Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast on the wait for the announcement of a new GM, Head Coach, your Raiders memories, and assembling a staff
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00:00 Hi everybody, this is Hondo Carpenter from Sports Illustrated's FAN Nation Las Vegas
00:06 Raiders Insider Podcast.
00:08 It is terrific to be with you today.
00:10 Thank you for joining me.
00:12 We have three big things that we're going to talk about today.
00:15 Obviously, the most important one to all of you is the time frame on a decision for a
00:21 coach.
00:22 What's going on?
00:23 What's the latest happening?
00:24 I promise that's going to be the very first thing that we address today and we talk about
00:31 today.
00:32 Then we're going to get into a couple of other things that are very, very important.
00:37 Here is what we know as of the moment of this taping.
00:42 I reported this yesterday.
00:45 Everything that the Raiders have to do to satisfy the Rooney Rule have been satisfied.
00:49 They can name a coach and a general manager whenever they want.
00:54 If the Rooney Rule was the overriding factor for waiting to make a decision.
01:01 Clearly, that was not the overriding decision because it hasn't been made yet.
01:08 I was told on Wednesday evening that from an agent, a very respected agent in the National
01:20 Football League who has connection to the Raiders, that the delay was that they had
01:27 heard there was some crossing of I's and dotting of T's.
01:31 It's now early, early Friday morning.
01:35 I don't believe that's the reason for the delay because there's no crossing of T's and
01:41 dotting of I's that would take that long.
01:43 Remember when there was a press conference called for Jimmy Garoppolo and they came out
01:49 several hours later and said, "Oh, by the way, it's not going to happen today."
01:54 That's number one.
01:56 Number two, in talking to people outside the organization, asking them, "How would you
02:08 read the T leaves here?"
02:11 I was told by a couple of people they probably are waiting to interview somebody who's under
02:16 contract with a team that's playing this weekend.
02:20 In which case, those interviews will come Monday.
02:26 We do know, and I've told you all along, that a lot of this is predicated on who Mark Davis
02:33 is listening to.
02:36 I want to make a point really clear because I got a ton of email yesterday and I love
02:42 it when you guys email me.
02:43 Remember, you can send me an email at spartanationmail@yahoo.com.
02:47 I'm new to Instagram, so I am literally ... I know how to post and I occasionally read messages,
02:58 but I get so many I can't go through them all.
03:00 I have no idea how to read responses to things that I post.
03:04 So yesterday I had some people like, "Hey, why are you ignoring us?"
03:07 I'm really not.
03:08 I'm just learning Instagram.
03:10 I know Twitter, I'm learning Instagram.
03:16 But I love to hear from you and read your emails.
03:19 Someone said to me, "How angry are you going to be if they name Mike Vrabel?"
03:29 I said to them, "I would be disappointed for the Raiders, but I'm not going to be angry.
03:36 It's not my team.
03:39 I don't own the team.
03:43 It's Mark Davis's team.
03:45 Mark Davis has every ... Let me just say this to you.
03:50 He doesn't owe me and he doesn't owe you anything."
03:53 No.
03:56 Do I technically think an owner, if he's thinking like a businessman, is going to be
04:03 thinking about his ticket holders and the people buying his merchandise?
04:07 Yeah.
04:08 I think he'd be thinking about that.
04:12 Okay?
04:13 But he doesn't have to.
04:18 So talking to people outside, they believe the delay is coming, waiting to interview
04:24 some.
04:25 Okay.
04:26 And again, had an agent tell me they think it's more of dotting I's and crossing T's,
04:28 of which I do not believe that's the case at all.
04:33 Self-experience laden with intuition, tell me that it's not.
04:39 And talking to a couple of people, I don't think it is at this point.
04:44 Maybe.
04:45 Again, outside, the perception is still waiting to interview maybe some people involved in
04:50 games this weekend.
04:53 I know that there is angst among some players that want it done, that don't understand why
05:05 the delay.
05:06 I know there are some people within the organization.
05:12 I don't think they have the angst of the players, but they're certainly wondering what's going
05:18 on.
05:20 And then lastly, is a fan base that wants leadership.
