The Raiders’ new head coach and general manager duo address the media at the NFL owners meetings. Find out what the pair had to say, as they talk about this year’s free agency.
As March nears its end, another off-season event kicks off: The NFL owners meetings. Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, the two men hired by Mark Davis to be the team’s head coach and general manager, represented the Silver and Black as they addressed the media.
There was an abundance of topics to discuss, from Derek Carr’s extension, all the way to memes made by Raider Nation about Dave Ziegler. Yes – Ziegler saw the memes and was pleasantly amused by the creativity.
The duo not only managed to provide excellent answers to most questions but indirectly reassured the media they have a plan, which is going exactly as they had hoped up to this point. This plan, from the beginning, started with grabbing edge rusher Chandler Jones in free agency.
Although Ziegler confirmed it was a priority to get Jones onboard, he also stated he wasn’t sure exactly how it would go. Without the free agency market being set for edge rushers, it was anyone’s guess if the two parties were on the same page in terms of numbers. Fortunately for the Raiders, the two were able to find common ground, and priority no.1 was checked off.
With the Chandler Jones deal all wrapped up, Las Vegas found themselves with three premier edge rushers. The problem, as Ziegler tells it, “you only have so many snaps”. That being the case, the front office felt they had to move one of the edge rushers who were already on the roster, and it wasn’t going to be the All-Pro who signed an extension this off-season.
That’s where Rock Ya-Sin comes in, who Ziegler refers to as a “young, ascending player”, and plays a “premium position you can never have too many quality players at”.
Naturally, this wasn’t the only trade that was talked about, as the Raiders brought in a current back-to-back first-team All-Pro shortly after Ya-Sin.
Raiders: What to take from David Ziegler and Josh Mcdaniels’ talk with the media
Davante Adams trade
Davante Adams is a special talent, and the Raiders’ front office was well aware of this before contacting Green Bay.
Las Vegas making the call to the Packers regarding Adams started off as just another day of going through the rounds and seeing which talent is available out there. When the Raiders became aware he was available, they immediately headed down the Davante Adams path; A path they already knew well as Dave Ziegler studied the receiver earlier in the year, being he was entering free agency before getting tagged.
Recognizing a first and second-round pick is a lot of Real Estate to give up, Ziegler pointed to Adams’ work ethic and consistent production over multiple years as defining factors in making the return value worth the picks.
"“This isn’t a player that’s been good for two-years. This is a player that’s been at the top of his game for a long time. When you learn about the player, you start to understand why he’s been at the top of his game for a long time. Great player, great person, great work ethic”."
Does trading for a player of Adams’ caliber mean Las Vegas is taking advantage of a window? The answer is no.
The front office isn’t trying to build a team that can contend for now, but rather put together a roster that can be contenders for years to come. “I’m just getting started”, Ziegler puts it, as he explains acquiring Adams was nothing more than taking advantage of “an opportunity to add a great player”. If you can get a player like Adams, you have to capitalize on it, and the Raiders’ front office did just that.
Earlier in the day, Josh McDaniels had given his sentiments on Adams, stating he’s spent time with the All-Pro receiver since the trade. In doing so, McDaniels expressed the comfort he has regarding the trade.
Raiders: What to take from David Ziegler and Josh Mcdaniels’ talk with the media
Derek Carr’s extension
It’s been well documented since head coach Josh McDaniels was hired that quarterback Derek Carr was going to be the team’s immediate quarterback. McDaniels, assuring this was the case, has even answered the question if Carr will be the week-one starter.
“Sure, absolutely. There’s no doubt about it”.
Following that, the Raiders began extension talks with Carr earlier this month. Being there has been no public update on the situation, a question about the progress came up. McDaniels’ answered this by saying a lot, without actually saying anything at all.
"When we get into those conversations with Derek, Derek’s going to have to make decisions about what’s best for him; That’s what every man’s right is, and at the same time we have to try to do what’s right for the team. There will be a sweet spot in there hopefully for everybody, and we’ll be excited to go forward like that”."
Now, depending on how you read this, you might get the impression there’s some encryption in that statement. However, McDaniels was pretty clear that the Raiders want Carr, and of course, Carr wants to continue being a Raider.
