Jon Gruden out: Mark Davis needs a stronger GM than Mike Mayock

Raiders need new GM and coach as result of Gruden fall out

It’s been almost a full 24 hours since Jon Gruden resigned as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders under pressure stemming from reports of offensive emails he sent.

And its been radio silence from the Raiders’ Henderson, Nevada offices.

Mark Davis, Mike Mayock where are you? Say something, guys. Show some leadership during a time when fans need it. The fact that there has been no comment from the team other than a basic press release, amplifies what the Raiders need as they move forward from this turmoil for the long term.

Davis needs a strong general manager. He needs to replace Mayock.

Going into this season there was strong speculation in NFL circles that if the Raiders failed to make the playoffs in 2021, it would be Mayock, not Gruden, to pay the price with his job. Davis was never going to fire Gruden for football reasons.

It took a monumental scandal for Gruden to be removed and he had to do it himself. Davis wants to be in the background. That’s why he gave Gruden a 10-year, $100 million deal in 2018. Davis wanted Gruden to run the team.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

It was Gruden who brought in Mayock at the end of 2018. Now, Gruden is in exile and Davis and Mayock are left to patch together the bottom of their ship to prevent it from sinking.

However, when the season ends, Davis must take control and make a smart decision — cut most of Gruden’s ties. Davis needs to start fresh. A recent NFL model for success is hiring a strong general manager and let that person hire the coach.

The football czar role Gruden enjoyed didn’t work for the Raiders. There needs to be a leadership ladder.

This franchise badly needs stability. If Davis hires a GM he trusts, then they can start over the right way.

The Raiders are in too good of a place with the roster and a beautiful, new stadium that they don’t need to rely on old Raiders’ connections to the past like they did when Davis hired Reggie McKenzie to replace his father as the franchise had in 20212 or with the Gruden hire.

They need good football people.

This isn’t to say Mayock is a major problem. Yes, his draft record has been spotty. But the bigger issue here is he was a Gruden underling. Gruden is gone now. So, most of his influence has to be changed after the season. As a result of Gruden’s controversy, the leadership of this franchise needs to be refreshed.

And that starts with a new general manager.