The first domino falls for the Las Vegas Raiders as they relieve Mike Mayock of his duties as general manager on Monday after three seasons.
When Raiders head coach Jon Gruden resigned amid an e-mail scandal, many fans wondered what would become of general manager Mike Mayock. Today, Raider Nation now knows the official news: Mayock is out. While many will defend Mayock’s tenure, the overwhelming majority know that his legacy will be that of missed draft opportunities and questionable transactions.
A former NFL draft analyst for the league’s network, Mayock came to the Raiders with much ado. Though most would agree that Gruden was the final decision maker, Mayock was brought in for his scouting prowess more than anything. With Gruden focusing on the coaching aspect, Mayock was going to be the man behind the scenes putting together draft picks for the Raiders.
Which of the two had a say in which pick was made will be a source of contention for some time. At least until a tell-all book from either Gruden or Mayock tells us the truth.
Various news sources, including NFL insider Adam Schefter, have confirmed that Mayock has been relieved of his duties, with interim coach Rich Bisaccia awaiting his fate. It was a contentious day, filled with much tension at Raiders HQ and many rumors flying around social media.
Mike Mayock is out as the Raiders’ general manager, per the team.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2022
Raiders made the right move by letting Mike Mayock go as GM
Mayock’s drafting was less than perfect.
The biggest reason that could be pointed to as being responsible for Mayock’s departure was his draft record. Again, this is somewhat muddled due to Gruden’s involvement. Be that as it may, when we look back, Mayock’s record was anything but perfect and ultimately hurt the Raiders in the long run.
In his three years with the Silver and Black, Mayock whiffed on several picks. Most importantly, he missed on first-round choices. Yes, he knocked it out of the park with Hunter Renfrow, Maxx Crosby, etc., but those first picks needed to translate into impact players and that was far from the case. Mayock, in the first round, selected Alex Leatherwood, Clelin Ferrell, Johnathan Abram, Josh Jacobs, Damon Arnette, and Henry Ruggs III in the past three years. The two latter are no longer on the team for different reasons.
Leatherwood’s future is very much in doubt following rookie struggles that resulted in him being moved inside to guard. That leaves the Raiders needing to draft a right tackle yet again. Ferrell was a nice run stopper, but he was drafted to rush opposing quarterbacks, something he’s done very little of. Jacobs and Abram carved a niche for themselves, especially Jacobs, but that doesn’t save Mayock’s resume.
Raiders made the right move by letting Mike Mayock go as GM
So, what do the Raiders do now?
The fact is, Davis and the Raiders needed to turn the page on the previous administration. Yes, many of the pieces that led to the team’s playoff appearance were assembled by Gruden and Mayock. However, this came with a caveat in what turned out to be one of the most tumultuous periods in team history.
It’s not Mayock’s fault that Ruggs decided to drive drunk out of his mind, nor is it his fault that Arnette’s past caught up with him. Unfortunately, someone has to take the fall in these situations, and Gruden’s already gone.
A Derek Carr extension looms large over the Raiders
Several questions now need to be addressed by the Las Vegas Raiders with the offseason here, particularly about quarterback Derek Carr.
With the dominos now falling, possible names for replacements for Mayock are making the rounds on the internet. The one name tied to Jim Harbaugh, possibly the next head coach, is Ed Dodds. Regardless of who comes in, the Raiders will be in better shape with Mayock gone. The organization could not afford to gamble on another draft.