05:28 Wants leadership.
05:29 They want someone to come in.
05:33 You had 10 weeks of the season to look at AP's resume, and if you like it or don't like
05:42 it, and you move on.
05:45 And they're like, "Come on, why is this taking so long?
05:48 This isn't brain surgery."
05:49 They could at least name a GM.
05:51 Now, the fact that Champ Kelly is in the interviews, I think, tells you everything else.
05:56 Now, I've said to you from day one, I fully expect Champ and AP to get the jobs, and I
06:01 am not wavering on that at all.
06:03 I still, that's what I believe is going to happen.
06:09 So the delay to me, I'm not mad about it in the least bit, but delay to me just seems
06:15 foolishness.
06:16 Now, if you go out and name somebody else, it clearly wasn't foolishness.
06:22 But as this process drags on, and then they eventually get to, "Okay, it's Champ and AP,"
06:29 the next question is going to be, "Why?
06:34 Why take so long?"
06:35 I remember when I first started to cover the Raiders, I was told by a former Raider, "Get
06:41 ready because drama just fouls the organization."
06:43 I thought, "That doesn't make sense."
06:48 So the first year I'm here, a lot of issues, COVID.
06:55 Next year I'm here, John Gruden, Rich Pisaccia, Mike Mayock.
07:04 The next year they go away from Rich.
07:06 Oh, Henry Ruggs.
07:11 Then you, Damon Arnett.
07:13 And then you go into Josh and Dave and all of that went on during that time.
07:20 And then the, "Let's fire him, let's fire him, let's fire him, let's fire him.
07:22 Nope, nobody's going to get fired.
07:23 Bam, firing."
07:24 And I get it now.
07:28 And if the delay ends up being AP and Champ, it's just, "Why?
07:37 Why create it?
07:39 Why create angst in your players?
07:42 Why?
07:45 Why stir up your, let your fan base bowl?
07:50 It just doesn't make any sense to me.
07:52 It's not my team.
07:53 My opinion is irrelevant.
07:55 Mark should not care what I think, nor am I so egotistical that I think, "Oh, Mark should
08:00 listen."
08:01 No, no.
08:04 My job is to be an analyst and a commentator and a provider of news and analytics, and
08:12 it makes zero sense.
08:14 So that's where it is right now.
08:16 There is a belief of, "Let's get it done.
08:18 We already know what we're going to do."
08:20 There's the belief of, "I think they're interviewing some people after this weekend's game."
08:24 And then there's a belief of, "It's dotting I's and crossing T's."
08:27 But the point of the matter is there's a very few handful that know.
08:30 Now I'm talking to people who I believe should know.
08:36 So there you go.
08:39 But again, if it ends up being AP and Champ, and Champ's still doing the job of the general
08:45 manager, he's the intern and doing a fine job, by the way, and working with his staff.
08:51 But if you're going to go with another guy, and it's not somebody who is under contract,
09:00 so let's say Harbar Vrabel.
09:03 If you're going to go with Harbar Vrabel, and you've already exercised everything, it
09:07 is complete and utter foolishness that they're not named.
09:11 If you're going with AP, complete and utter foolishness that they're not named.
09:15 If you're saying, "Well, I kind of want to interview this guy over here."
09:23 That's legitimate.
09:24 And it's his team, he can do whatever he wants.
09:30 But I can tell you this is exactly where the franchise sits today.
09:34 And I'm going to have a lot more to say about it after the process is over with.
09:43 But again, I think it's very imperative because I think everyone gets mad.
09:52 Here's the way I want to word this.
09:54 When Mark Davis decided to move the team to Las Vegas, there was a lot of angry people.
10:01 And rightfully so.
10:04 A lot of angry people.
10:06 But he made a business decision for his business, for his business, that was best for the Raiders.
10:19 Your opinion didn't matter.
10:21 Clearly.
10:23 And I think sometimes, so you see players speak out.
10:28 And people are like, "Players have no right to do that.
10:31 They should shut up."
10:32 Okay?
10:33 I've addressed this in a previous podcast.
