NEWSLETTER
After bouncing back after one piece of drama after another, the Las Vegas Raiders – even after making the playoffs – are set on creating a clean slate.
In October, it was Jon Gruden resigning from his head coach position after batches of offensive emails became public. And now, the Raiders are parting ways with the general manager who built the postseason qualifier:
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) January 17, 2022
The Raiders put up a 25-24 record in three years under Mayock’s guidance. In fact, Vegas has finished with a better record in each of the last two seasons than it did the year before. It might not seem like much, but a climb from 7-9, to 8-8, and eventually getting to 10-7 with a playoff appearance isn’t too shabby. But it is Las Vegas, which doesn’t settle for “too shabby” in a town where entertainment options are endless. Especially when “not too shabby” comes with some high-profile whiffs.
Defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell was taken with the fourth overall pick in 2019, but has seen his playing time decline from being in on 66 percent of defensive snaps as a rookie to just 24 percent in 2021. The Henry Ruggs II pick (legal issues stemming from DUI crash that resulted in fatality) didn’t pan out. Cornerback Damon Arnette was cut after video of him making death threats emerged from his social media account. You might recall Arnette was chosen with one of the picks the Raiders were able to land in the Khalil Mack trade. And rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs was arrested on DUI charges just hours after his team beat the Colts late in the year. Even in their fines hour, the Raiders have been a mess.
At the end of the day, we’re also talking about Mark Davis. The eccentric team owner who thrives on making splashy, headline-grabbing moves. Remember, Davis just made the Becky Hammon the WNBA’s highest-paid coach, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. So that brings us to a trend that none of us can ignore. Because after snatching Gruden off ESPN’s airwaves and pulling Mike Mayock from his incredible work headlining NFL Network’s draft coverage, Davis is back in the market for a new coach and general manager.
In other words, the Chicago Bears now have *ANOTHER* team to compete with in their own search for new football people at the top.
There has been plenty of buzz surrounding the Raiders and Jim Harbaugh. It would make sense for Vegas to take another big swing. And Harbaugh returning to where his coaching career began is sensible, too. Toss in his relationship with Davis, and the signs continue to add up. Tack on that ultra-competitive edge, and you can understand why a Harbaugh return to the pros isn’t a reach. And, finally, think about how Harbaugh’s last NFL run came to an end. Things didn’t finish on a high note. Harbaugh was squabbling with the 49ers. San Francisco was ready to push him out the door. And the team fell apart in the immediate years upon his departure. Frankly, I wouldn’t put Harbaugh going to the Raiders as another jab at his former employer. Especially since it happens to be the Raiders’ former Bay Area rival.
And because there’s been Bears-Harbaugh buzz, we’ll keep tabs on what happens in Vegas.
You know what they say: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas probably impacts the Bears on some level!
Catchy, ain’t it?
