Oakland Raiders: Is Jon Gruden Really Ready For This Era Of The NFL?
The Oakland Raiders made a few moves this offseason that may not only affect the 2018 season but years to come. The Raiders fired Jack Del Rio after bringing the Raiders back to respectability in favor of Jon Gruden, who they once traded as a coach. On the outside, it seems like a good move, but according to Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, it may have been the Raiders’ biggest mistake this offseason.
In no way is Jon Gruden a bad coach. However, Gagnon would go on to say that Gruden will like to bring back a style of play from an era that is no longer relevant. Gruden wants to throw the game back to 1998, and while that’s a good sign, the issue with that is, it’s no longer 1998. The NFL is a quarterback’s league now, and the Raiders have one of the best in the game in Derek Carr. What Gruden must do is surround Carr with necessary weapons for the Raiders to get back atop the AFC West.
So far, in a free agency period where teams were giving away talent for peanuts on the dollar, the Oakland Raiders went and signed players who may be past their expiration date. With players like Carlos Hyde and Isaiah Crowell available in free agency, Gruden elected to stick with Marshawn Lynch who will be 32 by the time the season starts. In 2017, Lynch gained 891 yards on 207 carries for the Raiders. There was a chance that the Raiders had a shot at Hyde or Crowell, instead, they chose to go with the outcast in Doug Martin of the Buccaneers. It’s cool to have veterans, but at some point, Jon Gruden has to look at youth, especially at the running back position.
Will The Oakland Raiders Adapt To Jon Gruden?
This could end up being the biggest regret of any team this offseason.
[BXReporter]
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
