How Jon Gruden could save Reggie McKenzie’s job

The Oakland Raiders have a new head coach with a lot of power in Jon Gruden, and that could be a saving grace for general manager Reggie McKenzie.

After a 2014 draft class that any team would die for, Reggie McKenzie has struggled to find the same level of success over the past three seasons. And while Gabe Jackson, Derek Carr and Khalil Mack are cornerstones of this Raiders franchise, the NFL is still a “What have you done for me lately?” league where someone can easily go from executive of the year to out of a job in just a few years.

But McKenzie may just be as lucky as anyone in Oakland that Mark Davis was able to coax Jon Gruden out of the broadcaster’s booth and back down to the sidelines. Had Davis failed in his task to bring Chucky back, reports were that he would have stuck with Jack Del Rio for at least another season.

And that could have been disastrous not only for the Silver and Black, but for Reggie McKenzie.

Given the fact that D.J. Hayden left the Raiders and had his most productive season in the NFL on the Lions and Stacy McGee left the team and recorded ten more tackles than he had in any season wearing Silver and Black, many are likely wondering whether or not the coaching staff under Jack Del Rio failed to develop players drafted by McKenzie.

In fact, McKenzie is probably wondering the same thing himself. Talent will get you to the NFL but once you get there, it’s a whole new world and only a select few elite talents are able to find high levels of success in the NFL without the help of quality coaching.

Under Gruden, McKenzie’s draft picks will undoubtedly get the best coaching any have had since entering the NFL. Guden himself is a far better coach than Del Rio and the staff he’s assembling is far, far better than what JDR was able to put together during his time in Oakland. McKenzie still needs to pick talented players, even Gruden’s staff isn’t likely going to save guys like Jihad Ward, but his picks have a much better chance of finding success under Gruden and company than they did with Del Rio in charger.