Playoff-bound Cowboys, Bears devalue Raiders’ draft picks
ALAMEDA, Calif. —The Dallas Cowboys were 3-4 when the Raiders traded wide receiver Amari Cooper. The Chicago Bears hadn’t made the playoffs since 2010, finishing last in their division four straight years, when the Raiders traded defensive end Khalil Mack.
What followed was a worst-case scenario for the Raiders.
The Cowboys clinched the NFC East on Sunday afternoon. On Dec. 16, the Bears did the same in the NFC North. The Raiders own each team’s 2019 first-round pick. With the two clubs playoff-bound, neither choice will be in the first 20 overall selections.
The postseason will determine where, between selections 21 and 32, those picks will fall.
Oakland (3-11) enters Monday’s game against the Denver Broncos on pace to own the No. 2 overall selection.
Dallas is 6-2 since acquiring Cooper, who was quiet Sunday with four catches for 20 yards during a 27-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As for Mack, he was back in the Bay Area on Sunday for the Bears’ 14-9 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Reporters asked Mack postgame, after Chicago improved to 11-4, how he felt the Sept. 1 trade worked out.
“How do you think it worked out?” Mack said with a laugh. “I feel like it’s pretty obvious to me.”
Ultimately, the trade will be assessed after the Raiders have selected and developed all draft choices they acquired when trading the two players. The team would have preferred to be choosing three times in the top 20 next April instead of once.
Shaw fired
Raiders strength and conditioning coordinator Tom Shaw recently was fired, a source confirmed Sunday.
The reason for the midseason move was not clear. Shaw did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Early this offseason, coach Jon Gruden called him his “No. 1 hire.”
More Raiders: Follow online at reviewjourn
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