10:37 If they're a normal employee, yeah, I can get your feeling there.
10:42 But isn't it amazing?
10:44 Everyone gets mad when people make business decisions.
10:48 Okay?
10:50 I've said this multiple times on this podcast.
10:53 When people sell their tickets to Raider games, they make a business decision.
10:59 Okay, I have a friend, not going to name him, don't want to get him in any trouble, a doctor.
11:03 Who has, I think they have six tickets to the Raiders.
11:08 They may have eight, but I think it's, I know it's more than four.
11:13 And when the team just did not perform well and was terrible under Josh McDaniels, they
11:18 sold all their tickets.
11:19 In fact, every year, they have sold tickets to Raider games.
11:26 And they sell them and make back what the tickets cost them for the entire year.
11:35 Some years they sell a lot of tickets and make money.
11:37 Some years it's just enough to pay for what the tickets cost.
11:39 But they make a business decision.
11:42 And I'll hear people say, "You're not a Raider if you sell your tickets."
11:45 You know, okay.
11:47 So is Mark Davis not a Raider because he moved the team?
11:51 Everybody makes business decisions.
11:53 You may want to go to a game, but you're like, "Okay, what are my choices?"
11:57 Well, I'd rather take the family to a hotel for a weekend, swim in the pool and have fun
12:02 than just go to a game.
12:04 You make a business decision.
12:07 Players have a right to make a business decision.
12:10 And so this is, okay, who are we playing for?
12:14 What kind of schemes are we going to run?
12:17 Everybody's making business decisions right now.
12:20 And I know, I'm a purist at heart.
12:23 I know that that sucks when you're talking about sports and it comes down to business
12:28 decisions.
12:31 I tell this to young people all the time.
12:34 Journalists will say to me, "Young journalists, what's the biggest thing I need to learn?"
12:38 Well, you get into hunting if you want to be a hunter.
12:42 Let's say you go take a job for the Department of Natural Resources.
12:45 Well then you realize your biggest business time of the year is hunting season.
12:49 So you don't get as much time to hunt.
12:52 Football, okay?
12:54 You get into it.
12:55 You're a journalist.
12:56 You want to cover football.
12:57 You want to cover sports.
12:58 That's honorable.
12:59 That's why I did it.
13:00 I love football.
13:01 I love the game.
13:07 And then bam, you get hit in the face with, "It's a business."
13:13 It's a business.
13:15 And so when you understand that and nobody likes to hear it, then you step back and look
13:21 at it.
13:22 Now I'm going to approach it like a business.
13:26 Let's say that Mark Davis wants to pick any name of a coach under contract with a team
13:33 that's playing right now.
13:34 And he's like, "You know, I think I like AP, but I really want to talk to that guy."
13:42 Okay?
13:43 That's fair.
13:46 It's fair.
13:51 Unless you go in a room and that's not that guy and you look at all the time you wasted.
13:56 And for the fan, that's a big deal.
14:00 For the players, it's a big deal.
14:02 For the agents, it's a big deal.
14:04 For the organization, it's a big deal.
14:07 So that is where it sits as of the moment of this taping.
14:12 Now I want to get into an article that I posted yesterday where Mark Davis got called out
14:19 and he did by Mike Florio of PFT.
14:23 Now I want to say a couple of quick things about it.
14:26 I thought it was a very important article to write.
14:30 Wasn't me calling him out, it was Florio.
14:33 Mike Florio is an attorney.
14:35 He is bombastic and opinionated.
14:39 I am not a friend of Mike's, but I have had several dealings with him.
14:45 I know that he is very well connected in the NFL.
14:48 I know that for a fact.
14:50 I know for a fact that owners talk to him, players, agents, and coaches.
14:56 So you may not like what he says, but it's connected.
15:03 And I will tell you this about Mike Florio.
15:07 I do not believe that he is a man that says things simply for reaction.
15:13 You say, well, you just said he's bombastic.
15:15 He is.
15:17 But he's not a person that just says stuff for a reaction.
15:20 I have found him in every one of my dealings to be very genuine.
15:25 So when he makes an opinion, it's usually fueled by what people around the league have
15:33 told him.
