MDS shared earlier this morning a quote from Raiders coach Jon Gruden regarding his awareness that the contract impasse with defensive end Khalil Mack “might be the toughest decision I have to figure out right now.” During the same fan event on Saturday, Gruden vowed to get it figured out.
“[W]e’re going to find a way to get Khalil Mack back,” Gruden said, via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. “You’ll see.”
That’s an intriguing comment for Gruden to make, given that it seems both sides currently are dug in firmly to their respective positions. So either Gruden is suggesting that the Raiders plan to bend, or he’s predicting that Mack will blink.
Regardless, the indications as of right now are that Mack and the Raiders aren’t close to an agreement, and that Mack won’t be present when training camp opens. We’ll see if Gruden makes good on his commitment to the team’s fans to get that changed.