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Jon Gruden, Raiders: Is the Marriage Stale?


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Harley Burton

April, 6th, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

Jon Gruden, Las Vegas Raiders: Is the Marriage Stale?

 

 

Three and half year ago, a defeated Jack Del Rio exits a Raiders front office following a 20 point loss to the Chargers in the 2017 season finale. A frantic Mark Davis pulls out his phone, starts scrolling through and almost endless list of contacts until he sees one “Jon Gruden” on the screen. Beaming from ear to ear at his plan, he hits dial, they exchange supplies and demands, and Gruden accepts Davis’ offer at a steep price of 100 million dollars over a decade, with partial stake in the team’s ownership. Coming into his fourth season, Gruden has made a plethora of different moves since he took over at head coach, but has his new tenure here proven to be a step forward?

Gruden’s first season back in Silver and Black was a sign that there was a clear layer of rust to shake off, going 4-12 with a negative 177 point differential throughout. His first few moves as the Raiders personnel leader made waves, sending All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack to the Bears for a first round pick in each of the next two drafts and shipping Amari Cooper to Dallas for the Cowboys first rounder that same year.

The 2019 season was a baby step in the right direction where the club posted a 7-9 record with a smaller differential of 106 points. Davis and Gruden decided to bring in former draft guru Mike Mayock from NBC as general manager in a move that many thought would be a perfect fit. Then Oakland, the Raiders started hot due to a strong rookie output during the season headed by running back Josh Jacobs, but after a decent 6-4 beginning, injuries derailed the year and the Raiders dropped five of their last six to fizzle out.

2020 brought on a similar campaign with a .500 record on the season after a 6-3 start that had people finally forgetting his first two years back. Mayock and Gruden pulled a stunner in the 2020 draft, selecting speedster Henry Ruggs III over what others thought were top wide receiver prospects. After besting the AFC powerhouse Chiefs in Week 5, another late season collapse foils the Raiders chances of making the post season in Gruden’s second stint. Three years in, with an 8-8 record in 2020 to hang his head on and more turnover than expected, the elephant in the room stares violently at the Raiders front office with one question: Has this Gruden experiment gone sour?

The off-season heading into 2021 is in full swing, and Gruden continues to fervently reassess his own moves. After bringing Pro Bowl tackle Trent Brown in on a chunky contract, he has since been traded back to the Patriots for much less value than was signed. All Pro Center Rodney Hudson has also been moved, heading to Arizona, while the Raiders receive a third round pick, and more concerns about the offensive line going forward. Signing Yannick Ngakoue puts a band-aid on a defense that was 26th overall in 2020, but these big moves over three seasons have left more to be desired from Gruden than the outcome he’s produced. These adjustments to a roster that seemed to be making strides has only created more controversy about the quality of Gruden’s decisions for the franchise.

As the 2021 regular season approaches, the magnifying glass in Las Vegas will be hovering over Gruden ominously, who is looking for his first playoff victory as a coach since his Super Bowl XXXVII victory with Tampa Bay in 2002. Failing to produce in 2021 could seal Gruden’s fate in Oakland if Davis gets cold feet waiting for postseason play in Las Vegas. The only certainty for an unsure Raiders team going forward? If the ship Gruden has pirated goes down in the worrisome waters he’s sailed it into, he’s sure to sink with it as a head coach for good this time.

 

 

 

If you've liked this article check my Raiders blog at https://realisticraiderfan.blogspot.com/ or follow me on twitter @HBRRaiderFan.

I'll be posting stuff a few times a week here and on the blog. Thanks for the love!

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I'm not convinced we're any better than we were the moment that 2017 season with Jack Del Rio ended. In that sense, it absolutely has been a failure of a hire.

We don't have a better coaches, we don't have better players, and our personnel decisions are worse and often straight up illogical. I appreciate what JDR did in bringing us back to some form of stability as a franchise (plus finally delivering the playoffs again) and while he's never a guy that's going to get you over the hump, he was a decent enough HC who put together as good a coaching staff as Gruden has. For all we're paying Gruden, we'd have been better off staying with Del Rio.

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1 hour ago, Nightmare said:

I'm not convinced we're any better than we were the moment that 2017 season with Jack Del Rio ended. In that sense, it absolutely has been a failure of a hire.

We don't have a better coaches, we don't have better players, and our personnel decisions are worse and often straight up illogical. I appreciate what JDR did in bringing us back to some form of stability as a franchise (plus finally delivering the playoffs again) and while he's never a guy that's going to get you over the hump, he was a decent enough HC who put together as good a coaching staff as Gruden has. For all we're paying Gruden, we'd have been better off staying with Del Rio.

Sadly I completely agree. It doesn't seem like a huge increase in production from JDR at all. At least him and Reggie were consistent. 

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Great write up. Loving all the new posters lately, feel like we have a solid 5-6 new posters after having the same for years. 
 

Personally I think the soonest Gruden would be fired is after five complete seasons (after 2022 season). And he’d only be fired if he misses the playoffs both of those years. 
 

My trust in Gruden is fading and if he doesn’t make the playoffs this year while facing the horrendous NFC East, I will be calling for a divorce. 

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situation where the wife remains infatuated with the abusive husband, imo

its stunning to be how longtime fans refuse to see it.

