At the Oakland Raiders the rebuild is in full swing: After the Raiders had already lost their best player in Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper, the best wide receiver of the team, followed this week. Coach Jon Gruden, however, does not assume that Derek Carr will also fall victim to the upheaval.
“I don’t expect us to have any more trades,” Gruden told the assembled reporters on Wednesday, but promptly added: “I didn’t expect us to do the latest trade either. But sometimes your plans change, whether you like it or not. You never know who’s calling or what you’re offered. I don’t expect any more trades, but I’ll never say “never” to anyone.”
When asked specifically about quarterback Derek Carr, Gruden then declared: “I don’t expect any more trades. And I don’t see we’re trading our quarterback.”
Carr himself, who has also been criticized over the past weeks, was quite realistic during the week: “When I came to the NFL my brother (David Carr, ex-Texans quarterback, ed.) told me: “If they release Peyton Manning, they will release you at some point, too”. To be honest, I’m the quarterback today and I’m confident that I’ll still be here tomorrow and I’m confident that I’ll be here if we make the turnaround.”
The Raiders, having already surrendered two of their most valuable players, Mack and Cooper, have five first-round draft picks in their arsenal over the next two years. Other Raiders players – such as Safety Karl Joseph or Cornerback Gareon Conley – are traded as potential trade candidates to accumulate even more draft resources.
The procedure so far in the first year of Jon Gruden’s ten-year contract clearly indicates that Gruden plans a drastic change with this team.