FanPost

If I'm Mark Davis?




When you make decisions as an owner of an NFL team, by the very fact you are in charge, they generally are the biggest of decisions. His two biggest of recent times were too move the team to Vegas and to lure Gruden out of the Broadcasting booth.

Since coming back to the team, under Gruden, the Raiders have slowly improved their record, but for many fans the improvement has been too slow. Where the team are at now, it seems Gruden and his staff have a pivotal season ahead of them, with many fans feeling that unless the play-offs are reached, he should be relieved of his position.

However I have a slightly different opinion, and this opinion is based upon the piece I wrote the other day entitled, 'Chiefs on a bye bye?' I dont want to go over the article again, if you haven't seen it, check it out, but the basis of it is highlighting the way the Chiefs have structured their major contracts. The Chiefs are aware that the chance of winning the Superbowl once Mahomes huge deal kicks in to place, this time next year, are a lot slimmer. Therefore they have back-loaded a lot of contracts that make their position very difficult after this season with an extraordinary amount of dead cap against these deals.

This fact would be crucial in my thinking if my name is Mark Davis. For a long time the AFC West has been pretty much a one horse race, and it probably won't change this season, but for 2022 it is likely the Chiefs fall back into the pack giving ourselves, the Chargers and the Broncos an opportunity.

Provided the Raiders are still making progress, say for example a 10-7 finish (but no play-off birth) then I am keeping this staff together and banking on the stabilty that no change brings and that it is enough to take us the top of this division.

Obviously if we regress then sadly that would leave no option but to make a change, but the timing would be very unfortunate with the wonderful opportunity that will present itself for the rest of the West in 2022.