Pros and Cons of keeping Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock

There are two sides of the coin to bringing back Mike Mayock, and we look at the pros and cons of the Raiders keeping him in 2022 and beyond.

When the Las Vegas Raiders hired Mike Mayock back in 2018, it was with the intention of using his high football IQ, specifically in the scouting and drafting departments. Though he had never been a general manager prior to being hired by Mark Davis, Mayock had made a name for himself on the NFL Network as a draft analyst.

With the 2021 regular season over, there’s a ton of rumors, conjecture, and speculation about his future with the Silver and Black.

The year prior to Mayock’s coming aboard, the Raiders were being run by Jon Gruden. He was in effect in charge of the organization. Reggie McKenzie, Mayock’s predecessor, had been relieved of his duties. The power structure was clear, though the team never outright said that Gruden’s power was all-encompassing. Regardless, with McKenzie gone, the Raiders needed a general manager.

More importantly, they needed someone to help Gruden with scouting and help put together a plan of attack when it came to the draft.

Fast forward to 2021, and the Raiders organization is once again in a strange position. Yes, they have made the playoffs, but Gruden’s exit following an e-mail scandal left a power vacuum. The team, or rather, Mr. Davis, needs to decide what is to happen with the Raiders’ chain of command moving forward. Should Mayock be given an opportunity to work without Gruden’s shadow? Or, should they cut Mayock loose and start clean again?