Oakland Raiders: Should Reggie McKenzie Be Held Accountable For His QB Investments?

Aug 23, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie before the game against the Chicago Bears at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Matt Flynn, who was acquired by the Oakland Raiders in a trade with Seattle this offseason, has officially been released.

Flynn was brought in to run the show as the Raiders starter after the departure of Carson Palmer, though he was beaten out in training camp and the preseason by Terrelle Pryor.

When Pryor was sidelined earlier this season against Washington after suffering a concussion, Flynn filled in so poorly that he was demoted from second to third on the depth chart shortly after Pryor’s return. The next step was releasing him.

Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie should certainly be held accountable for the awful acquisition. The Raiders traded away a fifth-round pick for Flynn which resulted in a complete waste.

Flynn was a terrible investment, not only because Oakland will now miss on a necessary fifth-round pick, but cutting Flynn was an extraordinarily expensive move for the Raiders. The 28-year-old former LSU quarterback has a $6.5 million fully guaranteed contract for 2013.

In addition, quarterback Tyler Wilson was drafted in the fourth-round to compete for the starting job, but ended up getting cut and sent to the practice squad before the season opener.

Moreover, the fourth-round pick out of Arkansas was a downright disgrace. Wilson was drafted to possibly become the team’s starter, but instead a disaster arose. The former Razorback showed no signs of improvement, which initially resulted in a drop from third to fourth on the depth chart. After poor play in the preseason when he was given opportunity to shine, the Raiders decided to cut Wilson and send him down to the practice squad.

McKenzie could have improved the offensive line, defensive line, or even upgrade the wide receiver position with a fourth-round choice. The Raiders needed to capitalize on every pick in the draft, considering how awful their draftees have been in recent years, and ultimately to improve all areas. A fourth-round pick has the potential to be incredibly valuable, yet was wasted by an insignificant choice.

McKenzie should definitely be held accountable for his quarterback investments. A fourth-round pick could have been a game changer, or at least a role player who could have improved one of the many struggling areas. The Flynn situation is simply frustrating for Raider fans. Not only did McKenzie waste $6.5 million on a quarterback who is not even on the roster anymore, but a potential fifth-round pick fell in the gutter as well.

The good news, however, is that Pryor looks like a keeper at quarterback. The former Ohio State Buckeye is taking an immense amount of weight off of McKenzie’s shoulders. As long as Pryor continues to play at a high level, McKenzie’s job should remain secure.