Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock says he and head coach Jon Gruden won’t hesitate to make aggressive moves this offseason.
Mayock said on NFL Network that the Raiders’ up-and-down experience in 2019 won’t change their approach in 2020.
“Did we swing and miss on a free agent or two? Yeah, we did. I understand that. And we will continue to take some chances at different times,” Mayock said.
Mayock didn’t say who he was referring to as a “swing and miss” but the obvious name is Antonio Brown, who arrived in a trade and was then given a contract worthy of an elite free agent, only to be released before ever playing for the Raiders -- and before earning any of that elite money.
The Raiders did improve last year, from 4-12 in 2018 to 7-9 in 2019. But in their first year in Las Vegas in 2020 they’re looking to be playoff contenders. With two first-round picks and more than $50 million in cap space, there’s every reason to think the Raiders will make more aggressive moves in the months ahead.