Oakland Raiders: Gruden not setting team back, he’s propelling it forward
By Kevin Saito
Oakland Raiders HC Jon Gruden has certainly shaken things up since arriving, prompting some to wonder if he’s setting the team back – he’s not.
Oakland Raiders HC Jon Gruden has come swinging in like a wrecking ball – apologies if you’re picturing Gruden dressed like Miley Cyrus riding an actual wrecking ball. There is no doubt though, that under Gruden, the Raiders are getting an Extreme Makeover: Football Team Edition.
Gone, for one reason or another, are a host of players fans have become familiar with over the seasons – some, fans were actually pretty big fans of. And in, are a number of other players – some, that have fans scratching their heads, wondering why they’re here.
It’s easy to look at the additions Gruden’s made, a seemingly odd patchwork collection of castoffs and misfits, and wonder what the bigger plan here is. It has many wondering how he’s actually improving the roster and whether or not he’s lost his mind.
And in the case of Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, he openly wonders – though, no doubt, expressing a fear of many – that Gruden’s moving and shaking this offseason will actually “set the team back years.”
"“A series of puzzling personnel moves has some wondering whether after nearly a decade in the broadcast booth Gruden’s the guy to lead Oakland back to the promised land.Is he on the verge of vaulting the Silver and Black forward, or are the Raiders at risk of stumbling backward even more after a disappointing 2017?”"
It seems a fair question to ask, having seen guys like Leon Hall, Reggie Nelson, and Doug Martin come in through one door, while guys like Michael Crabtree, Jamize Olawale, and T.J. Carrie went out the other one.
Though there have been a sprinkling of solid moves throughout the offseason – the signings of Tahir Whitehead and Rashaan Melvin chief among them – there have been quite a few more of the head-scratching variety.
Why get rid of a guy like Olawale, who’s a fantastic lead blocker (as well as versatile and athletic enough) to be a weapon out of the backfield, and replace him with a guy like Keith Smith, who will no doubt be a fantastic blocker, and add value on special teams, but doesn’t really have the versatility that Olawale did?
It’s moves like those that are fueling some of the trepidation and question marks floating around the Raiders as we head toward the 2018 season.
The one thing to understand though, is that Gruden’s moves may not be popular, and some of them may not even make much sense, but every single one of them has a purpose. There’s a reason for everything he does. It may not seem like it at times, and it’s crazymaking at others, but there actually is a method to Gruden’s madness.
Gruden is many, many things, but stupid is not one of them.
Gruden is a big believer in systems. His system, more precisely. He believes in power running, precision passing, and a strong defense. And through his flurry of moves, he’s getting players who fit into his system – and jettisoning those who don’t.
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Oh yeah, he’s also getting guys who can teach the system – namely, DC Paul Guenther’s system. In Leon Hall, Reggie Nelson, and Emmanuel Lamur, he’s getting guys who’ve not just been in Guenther’s system, but have thrived in it – and will be passing that knowledge on to Oakland’s youngsters.
Gruden is getting his pieces in place and is laying a foundation for the franchise to build on. A system they can rely on, year in and year out.
One of the first things Gruden cited in his early press conferences was the lack of stability and continuity in the organization. The Raiders were swapping out coaches and coordinators at a fevered pace.
That trend even continued after a highly successful 2016 season – a season in which, the Raiders broke a long playoff drought. Despite making the playoffs for the first time since literally, the last time Gruden walked the Raiders sidelines, former HC Jack Del Rio switched out his offensive coordinator – and the 2017 season quickly became a dumpster fire.
Gruden is a big fan of the “Patriot Way,” and how Bill Belichick handles his team, and goes about his business. And given the long, long streak of continuity and sustained success, it stands to reason that Gruden would want to emulate that blueprint.
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And in that vein, Belichick doesn’t always go out and get the best players on the market. He doesn’t always get the top tier athletes. What he gets, are guys that are versatile and guys that fit his system. He finds guys that can maybe do just a few things, but do those few things incredibly well.
With a team loaded with guys who all do a few things very, very well, excelling within the framework of the system he’s set up – and having some top notch coaching to go along with it – is it any surprise the Patriots have been as dominant for as long as they have?
And is it any surprise that Gruden would seek to emulate that?
Armed with a 10-year pact, Gruden is aiming to be here for the long-term. And being the competitive guy he is, he’s going to be aiming high. He’s going to be looking to have the sort of sustained success Belichick and the Patriots have.
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With a locker room in complete disarray, a lack of development of the younger players, a lack of cohesion at the top, a lack of sophistication and maturity even, and two many different parts working in contradiction to others, it’s more than obvious that something needed to change.
In a big way. Which is why Gruden is busy trying to burn everything down now, so he can build it back up – according to his vision – through camp and beyond.
Far from setting the franchise back with his offseason moves as Davenport expresses his concern over, Gruden may actually be building the bridge needed to help this team find that next gear. He may be building the ramp that can help them clear the hurdle and ascend to another level.
It’s maddening and incomprehensible at times. It can make you scratch your head and gnash your teeth. But, Gruden isn’t one who’s going to be satisfied with mediocre, or even good. He’s going to be pushing for great.
So, for now, we all just need to repeat a cliché that’s been getting a lot of work lately – “Trust the Process.”