Drama-filled Raiders leading local sports story in 2021

From controversial hockey trades to college championship victories to prime-time boxing events and disappointing playoff finishes, Southern Nevada again featured a buffet fit for the Bellagio when it came to what occurred over the last 12 months.

But no team penned a more dramatic storyline than the Raiders. The local NFL side was a night at the theater unto itself. No one could have anticipated all that has transpired.

Here is a closer look at owner Mark Davis’ team this past year, both from my perspective as a columnist at the time and now looking back.

DRAFT

Then: It was once again about value and how general manager Mike Mayock and then-coach Jon Gruden did in evaluating the prospects. It was once again about them being criticized for the job they did.

The Raiders selected Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood with the No. 17 pick in the first round and followed with Texas Christian safety Tre’von Moehrig at 43rd in the second round.

Funny. Had they made those selections in opposite order, Mayock and Gruden would have been universally lauded.

As I wrote on draft night, the bosses within a span of 24 hours were ripped for reaching from Summerlin to Henderson when it came to the first round, similar to the reaction when the Raiders chose Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette higher than projected in the first round in 2020.

Yet this time they were praised for landing what most believed to be a huge steal in Moehrig in the second.

Now: Leatherwood was moved to guard in October and has consistently ranked among the worst players in the NFL — at both guard and tackle — by Pro Football Focus. Moehrig has enjoyed a solid rookie season.

Elsewhere, cornerback Nate Hobbs (fifth round, No. 167 overall) has been the pleasant surprise of the class. Third-round selections Malcolm Koonce (No. 79) and Divine Deablo (No. 80) haven’t made huge impacts but flashed in moments.

ALLEGIANT STADIUM

Then: It was Aug. 14 when the Raiders officially welcomed fans to their new home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the $2 billion, 65,000-seat palace. The team had played its inaugural season in an empty venue due to the pandemic.

Three hours before kickoff of a preseason game against Seattle, Davis stood at an outside podium just beyond the stadium’s main entrance, feet from the base of his father’s memorial torch and those massive lanai doors. He was joined by his mother, Carol, and various politicians and dignitaries.

“Welcome to Allegiant Stadium — aka The Death Star — where opponents’ dreams come to die,” Davis told a silver and black sea of fans looking up at him from ground level. “I just want to say … Raider Nation … Welcome home!”

Now: As the 2021 season has moved along, there have been more and more empty seats at home games. Which means less and less of an advantage for the Raiders.

This part has become apparent: How packed game day becomes until the Raiders start winning at a high level will be determined largely by which opponent is in town and how faithful a fan base it attracts to travel and purchase tickets.

Meaning things will be a lot more full for the Chiefs than the Bengals.

HOT START

Then: Things began with such hope and excitement. The Raiders were 3-0 for the first time since 2002 after taking out the Ravens, Steelers and Dolphins. Derek Carr was an eight-year starting quarterback who was on pace to join the top 10 in NFL history for yards thrown. Thing is, the team wasn’t even playing all that well.

“We started 3-0, but at the same time, we put a lot of bad ball on tape,” tight end Foster Moreau said.

In two of the three wins, slow starts demanded the Raiders rally from double-digit deficits to win. They were’t able to run the ball and what what would become a season-long issue of failing to convert on third down rose to the surface. Still, they found a way to win two of the next four and get to 5-2.

Now: The Raiders are 7-7 as they prepare to meet Denver on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Losers of five of seven, the team can still put itself in a prime playoff position by winning out against the Broncos, Colts and Chargers.

But to do so, there can’t be a repeat of a 16-14 victory at the Browns on Monday, when a less-than-impressive effort was saved by the fact Cleveland was missing 18 players (including eight starters) to COVID-19 protocols.

JON GRUDEN

Then: Even with a three-year record of 22-31 and no playoff appearances, Gruden, in his second stint as head coach of the Raiders, remained in the good graces of Davis.

Makes sense. Time was still on his side. Gruden wasn’t even halfway through a reported 10-year, $100 million contract when the season began.

But the Raiders to that point hadn’t come close to reaching the heights Davis sought when recruiting Gruden out of the television booth and onto the sidelines.

Now: Gruden resigned in mid-October after emails were unearthed that included homophobic and misogynistic remarks over several years. This followed reports of racist statements he’d made about union leader DeMaurice Smith.

