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The Oakland Raiders will be set to conduct training camp like they did during OTAs and mandatory minicamp: without Khalil Mack. The star pass rusher has held out the entire offseason as he pushes for a big-money extension, which the Raiders still haven’t handed to him.
When asked about his star’s situation, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden acknowledges that amid the different choices he’s contemplating as the new coach (armed with a lot of personnel power) of the team, the decision regarding Mack might be his toughest.
“That might be the toughest decision I have to figure out right now. We’re not the only team that’s faced with that. It’s tough. It’s part of this business and we’ll just keep our fingers crossed,” Gruden said per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.
Mack is due $13.846 million this season and is one of the other elite defensive players still awaiting a long-term deal. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald still hasn’t been paid by the Rams, and neither has Jadeveon Clowney of the Texans. It’s not a stretch to imagine the Rams and Raiders just waiting on the other to pay their superstar first and set the market.
Nevertheless, Gruden will have to get some deal in place at some point. Mack is invaluable to this Raiders defense still lacking in reliable pass rushers beyond him and Bruce Irvin. While Gruden is faced with a tough decision, he’ll likely have to make one that will keep Mack with the Raiders if he wants to improve his chances of winning in his second spell back.
