With a disappointing 2019 NFL season officially in the books, the Oakland Raiders are set to start a new chapter with their looming relocation to Las Vegas.
The highly anticipated move has been magnified by the recent development of Allegiant Stadium and players like quarterback Derek Carr have not been shy about expressing their excitement. The team is hoping that the change of scenery could be just what they need to emerge into potential playoff contenders.
Although missing out on the postseason has given the Raiders an early start on their upcoming move, it appears head coach Jon Gruden does not plan on making too many changes to the offseason program.
According to Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle, Gruden says the team will still work out of their base in Alameda and hold training camp in Napa:
The Raiders won’t be leaving their Alameda headquarters immediately. Gruden said the team plans to hold its offseason program in the Bay Area and training camp in Napa, then formally move to Las Vegas after breaking camp to start the 2020 season.
“It’s exciting, man,” Gruden said. “We are excited to know where we’re going to be playing and excited to have a city that is excited about having us.”
While the Raiders may have found a new home in Las Vegas, it seems they still plan on keeping close ties to their roots in the Bay Area. It is safe to say that fans in Oakland are happy to find out that they can still get a glimpse of their team while they remain close to their original home.
Meanwhile, the decision certainly makes plenty of sense for Gruden from a practical standpoint. There is no question that will have plenty of work to do this offseason and the last thing he needs to worry about is the logistics of his workspace.
The Raiders have ushered in some significant changes to both their roster and front office since Gruden’s arrival, however, they still fell vastly short of expectations with their 7-9 finish following such a promising start to the 2019 NFL season. He understands full well that they will need to kick off the new era in spectacular fashion if they hope to make their presence felt in Las Vegas and it begins with filling a number of their notable voids on both sides of the ball.
