Jon Gruden’s trade of Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday for a first-round draft pick garnered rave reviews in most circles thanks to the hefty return.
But not in the locker room of the Oakland Raiders.
According to a report by The Athletic, Oakland players were upset they found out about the trade from media reports and not from Gruden himself.
Coming on the heels of Gruden’s blockbuster trade of star pass-rusher Khalil Mack to the Bears for a pair of first-round picks, the Cooper trade sent the message to the team that the Raiders are already looking ahead to next year and beyond.
“The Mack trade was a real stiff jab,” an anonymous player told The Athletic. “But the Cooper one was like a knockout punch, especially because we had just walked back in the door from the bye. We didn’t want to believe it was coming, and Coach said we weren’t going to trade him. I think many of us realize we won’t be here next year. We are just waiting to see if we will be here next week.”
That player’s fears are not unfounded as Oakland (1-5) will likely make some more deals before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
Unlike for his players, job security is not an issue for Gruden as he signed a 10-year contract before this season and is a favorite of Oakland owner Mark Davis.
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