Raiders Definitely Gruden's Team Now
If there was any question, after cutting down to the 53-man roster limit for the 2021 season, the Las Vegas Raiders are definitely Coach Jon Gruden’s team in his fourth season since he began his second stint leading the Silver and Black.
Quarterback Derek Carr, linebacker Nicholas Morrow and running back Jalen Richard, who has been battling a foot injury since training camp began, are the only players left from the Raiders roster in 2017 when Coach Jack Del Rio was fired after a 6-10 season and replaced with Gruden by owner Mark Davis.
Not that things weren’t already going in that direction in a big way.
“You can only keep 53, and the problem I have is I get attached to some of these guys,” Gruden said of the final cuts. “I just love being around the players. ... When the general manager says you can’t keep them all–you can only keep six, or you can only keep five, or you can only keep four–there will be some arguments for sure.
“It’s hard, but I’m really proud of our players and coaches for putting us in this situation.”
Safety Karl Joseph, who was a starter in 2017, was among the Raiders cuts on Tuesday, but he signed a one-year free-agent deal with the Cleveland Browns last year and was re-signed by the Raiders earlier this year.
In addition, the Raiders traded All-Pro center Rodney Hudson to the Arizona Cardinals and dealt All-Pro guard Gabe Jackson to the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, when safety Erik Harris signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons.
Hudson and Jackson started on the 2017 team and Harris was a top reserve.
Making the 53-man roster from the 2018 NFL Draft, the first under Gruden, are tackle Kolton Miller and reserve tackle Brandon Parker, while from the 2019 Draft Class defensive end Clelin Ferrell, running back Josh Jacobs, safety Johnathan Abram, cornerback Trayvon Mullen, defensive end Maxx Crosby, tight end Foster Moreau and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow are still with the Raiders.
From the 2020 Draft, still around are wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, cornerback Damon Arnette, wide receiver Bryan Edwards, linebacker Tanner Muse, guard John Simpson, and cornerback Amik Robertson, while rookie draft picks making the team are tackle Alex Leatherwood, safety Tre’von Moehrig, defensive end Malcolm Koonce, linebacker Divine Deablo, safety Tyree Gillespie and cornerback Nate Hobbs.
Reggie McKenzie was the general manager who oversaw the 2018 Draft with Gruden before being fired, and Gruden has collaborated with General Manager Mike Mayock on the last three drafts, with 19 of those 23 picks still on the active roster.
Only 10 players remain from that 2018 Raiders team.
“I have a fairly good feel for what league value is on a player versus what we considered to be Raiders value,” said Mayock, who was a draft analyst for the NFL Network for nearly two decades.
Among Gruden and Mayock’s free agent signings who are making an impact for the Raiders are Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and kicker Daniel Carlson from 2018, with guard Richie Incognito, center Andre James, guard Denzelle Good, punter AJ Cole, fullback Alec Ingold, cornerback Keisean Nixon, long snapper Trent Sieg and cornerback Nevin Lawson signing as free agents in 2019.
In 2020, the Raiders signed linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, linebacker Cory Littleton, quarterback Marcus Mariota, defensive end Carl Nassib and linebacker Javin White, while defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, running back Kenyon Drake, defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, wide receiver Willie Snead, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, center Nick Martin, wide receiver Casey Hayward Jr., and defensive tackle Darius Philon signed as free agents before this season.
Gruden, and Mayock, are confident these additions will help turn around the Raiders’ 19-29 record since he returned in 2018, including a disappointing 8-8 last season after a promising 6-3 start, and 7-9 in 2019 after a 6-4 start.
Raider Nation is hoping, too.
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