There hasn’t been much to be excited about for Raider fans in recent years. As of Monday, the Chiefs are preparing for their third Super Bowl in three years, and the Raiders are hours away from announcing their third GM and third head coach in 15 months.
The last time the Raiders reverted to a full organizational reset was 2018 and it feels like a similar scenario might be playing out now with Tom Brady in the building.
Brady wants to change the culture in Las Vegas and the vibe right now is similar to what it felt like when Jon Gruden returned in 2018. Gruden tore down the roster that year and made a huge statement before the start of the season by trading Khalil Mack.
Some believe Gruden was sending a message to the locker room about who was in charge when he traded Mack, and Brady could be moving toward a similar situation with Maxx Crosby.
Crosby made it clear in December that he hasn’t been happy with the trajectory of the team in recent years and seemed to leave the door open for a potential trade request. Given the way the Patriots used to deal with disgruntled players during Brady’s years in New England, it’s fair to wonder if he and his hand-picked GM might mull the idea of trading Crosby in the offseason.
For Raider fans worried about the potential of losing Crosby, a year-old quote from new Raiders GM John Spytek suggests he will do everything possible to keep Crosby in the building.
In an appearance last year on the Pewter Report, Spytek talked about the importance of keeping good players and specifically emphasized the importance of keeping good pass rushers.
“I don’t think you can ever let good players leave a building, and I certainly don’t think you can ever let good pass rushers leave a building,” Spytek said. “You’re crazy if you do that because they are going to end on another team and along the line they’re going to hurt you.”
#Raiders GM John Spytek
— YEYO🇲🇽 (@ItsYeyo95) January 26, 2025
“You can never let good players leave a building, and I certainly don’t think you can let good pass rushers leave a building, you’re crazy if you do that”
Welcome back Malcolm Koonce and Trevon Moehrig🕵️♂️ pic.twitter.com/jjuaVsOVqQ
Obviously, Spytek wasn’t talking specifically about Crosby, but his comments offer a little insight into his priorities in terms of building a roster.
If not Crosby, maybe Spytek’s comments are good news for those hoping the Raiders will re-sign Malcolm Koonce and/or K’Lavon Chaisson.
Of course, there is also the Brady factor, and some have wondered what the dynamic will look like between Spytek and Brady.
Once upon a time, Dave Ziegler was hired as the general manager for Josh McDaniels, and it didn’t take long to realize it was McDaniels who was wielding the personnel power in Las Vegas. It’s fair to wonder if Brady might have a similar role with Spytek… where the biggest personnel decisions within the organization come from somewhere other than the official GM chair.