- raiders make puzzling moves that the media criticizes
- fans rationalize the moves as good and just say media is anti-raiders
- raiders have a bad season
- rinse, repeat

Edited by Turnobili
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Davis will never fire Gruden. He will resign/retire with a job lined up back in broadcasting.

I predicted after 5 seasons, but I could see it happen after this year. The Raiders are not making the playoffs in 2021. The roster has seen to much turnover and they will only win 7-8 games IMO.

The pressure was already on Gruden to make the playoffs. There are less than 25 players under contract for 2022, so you're looking at major turnover again. It's do or die for Gruden IMO. Can't see him enduring another losing season and coming back in 2022

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4 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

Davis will never fire Gruden. He will resign/retire with a job lined up back in broadcasting.

I predicted after 5 seasons, but I could see it happen after this year. The Raiders are not making the playoffs in 2021. The roster has seen to much turnover and they will only win 7-8 games IMO.

The pressure was already on Gruden to make the playoffs. There are less than 25 players under contract for 2022, so you're looking at major turnover again. It's do or die for Gruden IMO. Can't see him enduring another losing season and coming back in 2022

I think Davis is a stooge but Gruden is no fool and walking away from 10 million per year would be insane.  No way he makes that on TV.  

I sadly feel like if we win 6 games this year Gruden will get another chance.  I hope I am wrong!

I seriously wonder if we are sub .500 two years in a row if Davis would stick with Gruden.  In some bizarre way I think he might.  That would truly show the world this organization is still one of the worse ran organizations in all of pro sports.  

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10 minutes ago, Frankie2Gunz said:

I think Davis is a stooge but Gruden is no fool and walking away from 10 million per year would be insane.  No way he makes that on TV.  

I sadly feel like if we win 6 games this year Gruden will get another chance.  I hope I am wrong!

I seriously wonder if we are sub .500 two years in a row if Davis would stick with Gruden.  In some bizarre way I think he might.  That would truly show the world this organization is still one of the worse ran organizations in all of pro sports.  

If we are 8-8 or worse both of the next two years, I think he’s gone.... there’s just no excuse for 5 years of no playoffs. Most coaches would only get 3 years, but Gruden’s contract definitely plays a factor and I doubt he gets fired before 50% of it is complete. 

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2 hours ago, BayRaider said:

Great write up. Loving all the new posters lately, feel like we have a solid 5-6 new posters after having the same for years. 
 

Personally I think the soonest Gruden would be fired is after five complete seasons (after 2022 season). And he’d only be fired if he misses the playoffs both of those years. 
 

My trust in Gruden is fading and if he doesn’t make the playoffs this year while facing the horrendous NFC East, I will be calling for a divorce. 

Very appreciative for the kind words! I'm gonna keep posting stuff to this forum as I finish more pieces for my blog, and also as I apply to write for other sites as well.

Davis may not ever want to fire Gruden, and if that abusive nature keeps up, we could all call for divorce and it wouldn't help.

I'm hoping we don't end up like the Bengals with Marvin Lewis....but then again, he didn't make 100 mil and have stake in the team....sigh.

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the sad thing is, with some peeves here and there (short distance play calling, and some degree of playing favorites), i still think Gruden is an above average coach and playcaller. he just has way too much power and autonomy and he's never been a team builder. we need a GM to have power over him, but that's never going to be the case

a) with his contract
b) with a rookie GM

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1 minute ago, Turnobili said:

the sad thing is, with some peeves here and there (short distance play calling, and some degree of playing favorites), i still think Gruden is an above average coach and playcaller. he just has way too much power and autonomy and he's never been a team builder. we need a GM to have power over him, but that's never going to be the case

a) with his contract
b) with a rookie GM

Yes I will certainly admit I was wrong about Gruden’s offense too old to work. He has consistently been in the Top 5 in points per drive. It’s just he has always been a horrendous talent evaluator, doesn’t evoke enough discipline and too much of a players coach, horrendous at Coordinator hires, and he gets too cute in the redzone. 
 

I’m starting to think both Gruden’s would be Top Tier OC’s, but just not great Head Coaches. Although Jon is certainly wayyyy better at being a HC than Jay. Much more charisma, and has a Super Bowl. 

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4 minutes ago, BayRaider said:

Yes I will certainly admit I was wrong about Gruden’s offense too old to work. He has consistently been in the Top 5 in points per drive. It’s just he has always been a horrendous talent evaluator, doesn’t evoke enough discipline and too much of a players coach, horrendous at Coordinator hires, and he gets too cute in the redzone. 
 

I’m starting to think both Gruden’s would be Top Tier OC’s, but just not great Head Coaches. Although Jon is certainly wayyyy better at being a HC than Jay. Much more charisma, and has a Super Bowl. 

I honestly think if Gruden went the Andy Reid route, hired a top end GM and focused energy on being the HC, he could build something.

His impatience and poor eye for talent has lead to a directionless mess over 3 years. Like I said, less than 25 players are under contract for 2022. They are in the 
throw it against the wall and see if it sticks" mode of roster rebuilding. 

With no consistency or direction, this was doomed to fail and has thus far

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3 hours ago, big_palooka said:

I honestly think if Gruden went the Andy Reid route, hired a top end GM and focused energy on being the HC, he could build something.

That's really our biggest issue. Gruden has never been a great personnel guy and Mike Mayock was a commercial real estate agent that became a football commentator, he had never even worked for an NFL team before we hired him as our GM. 

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