Reggie McKenzie is Building the Oakland Raiders
Aug 9, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie on the sidelines before the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at O.co Coliseum. Oakland Raiders won 19-17.Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Reggie McKenzie has taken fire from the local media for his performance as the Oakland Raiders’ G.M. lately. It all started with the losses of left tackle Jared Veldheer and defensive end Lamarr Houston this offseason. Then after having to put 2013 1st-round pick D.J. Hayden, more fire started coming from the local media.
Things like that tend to happen when you don’t win ball games so it isn’t something that surprises me. But if you take everything into consideration, McKenzie has actually done a pretty good job in my eyes. No, I’m not talking about the salary cap situation as owner Mark Davis and all of Raider Nation are over that.
I also have my criticisms—like firing Hue Jackson and asking Carson Palmer to take another pay-cut. With Juron Criner getting cut, Jack Crawford, Miles Burris and Tony Bergstrom are the remainder of his 2012 draft class too. But he was a rookie and even Ozzie Newsome of the Baltimore Ravens has missed on some players lately.
So while he hasn’t been perfect, I think he’s doing a good job.
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