Latest: Jakobi Meyers, Amari Cooper Retires, the Raiders Plans #raiders #amaricooper #jakobimeyers

Latest: Jakobi Meyers, Amari Cooper Retires, the Raiders Plans #raiders #amaricooper #jakobimeyers

Hello everybody. This is Hondao Carpenter, your Las Vegas Raiders beat writer on SI and the host of the Las Vegas Raiders insider podcast. It is great to be with you today. Obviously, it’s late on Thursday. I apologize. I love to get the uh podcast up earlier, but there’s been a lot going on. I want to obviously address the elephant in the room. Amari Cooper picks up the phone this morning, calls Pete Curl and says, “Listen, I’m out. Can’t do it. Can’t do it.” So regardless of your opinion, he could have t just he made the 53 man. He could have gone through the motions and taken the money. So if you’re mad at Amari, I I I get it. A lot of people felt like maybe he had not ended things the right way the last time he was here. I’m not arguing with that point. I’m just trying to be diplomatic. But the fact that he didn’t wait to do this, you know, after the season started where all his money be guaranteed, there is something to be said about that. Clearly, if I’m the Raiders, I’m calling Alex Bachmann up, who earned the right to be on this roster. He played good enough. Pete preached competition. He competed and he beat everybody. Um, I I want to be very fair. I don’t want to be a revisionist. There was nobody that had animist towards Amari making the team. So, I want to be fair about Well, I’m sure Alex probably did, but but there were a lot of people that were a little disappointed because they wanted to see Alex. They felt like he had earned it and they wanted to see him. And and so at the time of this taping, no moves been made yet. Um, I know the Raiders were looking for a wide receiver for a while, so they very well could go go that route, but if I’m the Raiders, I bring Alex Bachmann up. All he’s done is compete. There’s a song I remember hearing one time, all you do is win, win, win no matter what. Well, that’s what the kid did. I mean, that that is what Alex did. Your coach preached it. Make it so. Move Alex up. You’re already a young wide receiver court. So, I understand why they want some depth, but go do it. Now, let’s turn to some other news. I do not know where this came from, and I’ve looked for it. So, I want to say right up front, it may just be one an internet rumor. You know how that stuff gets going on the old interwebs. But what I’ll tell you is this. I had several people ask me today, email and ask um some on social media, but most emails, why did Jacobe turn down a $30 million a year extension for two years, 60 million large? And I laughed. However, being the experienced reporter I am, I reached out to someone with direct knowledge. Now, that ain’t a lot of people, but someone with direct knowledge who said to me that they had not seen that report, but that if there is a report, it is totally not based anywhere close to reality and it’s untruthful because the Raiders last offer was not even close. And I’m going to say this, I would love for him to get 30 million a year. I think he’s worth 30 million large. I don’t think they have to pay him that because I I don’t ever I don’t I I I rejoice when other people prosper. I don’t get mad about it. And so, but I don’t even think that’s a number. In fact, I I I can tell you that’s not the number that they’ve got to get to for Jacobe. So, wherever that came from, now I have not been able to find the report, but let’s assume it’s somebody who is a legitimate reporter. Don’t go attacking the reporter. You never know who told that reporter that. It may be somebody trying to make Jacobe look greedy because the team’s getting a lot of bad press. You don’t know who. Um, I remember one time a mom gave me something years ago. A mom gave me something and I was just really careful. She’d never been a correct and she’d never been a source at all. And I know that moms can get mad. So I and I and and and so I just waited and fettered it out and realized it was not accurate, but that was her baby. And I I don’t think she lied at all. But you just never know. I mean, how many times would someone’s mom be a good sour? I know this was not Jacob’s mom, but I’m just saying how many times would um a mom be a good source, but I’m just telling you. So, you if if it was a legitimate reporter and I couldn’t find it, so I don’t know. I don’t have an opinion. A lot of times people want to shoot the messenger. Well, there’s nothing to or get mad at the messenger, but you don’t know who told them. This is why having been in this business for so long, you you just kind of learn how to how to judge stuff. But this is a person with direct knowledge that literally laugh. Literally laugh. So, there you go. So, let’s move ahead now and let’s talk about this ball game on Sunday. 1:00 Eastern kickoff, 10:00 a.m. on the West Coast, CBS game. Lot of different angles here today. By the way, Chip Kelly and Patrick Graham, the two coordinators spoke today and they were fantastic. We’ve got the video up. Go watch it. Trust me, you will not regret it. Fantastic. And they were asking, both men got asked about being in the booth or being on the field. And uh Chip Kelly talked about how up on up in the booth you see the game better, but on the field you feel it better. I I I have heard that said a lot of different ways, but I thought Chip’s way of saying it was the best I’ve ever heard. Again, Patrick Graham gave almost the same answer. I like the way Chip said it better, but he basically said the same thing. And he talked about when you’re up top, you could have a Coke. He tried to lie and say a Diet Coke, but then he’s like, “All right, I gotta tell you the truth. It’s just a regular Coke.” Uh, and a Snickers. But um I I know a coach uh who wanted his defensive coordinator down on the field cuz defense is is the emotional part of the game and he thought his defensive coach was very much an emotional leader and wanted him on the field for that fourth quarter stand. I know another coach that wanted his offensive