Oakland Raiders: Why single out Khalil Mack over OTAs?
New Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther called out Khalil Mack about his absence from OTAs, but is doing so really wise?
Players holding out for new contracts choosing to skip OTAs is absolutely nothing new in the NFL. This is especially true when you’re talking about a player who is looking for that massive second contract after proving to be a superstar throughout his rookie deal. Such is the case with Oakland Raiders star edge rusher Khalil Mack as 2018 offseason workouts are underway.
Mack hasn’t been practicing with the team thus far as he looks to get a contract extension. There’s no question that the Raiders want to get a deal done with the star pass rusher. He’s simply one of the very best in the game and someone who can single-handedly change a game. However, his new defensive coordinator, Paul Guenther, doesn’t appear thrilled that he’s not working out with the team.
On Tuesday, Guenther — formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals — was asked about Mack’s absence and he appeared quite critical of the defensive end, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
"“He’s going to have a lot of catching up to do,” Guenther said. “We’re going to have to have a plan for that, for sure. Really, I’m concerned about the guys that are here now working. These guys have been busting their tails every day — coming in early, meeting with the coaches, being great in the meeting rooms, communicating on the field. We do a lot with one-minute situations today, so it was really good to see.”"
It’s great that he has a plan for Mack when the star does rejoin practicing with the Raiders. Having said that, what’s the point in singling him out like that in regards to saying he has “catching up to do?”
Given the situation with the Raiders and the changes in the coaching staff that include both Guenther and new head coach Jon Gruden, it’s understandable that they would want the best defensive player on the roster to get a jumpstart on learning a new system. But does it really behoove the Raiders to possibly ruffle the feathers of Mack?
Put simply, it doesn’t at all. The defense in Oakland has been problematic in recent years. The one area where they haven’t had issues, however, is with their pass rush, and that’s in large part due to the play of Mack off the edge. He’s a blend of athleticism and power that few offensive tackles in the league can match. So why then, as the team looks to better the unit as a whole, would you then call out the one player who has been doing his job consistently at a high level? It seems senseless.
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Perhaps this ends up being nothing and Mack shows up at mandatory minicamp next week, signs his extension soon and everything is good to go moving forward. However, with a situation that is clearly not settled with Mack not working out with the team and not having a new deal in place, it does seem unwise to even be bringing him up. For the Raiders sake, they better hope that this simply blows by.