Oakland Raiders: Jon Gruden’s vision takes precedence over Reggie McKenzie’s
How did Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie’s role change once Jon Gruden accepted the position as the head coach?
When Jon Gruden signed a 10-year, $100 deal to become the Oakland Raiders head coach, outsiders speculated the team’s direction would immediately change. Now, there’s proof, straight from owner Mark Davis, that the team will have a new direction under the lead skipper.
Davis put all the guessing to rest when he talked about the Raiders’ leadership structure in a candid interview with NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Scott Bair:
"Jon’s the head coach and he’s going to be here a while, so it’s important that he gets the players he wants and builds a team he wants to build,” Davis said. “Reggie is there with his staff to find the players, and also to keep the (salary) cap and everything else in order."
Essentially, McKenzie keeps his role as general manager, but his personnel power over the roster takes a hit. Davis wants to ensure he’s getting the biggest bang for his buck. Why spend $100 million on a head coach when the ideal person to lead the team can also have a huge say in roster decisions?
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
McKenzie will still work his salary-cap wizardry. He will likely offer suggestions on potential roster fits, but the proposals should coincide with Gruden’s plan.
"At this point in time, the role Reggie plays now is a little different than the role he played with Jack (Del Rio), a little different than his role working with Dennis (Allen). It evolves. He has built the team to where we are now, and we’re in pretty good shape with the cap and everything else. Now he has a head coach who’s going to be running this thing for the next 10 years. His vision is going to be most important building what type of team we’ve got."
Davis may have used the wrong word when he said McKenzie’s role “evolves”, which means to develop into something more complex. The front office executive will seemingly have a lesser role in building this roster as a helper to the head coach’s blueprint. It’s not exactly a demotion either—more like a new focus.
McKenzie did a terrific job at signing 17 unrestricted talents off the market with limited cap space over the past few weeks. Clearly, the Raiders wanted to address the depth on the roster and also acquire veterans who will help the younger guys absorb concepts of the new system.
Looking forward to the draft, Raiders fans can expect a new strategy as well. Oakland may actually select an inside linebacker before the fifth round. McKenzie’s tendency to use a second-round pick on a project player or prospect with more upside than production likely comes to an end. We’ll also find out how Gruden handles the best-player-available approach versus strictly addressing roster needs.
Next: Oakland Raiders: Getting older during free agency isn’t a bad idea
Armed with 11 picks in the upcoming draft, Gruden’s vision will go into full effect for the 2018 season. For those who have been critical of McKenzie’s draft selections over the years, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Nonetheless, keep in mind, no team decision-maker bats 100 percent or even close on incoming picks. Like every class, you’ll have some studs and duds. Fortunately, Oakland’s high volume in picks leaves room for more hits.