Your choices for 10 keepers to build future
ALAMEDA >> The votes are in, and are interesting not only for who made the cut but for who did not.
The request via Twitter and email was a simple one: name 10 players on the current Raiders roster who are worth building the team around when the club relocates to Las Vegas in 2020.
Only players currently on the roster were counted, so if you sent in the name of a college player or someone on another NFL roster, you can save it for another time.
The only unanimous selection was running back Josh Jacobs, who made every ballot. He was followed closely by defensive end Maxx Crosby (43) and tight end Darren Waller (42), both likely omitted by accident given their promise and production.
The entire list is below, with the top 10 players as well as also-rans.
Some notable omissions:
• Quarterback Derek Carr received only 10 of 45 votes.
• Wide receiver Tyrell Williams wasn’t named once, even though Keelan Doss and Zay Jones each got a single vote.
• Left tackle Kolton Miller was one spot out of the top 10.
THE TOP 10 >> 45: Josh Jacobs; 43: Maxx Crosby; 42: Darren Waller; 39: Johnathan Abram; 36: Trayvon Mullen; 34: Rodney Hudson, Trent Brown; 33: Clelin Ferrell; 22: Hunter Renfrow, Maurice Hurst.
THE REST >> 20: Kolton Miller; 17: Alec In
gold; 13: Foster Moreau; 10: Derek Carr; 6: Gabe Jackson; 4: Richie Incognito; 4: Karl Joseph, P.J. Hall, Erik Harris; 2: Dion Jordan; 1: Johnathan Hankins, Zay Jones, Keelan Doss, Isaiah Johnson, A.J. Cole. THE VOTERS >> Email: Abdullah Hamid, Marques Threats, Michael Riordan, Jeff Hester, Joel Johnson, Mt. Sellers 84, Ben Sanderson, Kendall Ankrun.
TWITTER >>: @macomboys, @ Bbuthge, @brwong24, @LVRaidersbb1, @chappy23us, @Schwartz_ Sports, @MikePhineas, @TonyBadilla, @FelixKnowsNFL, @BenFinnegan7, @BeLikeCasey, @ marevj1022, @marklubienski, @bpalacios04, @1965Joel1, @k52Raider, @ TMoe415, @StephenColley18, @chopAMundo, @joshtaylor918, @NelsEricson, @bodyguard_67, @tfaurat, @ C3maz, @Angelo6, @BearLooky, @ KenHuber, @LakersBuckeyes, @danieljrichert, @RaiderNationDan, @ JWhite402, @psuedolynch
On to some mailbag questions:
Q: Any chance Jay Gruden gets hired to help the offense? Will Jon let Jay modernize the offense? — @urbanteaa
A: Jon Gruden taught Jay Gruden pretty much everything he knows about offense. He was also big in mentoring Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Gruden knows plenty of modern offense. The offense he prefers, however, includes the quarterback under center, a power running game . . . oldschool football. He’d jazz it up some with something reliable in terms of outside receivers, but Gruden likes to work a game to death. He thought they were fine against Jacksonville in the second half, and they likely would have been had Carr not been ruled out of bounds on a slide or Tyrell Williams held on to a third-down catch. That’s your coach, like it or not.
Q: Let’s just say that Gruden and Mayock decide to jump up and grab a Joe Burrow/Jalen Hurts. Considering your knowledge of the decision makers, how would you see that playing out? Does Carr stay on and do a Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes process? Move Carr and start the rook? Another thought? — @macomboys
A: Gruden’s preference would be to not start a rookie. Don’t know if he’d want him to sit as long as Rodgers, but a one-year apprenticeship considering the complexity of the system and the way Gruden teaches it would be wise. That’s why I wouldn’t see the Raiders jumping up in the draft to take a quarterback so high the expectation would be he would be an immediate starter.
Q: The Carr rumors have begun, what would be your percentage-based guess on whether Carr will be back? — @bbuthje
A: I get all the discontent with Carr because the quarterback takes most of the blame. It comes with the job. But when I asked in a mailbag a few weeks back to come up with suggestions, I think it became pretty clear the options might not be better than upgrading around Carr for at least another year for 2020. I’d put it near 70 percent.
Q: What are your thoughts on Gabe Jackson this season? Is he playing through injury and what is the vibe you are getting around the coaches with him? Should he be considered a candidate to be cut with $11M freed in cap space and no dead money? — @Raiderfan604
A: Gabe is definitely playing through injury and his performance has not been what the Raiders had hoped. Jackson’s salary jumps to $9,350,000 next season and he is under contract through 2022. It depends on whether the Raiders think Jackson could get back to his previous standard of play. If they don’t, that salary number is too high and he could meet the same fate as Kelechi Osemele and be either traded or released.
Q: Do we need a new kicker? Do we draft a WR 1st pick? — @Jackman609
A: Daniel Carlson got a vote of confidence from Jon Gruden this week, which essentially means he’s kicking for his job in the last two games of the season. At the very least, Carlson will have some competition in camp in 2020. I’d be stunned if the Raiders didn’t use a first-round pick on a wide receiver.
Q: Jacobs is underutilized in my opinion. We know he can run. But only 20 catches? The offense has to get more creative using him. Wildcat, maybe splitting him out wide or in the slot. Heck even use him and Richard at the same time kinda like a pick ya poison type look. — @manevj1022
A: Yes, Jacobs could catch more passes. But let’s face it, his real strength is inside running. Lots of backs can catch the ball. Very few can do what he does between the tackles. And he carried 245 times this year and wound up with a broken shoulder. So I don’t see him as being underutilized at all. Personally, I’d rather hand it to him than throw it to him.