15:35 Number one.
15:36 And it's usually fueled by that's how he genuinely feels.
15:40 So he calls out Davis and says, you know, what's the deal?
15:43 Your players want AP.
15:48 Everybody wants AP.
15:49 Just get it done.
15:51 Why the delay?
15:52 What's taking so long?
15:54 And I and he basically asked him, you know, are you going to get it wrong this time?
16:00 Referring back to Besogian.
16:02 I thought it was a very well written article by I mean, very well.
16:11 Given argument because there's a verbal on his podcast and I wrote about it.
16:17 I think it's fair to have every opinion.
16:20 And so.
16:21 I thought he pointed out, well.
16:25 Don't do this again.
16:27 I want to tell you this about Mark Davis.
16:30 Now I don't claim to be his friend.
16:31 I'm not telling you that I am.
16:34 But I have found him in every dealing that I've had with him to be a very genuinely nice
16:40 person.
16:41 I actually really like him.
16:44 I respect him.
16:46 And I think he's a very, very good guy.
16:50 I have never once.
16:52 Saw him make a decision and thought to myself.
16:55 Oh, man, he didn't care.
16:59 Now he's made some decisions that I thought, what are you doing?
17:04 But I could always see his side of the coin.
17:07 That he's doing what he thinks is best for the Raiders.
17:14 That's honorable.
17:16 That's honorable.
17:20 Very honorable.
17:21 And so I.
17:25 Have warned you who he listens to is a very big deal.
17:30 I warned you guys months ago that I know he's very close to Tom Brady, who's the greatest
17:36 football quarterback for sure of all time.
17:41 And a winner.
17:43 I know that he listens to Jim Gray, who's a very respected journalist.
17:49 And although I personally don't know Jim, I know a bunch of people that have had interactions
17:56 with him.
17:57 And you don't you know, you don't you don't hear Jim Gray getting trashed.
18:04 You know, he's won a ton of awards.
18:06 He's a very, very good journalist.
18:09 So I know he listens to them and I know there are others.
18:13 I'm just trying to give you the picture of who is who is going to be in his ear.
18:18 And that's the fascinating part with Mark.
18:22 If you haven't read to Sean Reid's article from The Athletic, I linked to it yesterday
18:26 in my story about Mark Davis getting called out.
18:30 Mark's been very open.
18:32 And I'm not my dad.
18:33 I don't know my dad's instincts, whatever.
18:36 And because of that, he listens.
18:38 But sometimes you can listen to a point where it's polarization.
18:44 Bi-analyzation, where you just get polarized.
18:49 Because you hear so many voices.
18:52 And then sometimes you just miss the easy one.
18:55 This is easy.
18:57 I remember one time, I'll never forget this as long as I live, at an NBA game.
19:03 And I watched Kevin Garnett hit this great, unbelievable shot, unbelievable shot.
19:10 First time down the court, he just has to tip one in and he misses it.
19:15 And afterwards, he talked about, you know, sometimes when you have too much time, you
19:21 overthink.
19:22 That's why I think Mark suffers from paralysis and polarization by analysis.
19:29 I do think he goes through that sometimes.
19:32 So that's the present state of where the Raiders sit, just in a holding pattern, waiting for
19:39 the decision to be made.
19:41 And if they go and select a guy afterwards, then they should have named their GM already.
19:50 And if they, which champs in the meetings, so he's that guy, just name it.
19:58 And then go do that.
20:00 So that's where the juxtaposition.
20:02 And if it's AP, which is what I think it's going to be, why?
20:05 Why?
20:06 All right.
20:07 I want, I got several things I want to talk about with you again today.
20:11 I told you I wanted to discuss and get into.
20:15 I think they're very important.
20:18 But I asked you guys yesterday to, I asked you this on X, formerly known as Twitter.
20:29 I said to you guys, share with me your best Raider memory.
20:36 Now I'm going to tell you something.
20:38 I'm up here in the North country on a hunting trip and still working though.
20:45 And we got over 72,000 engagements, over 1,200 of you sent in your favorite memories.
