The Las Vegas Raiders are getting things going again as they come out of their bye week—let’s catch you up on all the latest musings, including a legend going off on the Silver and Black, as well as an offseason prediction worth monitoring.
When you consider how the season has gone for Antonio Pierce and the rest of his marauders, the offseason probably can’t come soon enough. In theory, it will give Pierce an opportunity to bring in a credible and modern offensive coordinator not named Norv Turner. Furthermore, the future of numerous current players on the roster remains uncertain. Chief among them, what will happen to Malcolm Koonce?
Predicting Malcolm Koonce’s future…
A devastating knee injury derailed Koonce in what should have been a season where he made a strong case for a big contract. Now, the impending decision will be whether the pass rusher fits into general manager Tom Telesco’s plans. As Bleacher Report sees it, the New England Patriots find themselves in the middle of a complete rebuild—with that comes a need for pass-rushing help. This is where Koonce comes in for the Patriots.
“If the Patriots are going to accelerate their rebuild, they are going to have to hit on some risky decisions. With a large budget to spend on free agency, they are going to have the opportunity to outbid teams for at least a few players. The Patriots should be in the market for pass-rushing talent in the offseason and Koonce might be the best combination of available talent and age.”
From the Raiders’ perspective, it will be a gamble if Koonce gets a payday as things stand. Then again, maybe it’s something worth gambling on considering his production, which has increased every season—how will it look if the Raiders pass on a player that ends up becoming a double-digit sack machine?
Offseason talk—what about “now?” One Raiders legend shares his thoughts on the issue.
Rich Gannon calls out the lack of “culture” within the Raiders
Gannon, known for his unwavering criticism (when warranted) of the Silver and Black, recently expressed his views. Rather than trying to ostracize Pierce or one person individually, he sees the bigger issue. For example, with all the talk surrounding the head coach and general manager, it’s easy to forget that it is the players who must execute on the field. Coaching matters, yes, but these guys are professionals; where’s the accountability?
“At some point, somebody in the locker room needs to look around and say ‘You know what guys, how about we play better football? How about we practice harder? How about we pay a little more attention to the details?’ It gets back to the culture and the environment in the building. And to me, that is where I will start.”
From an external perspective, the situation appears to be dire. The locker room has its share of leaders, particularly Maxx Crosby, but the team decided to part ways with many of its leaders from previous years. Furthermore, fans should not presume that these players are not exerting their utmost effort when it matters most. Unless the disconnect is just beginning to emerge, a recent story reports a lack of discipline and accountability.
Then again, it all starts with the head coach, fair or not.
“We saw this last year during the season. We see it again this year. It is just an absolute mess. And I think you hired a head coach that does not have experience. You hired an offensive line coach who has never been an offensive line coach in the NFL. He has been an assistant but never really had to run that room. It is not a good situation there with the Raiders.”
If the team doesn’t start winning, the level of hearsay and conjecture will only increase. You can also anticipate an increasing number of “anonymous” sources voicing their opinions; after all, when there’s smoke, there’s fire. The Raiders are not immune to any of this.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
Bye Week Couldn’t Have Come At A Better Time For The Las Vegas Raiders