To the surprise of no one, Oakland Raiders star edge rusher Khalil Mack did not attend the start of the team’s mandatory minicamp on Tuesday as he continues to hold out for a new contract.
When asked whether Mack would be joining the team in the near future, Raiders coach Jon Gruden remains hopeful:
“I don’t know; I just hope so,” Gruden said per the team’s official website. “One of the big reasons I came here was to coach that man, but I don’t want to speculate. There’s a lot of guys in the league, several players that are in a similar situation, and we’re just trying to resolve it as soon as possible. In the meantime, we’ll coach the players that are here.”
Mack has not taken part in any of the team’s offseason programs as he awaits a new deal. He’s scheduled to make $13.8 in base salary this season with his fifth-year option. He’ll be fined over $84,000 for missing the three-day minicamp.
Gruden is certainly invested in seeing Mack back on the field as quickly as possible. Mack is the team’s most influential defensive player and pass rusher. He's averaged 12 sacks in each of the last three years and was the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
The Raiders will once again need him to be at his best this season for the team to make the type of impact they’re expecting in their first year under Gruden. But first, they will have to pay their star defender in order to see him get back to work.
Follow Us
Subscribe