20:59 And so I'm here, got a friend with us and their spouse and some of you may know him,
21:14 so I'm not going to say any names, but they're here and we're going through all of them.
21:22 And my favorite Raider memory, and I'm not a Raider fan, was as a little boy, Monday
21:29 night football, and you grow up in Michigan, which is the Eastern time zone.
21:36 So Monday night football came on at nine o'clock.
21:38 Now I was a little kid, my bedtime was nine o'clock.
21:42 But Monday night football, if dad was home and not working, he'd always say, "Why are
21:48 you going to bed?
21:49 It's nine o'clock."
21:51 Not when I'm home and it's Monday night football.
21:54 And so it was Howard goes south and it was always Raiders.
21:59 And so I remember sitting in my dad's chair with him and watching Monday night football.
22:09 And we didn't have DVRs back then, you couldn't roll it back.
22:12 And it was just so cool watching Raiders, just watching it.
22:20 And watching Monday night football and the toughness.
22:23 And I remember one play in particular, a Raider just takes his forearm, goes right into a
22:30 guy's helmet.
22:31 I mean, it was just, and my dad's like, "Holy Toledo, he's trying to kill him.
22:38 He's not trying to tackle him, he's trying to kill him."
22:41 And so for me, the memory is my dad.
22:47 And we're coming up on 10 years since his death.
22:50 And literally just the other day, I mean, a few days ago, something happened and I'm
22:58 out in the woods and I made the comment to my, "I got to call my dad."
23:08 And then it hits you, he's not here.
23:11 So for me, I'll always associate when I think of the Raiders in my memory is my dad.
23:18 So you precious people, again, over 1200 of you sent videos.
23:26 There was one guy sent a picture of himself, I thought it was a training camp with how
23:33 long, guys sent me pictures with their sons or with their dads, videos of plays.
23:44 Some of it was just pictures in the stands.
23:48 And it was so awesome.
23:49 I'm going to think about it, but somehow I want to do an article about your memories.
23:58 I just thought that was, it was just fascinating.
24:03 And we have grown so much that I don't get to answer every question or comment.
24:09 I try to do as much as I can.
24:11 I get on social media every day and interact with you.
24:15 And I know it frustrates some of you because I don't interact with you, but I just can't
24:18 do everybody.
24:20 But I never want to lose that touch with you guys and gals of what your memories were.
24:27 What your memories were and why is this special to you?
24:32 I don't have to cover the Raiders, I get to.
24:36 And so for me, I just want to remember that when I write a story, I think about you guys.
24:43 So let me give you an example.
24:45 Coming up later this month, and at this point, I think it's going to be the last three days
24:51 of the month, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, it's the 29th, 30th and 31st, I think is my
24:56 next series of deep dive articles.
25:00 These are always very much anticipated.
25:02 We take you guys way behind the scenes and share things with you.
25:08 And a couple weeks ago, I flew to California for the day to sit down with somebody for
25:15 a few hours to get information.
25:19 And I'm constantly, last night, my wife is dictating the interviews, and I'm writing
25:26 the articles and sending them off, having people look at them, and they're going to
25:30 be so good.
25:31 You're going to learn something about the Raiders.
25:37 Hopefully a few things, but one thing that's going to be a big bombshell, and a good one,
25:43 that I don't believe any of you, any of you, including Mark Davis, no.
25:54 It's going to be a fascinating series of deep dive articles.
25:56 So when I do those, I'm constantly thinking about you.
26:01 How is this going to interest the fan?
26:04 And one of the things that I love is you guys will send me emails or whatever and say, "Hey
26:09 Joe, been a fan since '68, been a fan since '58, '88, 2008, whatever.
26:18 And I love that your fandom isn't just the Raiders, it's part of who you are.
26:27 And so I think it's amazing.
26:29 Now I've been around NFL teams and covered them, that when they went through a coaching
26:32 change, there was never this level of anxiety.
26:39 "Yeah, we'll get who we get."
26:42 No, they'll take their time, no big deal.
26:43 Literally.
26:44 You get around the Raiders, it doesn't matter if there's an opening at head coach or third
26:50 string right guard, who are they picking?
