Oakland Raiders: Sending scouts home precautious or sign of trouble?

The Oakland Raiders sent their scouts home, and they won’t return for the draft. Is this a sign of dysfunction or shrewd preparation?

The Oakland Raiders made headlines Friday when team brass decided to send scouts home — for good, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport revealed general manager Mike Mayock doesn’t know whom he could trust with the team’s draft secrets. On the surface, the report seems alarming, but there’s a little more context to consider in this storyline.

The Raiders kept personnel from the previous regime that worked under ex-general manager Reggie McKenzie, including his twin brother Raleigh. The former Raiders executive holds a front office position with the Miami Dolphins.

According to NFL insider Adam Caplan, the Raiders’ scouting department will undergo major changes after the draft:

In all likelihood, Mayock doesn’t want to show his final hand to someone who’s likely on the way out. A draft leak could put his team at a severe disadvantage, especially with three first-round picks on tap.

Think back to last year; CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported the Raiders had interest in offensive tackle Kolton Miller days before the draft. The UCLA product became the 15th overall pick for the Silver and Black. Oakland cannot allow that to happen again.

Mayock didn’t even trust his daughter around the draft binder; she shared her perspective via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/LeighMayock/status/1119291754794979328

Perhaps there’s paranoia, but at least Mayock has shown consistency across the board. He’s not willing to compromise the most crucial draft in Raiders history. Lastly, it’s not unprecedented to excommunicate scouts before the selection process. The Los Angeles Rams dismissed multiple scouts before the 2017 draft and the Cleveland Browns did the same in 2016.

Mayock has more reason to feel uncomfortable since the team experienced some in-house turmoil before McKenzie’s exit, per Rapoport:

"According to sources, Gruden essentially has his own staff that helps him judge talent and make decisions—most notably confidant and Director of Football Research Dave Razzano—along with a slew of interns and assistants.Gruden had his own draft board and has his own pro board, separate from those used by others in the organization."

At a crucial time, it’s best to tighten the ranks with scouting positions in limbo and a divisive past amid transition.

“Don’t mess it up, dude,” Gruden said to Mayock concerning this year’s talent haul, per ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez. The first-year general manager took the warning seriously. He’s going to dot every “i” and cross every “t” going into the draft. The Raiders want to run a covert operation in a competitive environment. It’s better to be paranoid than careless.