Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie marks territory with Cooper trade
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Camera usage was prohibited Monday when Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie met with several reporters inside the media workroom at team headquarters. He sat on an office chair, fanned by sportswriters who did the same, for a rare midseason sitdown.
The subject: trading Amari Cooper.
McKenzie would speak for nearly 20 minutes. But it was clear from the opening statement this impromptu gathering was about something else, too.
“We made a trade today to the Dallas Cowboys,” he said. “It’s a trade that we feel — it was an opportunity that I felt I couldn’t pass to get a first-round pick. In this business here, I thought it was invaluable for me. It was something that I felt like I had to do moving forward for this organization.
“I love Amari. I like everything that he stands for, but I just felt — when I got a call from (Cowboys executive) Stephen Jones this morning, he put it on the table, what he wanted to do. He wanted the player, and he gave me the pick.”
I, I, I, me, I, I.
I, I, I, I, me.
It is generally McKenzie’s preference to speak off video camera when possible with reporters. In this instance, that was a shame, given the calculated defiance on display. McKenzie was forceful and bold. His intentions were as much to discuss the Pro Bowl wide receiver who is gone as the 2016 Executive of the Year who is still here.
See him. Hear him. Recognize him.
The subject: McKenzie’s existence.
McKenzie felt addressing this topic was necessary — and it was — in light of lingering perception regarding the Raiders’ power dynamic since Jon Gruden became coach in January. At Gruden’s introductory news conference, owner Mark Davis called it his “vision” to have Gruden coach and McKenzie bring in talent.
Many around the NFL believe Gruden does both and that McKenzie, wielding less power than before, could depart the club in 2019. There have been reports the Raiders were divided during the draft process, as coaches and scouts kept separate draft boards.
McKenzie was asked about Gruden pulling the strings.
He chuckled on that topic.
”I don’t mean to laugh, but it’s comical a little bit, what I hear,” McKenzie said. “Excuse me if I don’t read all of your stuff, all the national media stuff, but the stuff that does get relayed to me about who traded Khalil Mack, who traded Amari Cooper, who drafted.
“We’ve got one draft board. Every coaching staff that I’ve been a part of from Green Bay to Gruden’s staff, I want to know how the coaches rank each player. That’s not going to change. I want to know how they like players. To say they have their own draft board, no. They have their own way of doing it because that’s the way our system is put up. It’s the way I’ve always done it. We go in the big draft room, and that’s what we go by.”
McKenzie was not done.
“With that being said, you talked about pulling strings,” he said. “Gruden and I work together very well. Let’s get no mistakes about him pushing me out. That’s not happening. Me not being able to work with Gruden? That’s furthest from the truth, OK? We work really well together. We’re in each other’s offices all the time, talking about players, who’s up and who’s down, who I’d like to see play more, practice squad guys, claiming this guy, trading this guy.
“I’m going to talk to him about guys calling to trade players: ‘Here’s what I think — what do you think?’ Moving forward, when you talk about the negativity that I hear between me and Gruden, there have been times I’ve wanted to make a statement and say, ‘Really?’ But I understand. I do understand when you guys see Khalil Mack or something like this, I get it. I don’t think you could find anybody in the building that didn’t like Khalil Mack, including Gruden. The factors were more than us just liking him. Let’s put that to bed now.”
Mack was traded. Cooper was traded.
Before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, perhaps more players could be on the move. Safety Karl Joseph seems likely. Officially, McKenzie said that no one is untouchable.
Well, with one exception, he joked.
“I’m untouchable,” he said.
McKenzie marked his territory Monday, an important moment in his Raiders tenure.
As not seen on TV.
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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