26:54 I love that.
26:55 I love that passion.
26:56 I love it.
26:57 So I wanted to thank you guys so much for sending me those.
27:06 I thought they were amazing.
27:08 And if you have more, send them.
27:11 And again, I'm still learning IG, so if you have Twitter, please send it there or an email.
27:17 I'm trying and I'm learning, but thank you so much.
27:20 Now I want to talk about staff, about how whoever the coaches put together their staff.
27:36 I think that's really, really important.
27:40 I don't comment on other people's reporting.
27:45 Now before you say anything, you say, "Well, what about you did Florio yesterday?"
27:53 But that was on his pontificating.
27:55 That was on him talking about Brady pushing Vrabel, all that kind of stuff.
28:02 But I don't put out...
28:08 Because you never know who people are talking to.
28:10 Let me give you an example.
28:14 Years ago, I'm covering a team and the coach tells me, "I'm going to do this on this date.
28:22 So why don't you start reporting it?"
28:25 I said, "Okay."
28:28 So I did.
28:30 Other people talked to other people, but not the head coach.
28:34 We said, "That's never going to happen."
28:35 And they reported, "No, that's never going to happen."
28:37 And it did.
28:38 I didn't comment on the people who disagreed.
28:42 That's not what I do.
28:43 I put out what I know and I move forward with it.
28:47 And same way I reported Devante coming or Josh McDaniels, whatever.
28:52 I just do it and move on.
28:56 And there has been a lot of talk about, you know, what about staff?
29:01 What would Antonio Pierce's staff look like?
29:04 Now, I think it would look very similar to what it looked like when the year was over.
29:09 Not a hundred percent, I mean, they've already lost Carm.
29:14 And I think there'd be others that would go.
29:17 I do.
29:20 I'll have a lot more to say about that after the decision has been made public.
29:25 And I still believe it's going to be AP and Champ, but I'll have a lot more to say on
29:29 that.
29:31 But I've had a lot of you asking about staff.
29:35 So I'm very, very good friends with a particular NFL general manager.
29:41 And every year he sits down with his coach and goes over the coach and his staff.
29:50 And I've reported this for years.
29:52 One of the things that I learned from him is he always says to his coach, and let's
30:00 just pick somebody.
30:02 Let's say it's an offensive line coach named William Bill.
30:08 I'm making a name up.
30:11 And he'll say to the coach, "Hey, how do you think William Bill did this year?"
30:14 "Well, I think he did pretty good."
30:16 "Okay.
30:17 If William Bill, if we decided to let him go, how many NFL teams would try to hire him?"
30:24 "I don't know."
30:28 "Okay.
30:29 Is there anybody out there that we can go hire?
30:31 Who's better than William Bill?"
30:36 And they go through and have that conversation about every staff member.
30:39 Now, this general manager, very successful, very successful.
30:45 And he always told me, "I don't want staff who nobody else wants."
30:54 So he goes, "I ask myself every year, if I were to let my head coach go, how many people
30:59 want him?
31:01 Is he a desirable commodity?
31:04 If he's not, is he desirable for me for whatever reason?"
31:09 And I think that's how you start digging in and parsing on staff.
31:14 I've always felt that way.
31:16 I think that is how Champ Kelly is going to operate as general manager of the Raiders
31:21 with AP.
31:23 AP is very personable.
31:26 AP is very relational.
31:29 But I think he is also going to be a, "Can I improve from what you do for me?"
31:36 Now, this general manager said to me, "I don't have any issue paying a guy and giving guys
31:42 raises to keep him."
31:45 He said to me, "I would rather every year have to give my staff raises because I don't
31:49 want to live without them."
31:52 I thought that was really enlightening, very enlightening.
31:55 And so as they start to put together staff, they're going to, and then they already are
32:00 in the process of not hiring staff, but thinking about, "Okay, if Mark pulls the trigger and
32:05 it's us, what's our staff going to look like?"
32:09 And AP's looking at all that, and he's already formulated his plan.
32:13 He's already presented it to Mark Davis.
