The 2018 NFL season has been one of change for the Oakland Raiders. It seems those changes have finally made their way to the front office with the firing of general manager Reggie McKenzie.
There had been looming speculation regarding the state of the franchise after this season. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Raiders have parted ways with McKenzie:
GM Reggie McKenzie had a meeting with his scouts today where he informed them he was fired. He was given the chance to stay the season, but is not expected to do so.
McKenzie had been hired as general manager back in 2012 just months following the death of beloved team owner Al Davis. Oakland had been adamant about ushering a new era of Raiders football. McKenzie and new owner Mark Davis had revealed a years-long plan that would help launch them back into playoff contention.
It seemed to finally be coming to fruition when they finally made the playoffs in 2016 following a drought that was more than a decade long. McKenzie had drafted bonafide Pro Bowlers in Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, and Amari Cooper to build their foundation. However, it appears Oakland still felt it lacked the necessary leadership to help take them to the next level.
As a result, they brought head coach Jon Gruden out of retirement on a lucrative 10-year deal. It became evident early on that Gruden was not satisfied with the state of the roster and decided to poach all of their young stars in exchange for future draft picks. There are now only nine players left on the roster that McKenzie drafted prior to Gruden’s arrival.
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