New Raiders GM Mike Mayock Says Jon Gruden Will Have Final Say On Personnel Moves

Jon Gruden rolled into Oakland and traded away two of the team’s best players, led his remaining scrubs to a 4-12 campaign, and in the meantime executed a front-office coup that left GM Reggie McKenzie frozen out and eventually fired. McKenzie was replaced by TV pundit Mike Mayock, who yesterday admitted what everyone already assumed to be true: Gruden will be calling the shots.

From ESPN:

“In all honesty, Jon’s got final say, if it ever comes to that, and I’ve got zero problems with that,” Mayock told ESPN’s Steve Levy on Monday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium, where he was scouting the college football title game between Alabama and Clemson.

“Now, having said that, I think we’re going to come to a consensus, and I like a little yelling, a little screaming, a little fighting for what players you believe in. But at the end of the day, I guarantee you, Jon Gruden and I are going to know what a Raider looks like and smells like. I don’t think we’re going to have any issues.”

Hell yes. If trading away Khalil Mack is something Gruden was able to pull off while in a power struggle with McKenzie, imagine what he’ll be able to accomplish with the full support of his GM. Will he select three running backs in the upcoming draft? Will he trade Derek Carr and sign Joe Flacco? Will he install Nathan Peterman as the Week 1 starter? Gruden is only becoming more powerful with each passing day, and everything is on the table.

[ ESPN]