Hey Hondo! Answering Your Las Vegas Raiders Question, Emails

HENDERSON, Nev.--Every week, the passionate fan base of the Las Vegas Raiders turns to us with their burning questions about the Silver and Black. We're dedicated to providing unique insights and answers to these queries.

Hondo, I read an article that Carter Landis wrote about Josh Jacobs sounding off on his frustrations with the Las Vegas Raiders. What is your take? Gary M.

I have a lot, including many details that Josh remembers that aren’t remembered that way in Las Vegas. He doesn’t play for the Silver and Black; they want to let it go. Several people, including those in his former locker room, were disappointed with him and how it happened, but they love him and aren’t going to go after him. I can tell you that not one player I have spoken to is frustrated with Tom Telesco and Antonio Pierce. The Raiders made the offer; they believed, not hoped, there is a significant difference between those words, and you can read into it that, would land him.

Hondo, I know you like Nate Hobbs, but what do you think he has to improve to go from good to great? Greg A.

This one is easy. He has to avoid the injury bug. The best ability is availability, and he misses a lot of games. I want to make it clear that no one questions his want to, it isn’t a situation like that, it is just the reality that he misses a lot.

You spoke in your podcast about the dangers of free agents. Can you offer an example?

The Raiders had a young defensive end that they drafted and loved in Malcolm Koonce. They brought in Yannick Ngakoue to play ahead of him as he developed, and Ngakoue played well. Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler came in and quickly jettisoned Ngakoue, paid massive and ridiculous money to Chandler Jones, who they knew had some issues, and Koonce was essentially relegated to a bench role. They didn’t see Koonce for what previous and now the present staff do. When Jones blew up in their face, Koonce played last season but didn’t take off until the changes, and Patrick Graham unleashed him. Had the Josh McDaniels regime not tried the failed Chandler Jones debacle and embraced Koonce-like former and present regimes, he would be a year ahead. A classic example of overthinking free agency, and being impatient with the development of players.

Free agents are a tremendous blessing to an organization when you can steal a young one in his prime, like Christian Wilkins and Robert Spillane, an elite talent like Davante Adams, or a strong role player like Adam Butler and John Jenkins. Too many teams don’t understand how to utilize free agency.

I would equate it to the transfer portal. You can use it in college sports, and you should, but still, the best teams are mostly homegrown and developed.

Hondo, Maxx now says Raider for Life; what do we believe? When he threatened to leave, it tasted bad in my mouth. Antoinette S.

Maxx risked his life and potential amputation of his leg last year to play. His threat was not as you portray it. He is a winner and all about winning. He loves the Raiders and wants to play his entire career here. His threat, as you call it, was saying I have given my all and want the same from my organization. If a man is willing to risk his life and limb, literally, to play a game, and he wants the franchise as all into winning as he, I am sorry. That is 100% Raider. Of course, I not only believe it, I know it.

Hondo, I am deeply concerned that the Raiders will take a step back with the loss of Josh Jacobs. He was the glue of the offense, and now he is gone. R. Eaton

I guess I don’t understand your question. Like you, I like Josh, but he played five seasons for the Las Vegas Raiders, and in only one did he play a full season. It happened to be his fourth year; oh, by the way, it was a contract year. Even in the games he played, he would take himself out and frustrated some of his teammates when they felt he could play. A good player? Of course, but let’s not pretend he was Marcus Allen. It is imperative for the Silver and Black that Zamir White continue his growth, but we have had zero reason to suspect he won’t.

Hondo, on your podcast on eight-money-year guys, you talked about seeing what guys become. I took it as you had been taught that. Is it your own? Were you taught it? Can you explain? Donna King

The best teams in the NFL are teams that let players develop. I once asked a highly successful NFL Executive why he had success while so many others failed. His answer? Patience. He told me, “NFL fans are demanding, and billions of dollars are in play. I have had some success, so even though they get pissed at me, I still get a little more rope. These kids come to the NFL and are just that, kids. This is a grown man's game; they must learn that. 99% of freshmen aren’t stars in high school or college. The same is going to happen here. Years two and three tell me what I need. If a prospect is good enough for me to draft him, I want him to have three years to show me if I was right or if I just plain stink. Patience is lost in the NFL, which is why so many teams stink like a pile for fresh s**t every year. I don’t want to win on message boards; I want to win on the football field.”

Do you have a question about your beloved Las Vegas Raiders that you would like to see answered here? Then send me an email at SpartanNationMail@yahoo.com with the subject line Raiders Q/A, and you may see it here or on the podcast.

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