NFL GM Mock Draft: Oakland Raiders Find Diamond In Rough
By Erik Lambert
Head coaches usually garner the headlines when Black Monday comes for the NFL. So who are some GMs who could join them?
Oakland Raiders
Departing: Reggie McKenzie
The Pick: Jon Robinson
Reggie McKenzie was given every opportunity. He did manage to clear up the salary cap problem that has dogged the Oakland Raiders for years and seems to have found them a quarterback, but his inability to get the coaching staff right and win more games may be too much to survive after another year selecting in the top 10 of the coming draft.
Their choices to replace him leans more towards experience. Jon Robinson had a tremendous run of success in New England, helping them land talents like Rob Gronkowski, Chandler Jones and Devin McCourty. He recognizes talent and has worked steadily up the ladder for over a decade. Now in Tampa Bay, he’s spent enough time learning and is ready for the next step. Oakland would be a great place for him to build everything in the image of what he witnessed with the Patriots.
Chicago Bears
Departing: Phil Emery
The Pick: Tom Gamble
Hiring Marc Trestman may prove to be the single action that ends up getting Phil Emery fired by the Chicago Bears. That gross misjudgment has resulted in a relatively talented team that went 10-6 two years ago to falling to 5-9 with two games left in 2014. Emery has had some positive moments in his tenure but unless he can convince ownership to give him another shot at getting the head coach position right. Rumors persist that the likelihood is negligible.
One interesting note that has emerged recently is that the Bears may be in the running to get Jim Harbaugh as head coach. If that’s true, then they man they want to hire at GM is Tom Gamble. Not only is he a top GM choice by many in NFL circles given his eye for talent, he also worked closely with Harbaugh as a member of the front office in San Francisco from 2011 through 2012. He may be the guy who can give the Bears the extra push they need to get Harbaugh to Chicago.
New York Jets
Departing: John Idzik
The Pick: Alonzo Highsmith
If fans of the New York Jets get their way, then John Idzik will have had one of the shortest tenures in team history as GM. Rex Ryan is all but out as head coach but owner Woody Johnson could be looking for a clean slate and that includes dumping Idzik as well, who hasn’t had the most successful run as far as selecting good players in the draft despite numerous good opportunities. The Jets are 3-11 now. There is no hiding from that.
Alonzo Highsmith is a name that hasn’t really registered on many radars thus far. Not surprising. The former player probably chooses to avoid headlines these days after dealing with off-the-field problems during his career. That hasn’t negated how good he’s become as a front office man though. Several sources see him as an excellent talent evaluator, which explains why the Green Bay Packers have judiciously blocked other teams from interviewing him in the past. If the New York Jets remain persistent enough, this is a hire who can help them reload.