It was a colossal fall from grace for the Super Bowl-winning coach and left the Raiders reeling. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia was named interim head coach.

Gruden is now suing the league and commissioner Roger Goodell, contending they intentionally forced him out of his role with the Raiders.

Said Davis: “Listen, the Raiders stand for diversity, inclusion and social justice. We always have and we always will. The emails that came out are not what we stand for, so Jon Gruden is no longer head coach.”

HENRY RUGGS

Then: He was another of those questionable reaches by Gruden and Mayock, the speedy wide receiver taken No. 12 overall out of Alabama in 2020, ahead of names like Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy.

As Ruggs struggled through a rookie season that saw him catch just 26 balls for 452 yards and two touchdowns, more and more people labeled him a miss.

But he began to turn that opinion in 2021. Ruggs had already surpassed his first-year yards gained by Week 7 and began to exhibit the sort of game-breaking skill the Raiders sought when drafting him. He was beginning to stretch the field and make catches in contested areas.

Now: The team released Ruggs in November when he was arrested on charges of, among others, DUI resulting in death of another. Prosecutors contend Ruggs was traveling 156 mph with twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system before slamming into a car driven by 23-year old Tina Tintor, killing her and her dog.

I wrote this on the day of the crash: “Understand this — his was a choice and not a mistake. Ruggs is 22 and didn’t have a brain cramp that should excuse his recklessness.”

I believe it even more now.

Ruggs’ case is working its way through the legal system.

DAMON ARNETTE

Then: The Raiders drafted Arnette at No. 19 overall in 2020 despite concerns about off-field troubles while he was at Ohio State. The cornerback then never lived up to any level of expectation, ranked as one of the league’s worst at his position during an unproductive rookie season.

He only played nine total games with the team, demoted that first year before heading to injured reserve.

Now: Within days of the Ruggs being waived, the Raiders also cut Arnette, meaning both of their first-round choices from the 2020 draft were gone before completing a second season.

Arnette was let go once a video surfaced of him brandishing a gun and threatening to kill someone. It wasn’t the first incident that led to his dismissal.

Among others were reports that he crashed four rental cars within a month’s time, was involved in a hit-and-run and had an altercation involving a valet attendant on the Strip.

Explained Mayock: “We spent significant time, effort and resources trying to help in facets of his life. There have been a series of bad decisions over the last year or so, but we cannot stand for the video of Damon with a gun, threatening to take a life.”

DEREK CARR

Then: He entered an eighth season rightly viewed among the NFL’s top 12 or so quarterbacks. The Raiders, however, have made just one playoff appearance in his time. Carr was injured and didn’t play in a wild-card loss to Houston in January of 2017.

Still just 30, Carr was a three-time Pro Bowler who was coming off his best statistical season — 4,103 yards passing, 27 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 101.4.

Now: Ah. One of the major decisions of the offseason for the organization.

Carr has passed for more than 4,000 yards for a fourth straight year and yet has hardly been helped by an ineffective offensive line, an unsuccessful run game, injuries at tight end and the situation involving Ruggs.

He has a year left on a contract that offers no dead cap money to the team. Carr wants an extension to remain in Las Vegas, a price tag that would flirt with an annual salary in the $40 million range.

Keep a close eye on this one. Do the Raiders extend or possibly move him? Are there bigger names out there they would rather chase?

LOOKING AHEAD

Then: Things seemed on course for somewhat of an on-field improvement entering the 2021 season. Mayock was on record saying the Raiders needed to be a playoff team as Allegiant Stadium was about to welcome fans for the first time.

It was in July when team president Marc Badain — after spending 30 years with the organization in various roles — abruptly resigned his position. Badain was the one who spearheaded the move from Oakland to Las Vegas and the building of Allegiant Stadium.

Three key front-office executives would depart the franchise between June and August. Davis said an overpayment of taxes the team may not be able to recoup led to the four leaving.

Davis: “I think it’s pretty much clear now, or I don’t know if it’s clear now, but it was accounting irregularities. That’s why if you see the CFO left, the controller left, and the president left, that’s what it was.”

He named Dan Ventrelle, a team executive for 17 years, interim president.

Now: There will likely be a new head coach in 2022, perhaps a new general manager, and things remain up in the air in relation to Carr.

All in all, there are far more unknowns about the Raiders now than when the season kicked off. But that’s the kind of year 2021 has been for them.

Drama-filled. Just another night at the theater.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.