32:16 Don't know it, but he knows what he wants to do.
32:19 He Champ knows what AP wants to do.
32:22 I expect his staff to be extremely competitive because that's what he wants his team to look
32:27 like is extremely competitive.
32:31 And so if you've got a chance to upgrade, I think you upgrade.
32:36 Now what's that do?
32:37 It puts every one of your staff members on notice, "I better be getting better every
32:41 year," number one.
32:42 Number two, it allows your players to know, "I'm holding the staff to the same standard
32:49 I'm holding you to."
32:50 All right, let's go back.
32:53 Mark Davis felt like, "Okay, I'm going to let Jack Del Rio go.
32:56 He took us to the playoffs, but I think I can upgrade with John Gruden."
33:00 Okay, that's Mark's decision.
33:04 And that's how the staffing, before it was almost as if, "Okay, as long as your unit
33:11 doesn't suck, you've got a job.
33:16 We don't want to go out and make a bunch of changes."
33:17 I think now you're going to see the staff, again, as long as AP and Champ are named,
33:23 and that's what my expectations are, that's how you're going to see the staff run.
33:29 "Man, we love you.
33:30 We care about you.
33:31 You're important.
33:32 And now, your unit may have had a bad year.
33:36 Let's go back to Patrick Grant.
33:39 Let's go back to 2022 when he got hired."
33:41 I wrote and discussed and talked about the fact this is a guy that should be head coach.
33:46 I was wildly mocked.
33:49 At the end of 2022, when I talked about, "Man, this is a good thing that he's back," I was
33:55 wildly mocked.
33:58 Now people are saying, "Oh, we can't afford to lose Patrick Grant."
34:02 Well, what's changed?
34:03 Not him.
34:06 But they went out last year and they go and get him a Robert Spillane and a Marcus Epps.
34:13 So now they have leadership at all three levels of the defense.
34:18 They go get an Adam Butler.
34:22 They did things to go and upgrade the team.
34:28 And look at how they looked.
34:30 Barry Switzer one time said to me, and I thought this was funny, he goes, "The better my players,
34:34 the better I look."
34:36 And that's just so true.
34:37 So then you've got to look at your staff and say, "Okay, did they underperform because
34:42 I didn't give them the groceries to cook the meal?"
34:45 That's totally fair.
34:48 Patrick Graham did not look bad his first year with the Raiders because he was a bad
34:54 coach.
34:55 They didn't have a ton of talent.
34:57 But what a difference a Robert Spillane makes.
35:00 Oh, what a difference a Jack Jones makes.
35:05 What a difference a Marcus Epps makes.
35:07 Oh, what a difference a developed Malcolm Kuntz looks like.
35:12 Come on now, don't shut me down.
35:16 And so as they go through and look at staff, that's how they're going to approach staff
35:21 is, "Okay, did that unit underperform?
35:24 Yes.
35:25 But did we underfund it?
35:27 Mm-hmm.
35:28 Okay, let's look at the Raiders offense.
35:30 Was not good this year."
35:32 And they spent a ton of money there, over $100 million.
35:38 Now the defense, because Chandler Jones never played, was in the $40 million rate.
35:44 Is there anybody within the sound of my voice that would disagree with the Raiders defense
35:52 at 40% of the money was significantly better than the Raiders offense?
35:59 Yes.
36:01 Now part of that, part of that was player performance.
36:08 Part of it was no OTAs, no mini camps, no training camps for the staff after AP got
36:17 in there.
36:19 Wasn't his people.
36:21 And they played to win rather than to look sexy.
36:26 That's all fair.
36:29 That team, just the team that just ended, you don't think with OTAs and mini camps and
36:35 training camps, even if they didn't draft or sign one free agent, if they just brought
36:39 the offense back, you don't think they'll look better next year?
36:42 Come on now.
36:43 Come on now, that dog don't hunt.
36:47 That's not smart if you feel that way.
36:49 Now they are going to have a draft.
36:53 They are going to have mini camps, training camps, OTAs, and oh, by the way, free agency,
36:58 which Champ is belly deep in his staff.
