likely other teams too, these are just the first to announce it.

Why it's newsworthy:

1.  For HOU, they are removing pretty much all traces of Rick Smith's fingerprints on the team's FO.   Coach Bill O'Brien's power struggle win is complete.

2.  For OAK, Gruden's influence grows, while Reggie McKenzie's fades (although he says he's on the same page with Gruden, let's face, this is now Gruden calling all the shots for the big decisions).

No doubt we'll hear about other teams - DEN's on record they're standing pat.  If they had pulled a repeat of 2015-2017's disasters, I'd be upset, but this draft Gary Kubiak had more influence, and Elway's confirmed they introduced metrics into the process - whatever the reason, DEN's draft is much better than in the past, so no complaints on this end.

[bucsfan333]

I don't expect any changes for us. Licht and company seem really excited about what we were able to do.

[RaidersAreOne]

From the article:

Quote

Alex Marvez of Sporting News reports that Gruden is making changes to the personnel department. One change could be Raiders player personnel director Joey Clinskscales leaving Oakland for Cleveland.

Not a big loss to be very honest. Apparently Joey was heavily involved in the trade talks that moved us from #10 to #15 (the trade where we got very little value). Overall I liked the Raiders draft and love the fact Gruden has the balls to take some risky players (Key, Hurst, etc). 

[DingoLadd]

Poor McKenzie he resurrected the raiders from the ghost of Al Davis and Gruden's gonna tear it all down and build a monument of himself.

[TheKillerNacho]

7 minutes ago, RaidersAreOne said:

From the article:

Not a big loss to be very honest. Apparently Joey was heavily involved in the trade talks that moved us from #10 to #15 (the trade where we got very little value). Overall I liked the Raiders draft and love the fact Gruden has the balls to take some risky players (Key, Hurst, etc). 

Key and Hurst were steals where you guys took them to be honest.

The only thing I question is Kolton Miller being selected where he was. I thought he might sneak into the tail end of the first round, but I was absolutely befuddled to see him get taken in the first half of the first round.

[RaidersAreOne]

17 minutes ago, DingoLadd said:

Poor McKenzie he resurrected the raiders from the ghost of Al Davis and Gruden's gonna tear it all down and build a monument of himself.

When McKenzie does eventually get fazed out, it will be a very split Raider fanbase. He's done some things great, and some things terribly. The 2014 draft is what he will forever hang his hat on, as well as being a master at negotiating contracts. However his coaching hires and lots of his drafting has been very poor. 

I myself am a big Reggie fan, but changes needed to happen because our team regressed horribly. No doubt it is Gruden's team now.

[RaidersAreOne]

18 minutes ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Key and Hurst were steals where you guys took them to be honest.

The only thing I question is Kolton Miller being selected where he was. I thought he might sneak into the tail end of the first round, but I was absolutely befuddled to see him get taken in the first half of the first round.

I am just thankful we moved down and then drafted him. No doubt we would have picked him at #10. Bryant is going to be a big addition to our squad. 

[jrry32]

1 hour ago, RaidersAreOne said:

From the article:

Not a big loss to be very honest. Apparently Joey was heavily involved in the trade talks that moved us from #10 to #15 (the trade where we got very little value). Overall I liked the Raiders draft and love the fact Gruden has the balls to take some risky players (Key, Hurst, etc). 

#10 = 1300 points

#15 (1050 points) + 3rd Round #15 (195 points) + 5th Round #15 (34.5 points) = 1279.5 points

You didn't exactly get taken to the woodshed.

[Calvert28]

Rick Smith departure was far over due.

[Forge]

2 hours ago, jrry32 said:

#10 = 1300 points

#15 (1050 points) + 3rd Round #15 (195 points) + 5th Round #15 (34.5 points) = 1279.5 points

You didn't exactly get taken to the woodshed.

I was going to post something similar. If you go by the Harvard chart, the Raiders did quite well  (485 points - 299), and if you go by some of the other new charts like Rich Hill's trade chart, the Raiders all came out on top (though it was pretty close) 

[Silver&Black88]

3 hours ago, jrry32 said:

#10 = 1300 points

#15 (1050 points) + 3rd Round #15 (195 points) + 5th Round #15 (34.5 points) = 1279.5 points

You didn't exactly get taken to the woodshed.

I feel that the opportunity cost was the bigger pill to swallow, personally.  Though I do respect the logic of protecting your QB, I suppose.

[Frankie2Gunz]

3 hours ago, jrry32 said:

#10 = 1300 points

#15 (1050 points) + 3rd Round #15 (195 points) + 5th Round #15 (34.5 points) = 1279.5 points

You didn't exactly get taken to the woodshed.

That 3rd round pick was flipped for Bryant.  Based on talent alone, Bryant would have been a top 10 pick in this draft.

I feel they would have picked Miller if they couldn't have traded back so the move was brilliant.  Miller and Bryant to move 5 spots back, great move...

[jrry32]

8 minutes ago, Silver&Black88 said:

I feel that the opportunity cost was the bigger pill to swallow, personally.  Though I do respect the logic of protecting your QB, I suppose.

It sounds like Miller was the guy they wanted all along. From my vantage point, he was the wrong pick. But it's better to have the wrong pick at #15 + a 3rd and a 5th than just the wrong pick at #10.

[RaidersAreOne]

16 minutes ago, jrry32 said:

It sounds like Miller was the guy they wanted all along. From my vantage point, he was the wrong pick. But it's better to have the wrong pick at #15 + a 3rd and a 5th than just the wrong pick at #10.

I don't disagree with you. Who would you have gone if you were the Raiders? Fitz?

[ronjon1990]

4 hours ago, RaidersAreOne said:

When McKenzie does eventually get fazed out, it will be a very split Raider fanbase. He's done some things great, and some things terribly. The 2014 draft is what he will forever hang his hat on, as well as being a master at negotiating contracts. However his coaching hires and lots of his drafting has been very poor. 

I myself am a big Reggie fan, but changes needed to happen because our team regressed horribly. No doubt it is Gruden's team now.

Count me as one of those who won't miss him too much. Sure, he's done well with contracts, but aside from a couple home-run picks, he picked a bunch of duds and consistently ignores positions of need. He seems to want to take too many guys based on "upside" and pray that they come through. 

Linebackers, particularly MLB, have been absolutely ignored by using plug and play try hards taken, at earliest, in the 5th round, despite being a consistent weak spot on our defense. And the fact that we're crossing our fingers that Bowman resigns says it enough. Go back through GDT's and look at how many times people bring up the poor LB play, how RBs are virtually free once they get past the D-line. Yet every year, folks pile on the Reggie love for his contracts and Mack/Carr.