The rebuilding mode the Oakland Raiders are in right now has Raider Nation divided. Some support Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie in every move he makes, others question his decisions as he seems to be getting rid of a lot of key players.
The questionable decisions by the Raiders GM started last season when he fired then head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson was a coach Oakland fans came to love as he was a character, but also a coach the Raiders players needed. He showed emotion, enthusiasm, and heart on the sideline. He was even able to convince Raider Nation to buy tickets as they had zero blackouts in 2011.
When the heart and soul of the Raiders, Al Davis, passed away on October 8, 2011, Jackson was deeply affected and it showed when he coached the team. He led the Raiders to an 8-8 record in 2011 in a season where there weren’t high expectations. They had a chance to take the division and make a playoff appearance, but in the end came up short. After all his success with the silver and black, McKenzie fired Jackson and hired now head coach Dennis Allen, who has been unsuccessful to say the least.
After hiring Allen, he then hired offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, who the Raiders had the worst offense with back in 2008. Hiring him made no sense and was a questionable move by McKenzie.
After a painful 2012 season that resulted in a 4-12 record, the Raiders obviously were in need of change, but is McKenzie getting rid of the right players? It’s no secret the Raiders have salary cap issues, but he has released some key players to the team. The release of Michael Huff had fans scratching their heads. Sure he had an off season in 2012, and he isn't the best in the league, but you also have to take into consideration the position change he made from 2011 to 2012. He is strongest as a safety, but last season moved to the corner position and had trouble there.
He also released wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey who had been developing into a reliable receiver for Oakland. He had his best season in 2011 and, like most of the team, had an off 2012 season. How much blame can you put on him when Knapp was his offensive coordinator? Knapp didn't call plays that fit the Raiders offense. Disaster was inevitable.
The silver and black also had quite a few free agents this offseason that were not resigned by the team. A few stand out more than others, for example, tight end Brandon Myers. Myers was the Raiders leading receiver last season and was the most reliable offensive threat for the Raiders. His blocking wasn’t spectacular, but he knew how to catch the ball and run with it. He was always a go to for those third and short plays. He had become a key to the offense, but is now gone as he signed a contract with the New York Giants.
Another key player that is no longer with the team is pro bowl punter Shane Lechler who spent 13 years in a Raiders uniform. Lechler had a pricey contract and the Raiders had Marquette King waiting in Lechler’s wings. King is younger and has shown promising stuff in camp and preseason, so letting Lechler go is understandable. The 36-year-old signed a contract with the Houston Texans.
Quarterback Carson Palmer was also traded to the Arizona Cardinals along with a seventh-round draft pick for a sixth-round draft pick and a conditional seventh rounder in 2014. Palmer was due $13 million which was out of their pay range, but his refusal to restructure really says a lot about the state of the Raiders right now.
The Raiders also lost linebacker Philip Wheeler to free agency as he signed with the Miami Dolphins. This is a loss that also hurts the Raiders as he was a bright spot on the defense.
One cut McKenzie has made that has Raiders fans jumping for joy, is linebacker Rolando McClain. He has been nothing but trouble for the team and has not lived up to his expectations after being drafted in 2010.
So, lets take a look at who McKenzie has signed and some of the guys who will be playing for the Raiders next season.
He signed linebacker Nick Roach, who will be a good addition for the defense. He had 65 tackles last season, which is an area the Oakland defense struggled in last season. He also signed defensive tackle Vance Walker, cornerback Mike Jenkins, safety Usama Young, cornerback Tracy Porter, linebacker Kevin Burnett, and cornerback Joselio Hanson. He resigned defensive end Andre Carter and tackle Khalif Barnes. He also traded for quarterback Matt Flynn, who will compete with Terrelle Pryor for the starting job this season.
Defensively, the moves McKenzie is making are beneficial. The offensive moves are the ones that are most questionable. With a good offensive coordinator, the offense gelled and were successful, with Knapp not so much. McKenzie has yet to replace the offensive players he let go, and so far has mostly been focusing on the defense.
This rebuilding McKenzie is doing will either make him a genius or a bust. He’s made questionable moves as the Raiders general manager dating back to the 2012 offseason. The team is in need of some change, but not necessarily the drastic changes he is making. His biggest mistake may have been firing Jackson after one season as the head coach; he didn’t deserved to be canned, especially considering the improvement seen in the team and the promise that could have been.
So, are Reggie’s Raiders improving? Only time will tell, but Raider Nation sure hopes so.