37:06 I've had a bunch of you ask me, "Hey, you keep talking about some free agents that you
37:09 think would want to play with AP."
37:10 You going to talk about them?
37:15 But I think the Raiders are going to make some really impressive moves.
37:20 Now that doesn't mean you're going to go sign a guy to the biggest contract because Champ
37:25 believes in fiscal discipline.
37:30 Do you go sign a Devontae if you can?
37:33 Yeah.
37:34 But you don't go overpay for people and then you don't have the money to extend your young
37:38 guns.
37:40 See, that's the biggest deal that a lot of people don't think about.
37:46 You get these guys in on rookie deals.
37:48 Brock Purdy is a really good quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, but I'll tell you
37:52 what else Brock Purdy is.
37:54 Brock Purdy is on a UDFA rookie deal.
37:57 They're paying them in NFL money next to nothing.
38:01 So it's allowed them to go pay a bunch of other players.
38:04 The Niners have extended a ton of people.
38:06 Now at some point they're going to have to pay Purdy, but for right now they don't.
38:14 And Champ understands that.
38:16 Hey, fiscal responsibility is huge.
38:23 It's huge.
38:25 And so I want to be able to pay my proven guys when they're coming off those rookie
38:29 deals.
38:30 I want to be able to pay them the money it takes to keep them.
38:33 And the wiser I am in free agency, not overpaying for guys.
38:37 Now listen, Devontae is worth every dime Devontae gets.
38:41 So you don't mind paying Big Jack to a guy worthy of Big Jack who plays and performs
38:48 like Big Jack.
38:52 Big time players make big time plays in big time games.
38:56 And so you don't mind paying for that.
38:57 But man, I don't want to pay for a guy I don't know.
39:00 Dylan Parham is eventually going to come up on a deal.
39:03 Now he's only in year two.
39:05 He's a guy they're going to want to keep around.
39:09 I can't believe the amount of raiders that don't talk about Dylan.
39:14 Incredibly flexible, super good player.
39:19 You're going to have to pay him.
39:20 Now he's not going to get quarterback money.
39:22 I'm not pretending he is.
39:25 You look at Trey Tucker, had a better rookie year than Henry Ruggs.
39:31 I think he's going to break out next year.
39:33 Matter of fact, I'll make this prediction right now.
39:34 I think Trey Tucker is the breakout player of the year next year.
39:40 But you're watching him and you're thinking, "Okay, okay.
39:44 Now down the road, he's going to get some jack."
39:49 Now I'm not being rude, but I'm getting a call and I want to make sure it's nothing
39:55 of which that I need to share with you.
39:58 No, I got to take that call.
40:02 So what I'm going to say to you is this.
40:07 Understand very importantly, there's a plan here.
40:13 Everybody is working the plan, waiting for Mark Davis.
40:15 You know, the Catholic Church, when they pick a new pope, there's a puff of white smoke
40:20 that comes out of the chimney.
40:21 I let everybody know the pope's been picked.
40:25 I'm not Catholic, but...
40:27 And so now everyone's waiting for the silver and black smoke to come out of the smokestacks
40:30 at Henderson to announce a coach has been picked.
40:33 But that's what the wait is on.
40:35 But Champ Kelly's doing his job.
40:37 AP's doing his job.
40:38 Everybody's doing their job, waiting.
40:41 So when this thing's over, it's time to get it done.
40:44 I appreciate all of you.
40:46 I'm Hondo Carpenter from Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
40:50 Again, we're just in waiting mode.
40:53 I gave you all the reasons that I'm hearing why.
40:55 We talked about staff and we talked about your memories.
40:59 So I appreciate all of you.
41:00 Remember, keep it right here.
41:01 We're going to have all the latest for you.
41:03 I'm Hondo Carpenter from Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast,
41:07 part of the Fans First Sports Network.
41:08 Thank you all for joining us.
41:10 I appreciate you.
41:12 And I hope that you guys have a great day.
41:13 Remember, check me on Instagram, check me on Twitter, and check me at si.com/NFL/Raiders.
41:22 We'll see you all later.
41:24 Have a wonderful day.