Oakland Raiders: Jon Gruden “loves” Missouri QB Drew Lock
By Erik Lambert
The Oakland Raiders continue to control the 2019 offseason more than any other team. Why? Mostly because they’re the most unpredictable.
They already proved that last year when they traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. Then they doubled down so far in 2019 when they traded for Antonio Brown and signed Trent Brown to a massive new contract in free agency. Nobody knows for sure what the team is trying to accomplish. One minute they appear to be rebuilding and the next they’re spending wildly to apparently get competitive for this season.
Nowhere is this mystery more fascinating than the fate of quarterback Derek Carr. This should look like a no brainer from the outside. Carr is still young and a former Pro Bowler who threw for 4,000 yards last season. Yet rumors persist that Gruden has designs on possibly trading him while using the teams’ massive draft haul to find a quarterback of his choosing.
According to Kayln Kahler of the MMQB, one name has begun to gain steam in that regard.
"“Raiders fans hated when I mocked Missouri quarterback Drew Lock to the Raiders with the fourth overall pick. So in order to continue to rub in the controversial notion that Oakland may draft a rookie quarterback and trade Derek Carr… I recently spoke to another prospect who played on the Senior Bowl’s North team, coached by Jon Gruden. He said that Gruden really, really liked Lock. The word “love” was used to describe Gruden’s perceived feelings toward the Missouri QB.”"
Drew Lock is a true Raiders QB if ever there was one
The spirit of Al Davis must be strong within Gruden because there’s no question that the late Raiders owner would’ve loved Lock too. Why? Davis was a man of consistency when it came to his quarterbacks. He wanted them big and he wanted them to have a cannon for an arm. The reason being that was crucial to making a vertical passing game effective, something Davis always preached.
Nobody has a stronger arm in this draft than Lock. He can throw with velocity and distance. He’s also reportedly a personable guy known for good leadership qualities. His self-confidence probably stands out more than anything, which might explain why Gruden likes him so much. The biggest concern is his accuracy. While not as erratic as Josh Allen last year, Lock still has a bit of a streaky reputation when it comes to hitting his targets.
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Maybe Gruden feels improving his mechanics will fix the issue. Maybe he feels the other positives outweigh the occasional erratic pass. Either way, it’s another sign that the team may actually be serious about moving on from Carr.