Derek’s agent, Tim Younger, followed up on Mcdaniels’ comments by stating, “Clubs always do ‘what is best for the team in every situation'”, and reminding everyone, “successful negotiations always end in a ‘sweet spot'”.
We knew both the front office and McDaniels want Carr to stick around, and we knew that Carr will be the week-one starter, barring injury. What we didn’t know, though, was exactly how McDaniels felt about Carr’s fit with the team. Once again, the Raiders’ head coach assured Raider Nation that no.4 is the quarterback they want for the future as well, as his relationship with Carr continues to grow.
“Derek’s fit on the team. as a player, is obviously what we’re looking for and what we’re trying to build around”.
General manager Dave Ziegler later commented on this, stating that negotiations are personal for all sides. As such, Ziegler believes the most appropriate way to conduct business is to keep these talks in-house, which is likely why an update hasn’t been given, and probably won’t be until there’s a final word. The Raiders have paid attention to Deshaun Watson’s contract, though, acknowledging it sets the market.
What’s important to know, is the Raiders and Carr are not in a disagreement phase by any means. While it’s uncertain how much progress has been made here, everything is ‘A Ok’ right now
Raiders: What to take from David Ziegler and Josh Mcdaniels’ talk with the media
Raiders offensive line
The ’21 Raiders offensive line was nothing short of disappointing, Kolton Miller aside. There are still quite a bit of quality offensive linemen in free agency, and McDaniels states the team is always interested in improving.
“If there’s a good fit, we’ll try to make the team better in any way that we can”, McDaniels said. While general manager Dave Ziegler agrees, he also added a statement that may not be what Raider Nation was hoping to hear.
“You’re in all those markets pretty consistently, and there was no offensive lineman that we were interested in”.
What reason do the Raiders have for not being interested in offensive lineman free agents? After all, this unit was ranked 28th last year. The coaches simply believe in the players they have, and their abilities to coach; And why shouldn’t they believe in their coaching skills? After all, McDaniels has helped coach New England to multiple Super Bowls. He’s holding himself to that standard, too.
"“Our job is now gonna be to work like hell to improve the guys we have”."
The one thing the Raiders’ new regime has focused on with the offensive line is flexibility, and that was shown when they signed Alex Bars, who’s played each of the five offensive line positions at the NFL level. As McDaniels puts it, “You can’t just put a bunch of one-trick ponies together”.
This is why Parker and Eluemunor were retained; Flexibility, and versatility.
The pair had an interest in retaining Eluemunor due to his ability to play both guard and tackle effectively. Parker was noted as a swing tackle, who Ziegler refers to as “Athletic for his size and not a finished product”.
When it comes to second-year offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood, McDaniels told the media he knows what Leatherwood was drafted to be, and he’s going to give him that chance. While Leatherwood will be given the opportunity, the ones who are out there will ultimately be the best five guys available.
Ziegler commented on Leatherwood as well, expressing his excitement to work with him and “let him carve out his path”.
Raiders: What to take from David Ziegler and Josh Mcdaniels’ talk with the media
Stephon Gilmore
There have been wildly inconsistent reports regarding Stephon Gilmore and the Las Vegas Raiders. Some have claimed the two sides are nearing a deal, while other sources have expressed doubt, explaining there hasn’t been much communication between the two.
We finally get an answer straight from the horse’s mouth, as McDaniels weighs in on the situation – Nothing substantial has happened with Gilmore.
This may not be what Raider Nation wanted to hear, but there is a positive. After saying this, McDaniels immediately fell back on a follow-up statement; “We look at anything at any position if we thought it would help us. It’s gotta fit on both ends”.
Gilmore certainly helps the Raiders, and seeing the familiarity between him and all his former Patriot buddies now in Las Vegas, the basic criteria of “fitting on both ends” has been met. With that being said, Ziegler has been adamant about patience and not going too far over his prices, which is where the two sides may be far off.
Raiders 2022 NFL Draft: 3 OL who could make an immediate impact
The Las Vegas Raiders have checked off virtually every box in free agency, aside from one: The offensive line. Here are three players who can help this unit
If Gilmore is truly not in the cards, Las Vegas does have backup plans. McDaniels was open about Nate Hobbs’ versatility, and how he will get the chance to compete on the outside, as well. This would only make sense, considering the team signed Cre’von LeBlanc to a future reserves contract before free agency started, who has a lot of starting experience in the slot.