Gruden has served as both a punchline and a punching bag to bloggers, Twitter users, and anybody else on the internet that feels the need to share their opinions. Even TV and radio personalities, along with national sportswriters have gotten their licks in on Gruden.
"Jon Gruden is overrated! He's a fool for dealing Khalil Mack. The Raiders are a train-wreck!"
This is the same Jon Gruden that won a Super Bowl, then won 11 games with Chris Sims as the team's starting quarterback three years later, and now is heading up what could be a terrific reboot for the Raiders.
Criticism of Gruden is fair in some regards, considering his team's dismal start, just two years removed from a 12-win season and first playoff trip in a decade and a half. Still, knowing his track record, you would think he would receive a certain amount of grace and slack. But, in a society obsessed with instant gratification, and an internet culture centered around overreactions, snark-iness and self-glorification, grace and patience may be difficult to find.
His broadcasting shtick that he developed over nine years in the Monday Night Football booth hasn't done him any favors either. Well, it did when he was still on the broadcasting side. Gruden related to the audience as a regular, non-pretentious, everyday commoner. He disguised his wealth of football knowledge behind cheesy puns and silly lines, still enlightening the audience with football nuggets that may not be found elsewhere. Personally, I loved it. But his broadcasting personality was extremely polarizing, and understandably so. It's easy to see why some might not respect him as a coach.
In September, the Raiders' decision to ship linebacker Khalil Mack to Chicago had drawn much criticism. When Mack put on a one-man show in Green Bay (recording a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a touchdown all in the same half, an NFL first) on opening night, the criticism intensified. In the short-term, yes, the Raiders are not looking like a very competitive football team. But Gruden has an opportunity to set the Raiders up very well for their long-term future in Las Vegas, if he can capitalize on the high draft picks he is quickly accumulating.
With Mack entering the final year of his rookie deal, Gruden was met with a difficult choice, while working around a salary cap mess that was created prior to his arrival. Either extend Mack, trade him, or let him walk in a year for nothing as a free agent. The dollar amount Mack was looking for (and eventually got from the Bears -- he is now the highest paid defensive player in NFL history), paired with the contracts already on the books would cripple the team financially. Even with Mack on-board, was the team even going anywhere, in that division?
The Raiders swapped Mack for two picks from the Bears, a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2010, and from 2014 through 2017 had a combined record of 19-45. Barring a huge turnaround, the Raiders could have some high picks coming their way. Even if the Bears finish in the middle of the pack the next two years, a pair of top 15 picks, if used correctly, could help retool the Raiders for the next decade.
Earlier this week, Gruden flipped receiver Amari Cooper to Dallas for their 2019 first round pick. Speculation around the league was that the price to acquire Cooper (who has shown equal promise and disappointment in the early years of his career) would be a second or third round pick. Cooper has just one year remaining on his rookie contract, a unique deal that featured a $15 million signing bonus, but is extremely back-loaded. Cooper was making less than $1 million annually for the first four years of the deal. In year 5, his salary will hike up to a guaranteed $14 million.
The Raiders shed $14 million in cap space for next season, and snagged another first round pick, this one, from a team that stands at 3-4, on pace to miss the playoffs. After cutting ties with Dez Bryant, the Cowboys have had a great need at the receiver position and were desperate to find help for Dak Prescott to get the team back on the right track.
At age 24, Cooper has already appeared in two Pro Bowls, but has also ranked near the top of the league in drop percentage and drops over the last three seasons.
Now with five first round picks stockpiled over the next two NFL Drafts, Gruden is in a prime position to turn around the Raiders. According to Tankathon.com, a website that helps keep track of leagues' draft orders throughout the season, the Raiders are on pace to have three top 15 picks next April.
At the moment, the Raiders are slotted at pick no. 4, with the Dallas pick falling at no. 8, and Chicago's at no. 15. With nine weeks left in the season, the Cowboys (3-4) and Bears (3-3) could wind up anywhere, but I would expect them to ultimately end up somewhere in the middle of the pack, between picks 10-17. And that might not be all.
At this stage, it's pretty clear that Gruden isn't stressing too much over the 2018 season, and is instead looking towards the future. A total blow-up could be in effect. I would expect to see more moves between now and next Tuesday's trade deadline. Could they dangle Derek Carr?
Like much of the rest of his team, Carr is off to a slow start. Two years ago he threw 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Through six games this season, he's thrown more picks (8) than touchdowns (7). Still, Carr could be extremely valuable to a team that has all the right pieces, save for the quarterback position. Look no further than Jacksonville. The Jags reached the AFC title game last season, and now sit at 3-4 with Blake Bortles struggling mightily (he was benched on Sunday). Despite the slow start, they're only a game back of the division leader Houston in a weak AFC South.
Or, what about Miami? The Dolphins made the playoffs two years ago and got off to a hot 4-2 start this fall. But with Ryan Tannehill injured once again, they're in danger of meeting the same fate as their 2017 team found. A stable quarterback could ignite one of these teams' offenses and send them back to the playoffs.
We've seen moves like this recently. In 2016, the Eagles got a first and a fourth rounder from the Vikings for Sam Bradford. If a team in danger of squandering its competitive window needs a quarterback, they'll pay up.
If Gruden gets the right offer, he could add another first round pick to his collection and shed a guaranteed $70 million from the team's books.
While he may be sacrificing Oakland's 2018 season and his respect from internet trolls, if he can cash in on these picks and take advantage of the team's cap space, Jon Gruden can propel the Raiders to the franchise's next era of glory in Las Vegas.
Follow me on Twitter @TheJackVita and let me hear your thoughts.
(Image via CBS Sports)
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