Raiders general manager Mike Mayock has been a busy man this offseason, be it maneuvering through free agency or the draft. That the coronavirus altered the way teams had to approach the offseason made it more challenging, not only for the Raiders but the rest of the NFL as well. Mayock met with reporters and talked about some of those challenges and recapped how the team handled the draft in this new normal that America is facing.
Q: Before the draft, you talked a lot about it being a virtual draft and what challenges it would pose. Was there anything that popped up that you did not expect?
A: I’m not going to lie to you, I’ve spent way more time on Zoom and Microsoft Teams and things I never heard of. We probably drilled our trade routine for the last four, five days, where every night I’d have group of my scouts that are in different states. We had an analytics guy (director of football analytics) David Christoff, (assistant director of college scouting) Teddy Atlas, (assistant director of player personnel) Trey Scott, Jon Gruden. We had a bunch of people on the line and we drilled and drilled and drilled on these trades. We really worked it out. We had several times where we had two or three teams on the line. There were no glitches, we were able to get the information smoothly, get the information easily.
Q: There seems to be a very specific theme, speed and versatility. How important is that for the scheme Coach Gruden wants to run?
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‘We have to be a much more detailed football team'
Like so many Raiders fans, coach Jon Gruden found himself searching for answers after the Raiders’ second-half collapse that cost the team a spot in the expanded playoffs.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Starting Tackle Kolton Miller is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Wanted: Defensive coordinator
The Raiders didn’t wait long to begin their search for a new defensive coordinator, and it’s becoming clear that Jon Gruden has already narrowed his list down.
Raiders' good, bad, ugly
Raiders’ good, bad, ugly
NEWS & NOTES
The Raiders had one of the easier schedules in 2020 and got only eight wins to show for it. Things won’t get any easier in 2021, either.
Looking back at 2020 season
The 2020 season will absolutely be remembered for being one of the strangest and most disappointing in franchise history.
Gruden feeling the heat?
“I know there is a big bull’s-eye on my chest, certainly. If the people want to use that as an incentive, then so be it. I worked for Al Davis in 1998. That was pressure. I was 34 years old. I’ve dealt with pressure before. I don’t really feel pressure. I love the excitement and thrill of competing, and I can’t worry about things I can’t control in that regard. I know people will want to step on me and beat me, and that is just the way this league is.”
From the SILVERANDBLACK.com Message Boards
S&BI continually scans the message boards across Raider Nation to see what Raider fans are talking about now that the 2020 season has ended for the Raiders. We chose some of the better posts and present them here.
Checklist for 2021
Now that the 2020 season has been put to rest for Las Vegas, the Raiders have shifted their focus to what figures to be a busy offseason as they prepare for 2021.
AFC WEST ROUNDUP
The Chargers fired coach Anthony Lynn after four seasons.
