The Oakland Raiders have ushered in a full-fledged rebuild after trading Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2019 first round draft pick. It appears head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Reggie McKenzie have differing views on any further potential trades.
The departure of Cooper to the Cowboys and Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears has essentially indicated that no player is off the table. According to Scott Blair of NBC Sports, McKenzie seemed to support that notion:
“I’m not going to say anyone’s untouchable,” McKenzie told reporters. “Now, in my heart of hearts, would I hate to lose some players more than others? Absolutely. I know the difficulty in replacing [certain guys], at certain positions I feel stronger about than others.
“As far as communication with me and any team, those lines will be open for anyone, on any one of our players. Whether I’m going to like it or not, it’s hard to say that anybody’s untradeable.”
However, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Gruden says that will be the last trade the Raiders make this season.
“We’re not trading anyone else,” Gruden said. “We’re trying to stay competitive and figure out a way to compete this next game (Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts).”
Needless to say, it is difficult to gauge which outcome is more likely. It is no secret that Derek Carr has been at the center of all this recent speculation. The prospect of Oakland dealing Carr does not seem too far-fetched at this point. However, the bigger concern is how these two do not seem to be on the same page. It is safe to assume that their bevy of acquisitions this year have been a collaborative effort. Then again, this is not the first time they have offered differing viewpoints on a notable trade.
Back when the Raiders traded Mack, McKenzie expressed heavy remorse over the deal. Meanwhile, Gruden always seemed to allude to all the other voids in the defense whenever Mack’s contract negotiations would come up. It appears they have now taken opposite stances when it comes to any other potential trades moving forward.
Follow @RaidersNationCom on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