coordinator on the field because he had a very young offense and felt like the offensive coordinator was a very calming influence. I know another coach who wanted both coordinators upstairs because he had been a coordinator and he liked being able to see the field. I know another coach that wanted both his coordinators on the field because he wanted them to be able to feel it. I know coordinators who played the game that want to be on the field because it reminds them when they played it, they feel it. There’s there’s really there’s no right way. Don’t try to pigeon hole that. A lot of people want to pigeon hole and say, “Well, I want this and I I don’t care what you want. your your heart should be what are you going to do to get the most out of what you got? And so for me, that’s how I think you have to approach it. So, let’s talk a little bit about it. The front seven of the Patriots defense is the teeth of this defense led by Spills. Robert Spalain, former Raider captain, should have been resigned. Now, I have been bemoning this for a long time. He needed to be resigned since the last six weeks of the season. Okay, so let me make a couple points here. I have said and I stand by it. I don’t blame John Spyitech that Robert Splain did not get signed. It is about incon. It is about lack of consistency in the franchise. Some have taken that to believe it was Tom Tlesco that didn’t want to sign him. And I can tell you this unequivocally. Another source with direct knowledge. Both parties had talked. Tlesco was going to resign him. And then can All right. Spills was going to stay was going to be here. And again, I’m not blaming Spy Techch. It’s because of the inconsistency with the franchise. I’m We’re going to talk about Jacobe. I mean I mean in a minute when we end. And if that situation doesn’t work out, that’s all on Spy Tech. He owns this, but he doesn’t own spills and it’s not fair. So don’t and but don’t blame Tlesco because of what I said. Um, but that front seven led by Spills is enormous. And again, can’t blame Tlesco was his intent and and Spills’s intent to stay, but that front seven. So, Vrabel’s history is he wants to take away the run every time. Bellich and Vrabel’s a Bellich disciple was a little bit different. He would take what the team did best and try to take that away from him. So if Bellichic was coaching, and he’s not, Bellich would be saying, “Okay, beat us with the run. Make the rookie prove he can run against us because our our front seven’s really good. We’re going to stop Brock Bowers and Jacobe Myers because you got an experienced quarterback. We’re going to stop that. Make Ashton beat us.” So it’s going to be really interesting. Did Did Vrabel change being out of football for that year? Does he approach this game like a Bellich check disciple or does he stay true to who Vrabel is? That’s going to be something we’re going to tell early. Going to be able to tell this really early in the game and I’m looking forward to that. And so if I’m the Raiders, I’m going in with the intent to be balanced. I want to run what I want to run past when I want to run. And but if you’re going to sit back and dare me to beat you with action, okay, I’ll do that. Then use the play action pass. If you’re going to say no, we’re going to stop the run. I’ll go over the top. Fine. Merry Christmas. But that’s how you attack and win this game offensively. Defensively, it’s very unique. Patrick Graham has a tremendous relationship. tremendous relationship with Josh McDaniel and he’s coached with him. He’s coached for him. He knows how Josh thinks. He knows how Josh operates. Now, obviously Josh has had some time to change and alter some things. And um you know when when you look at them, they had Tom Brady, then they drafted a rookie who was an allp pro his first year. The only real um M. Jones, the only real running quarterback experience he’s had is with Cam Newton. So, I know the Raiders went back and reviewed some Cam Newton film and and no, Drake May’s not Cam Newton, but he certainly is a lot more Cam Newton than he’s Tom Brady or Mac. Jones to look at some things that that um Josh did just to really get a feel of that. So that’s going to be fascinating chess game. But the Raiders are are going to be a lot too. Their strength is that front seven. And quite frankly, I think you can make an argument that’s strength on their defense is nine of their 11. Chin and IPM are pretty darn good football players. So, you know, the Raiders are going to say, “Okay, we’re going to take an approach to what the Antonio Pierce led New York Gmen did, beating Tom Brady and what many thought was the best team in football history in the Super Bowl. We’re going to come at you with that front seven. I mean, and with that front four and be able to drop seven guys, occasionally blitz somebody, but you’re you’re never going to know when. And if the Raiders are able to get pressure and move Drake May, now you’re going to want to keep him in the pocket, but get some pressure to force him to throw quick, I think helps them. If Drake May is back there running at will or send him back there with no pressure, and the Raiders have to blitz, this game’s over. They’re going to lose. But if the Raiders are able to keep him in the pocket, force them to hurry, I think that’s a great recipe for a Raider win. So, let me talk about this real quick. Three big keys for this game. Number one, got to win the turnover battle. Now, many of you, because our audience has grown exponentially, are not aware of the rule of five. This is something I’ve preached about for years covering football. Here’s the rule of five. That’s this. The game is considered over if the Las Vegas Raiders win this key statistical battle. The rule of five involves sacks and turnovers. For example, if the Raiders retrieve three sacks and allow two, they have a net score of plus one. If they force a turnover and if they force four turnovers and allow only one, the score improves to plus three. Okay, now watch this. In total, a plus4 score for the day would be achieved. However, the Raiders aim to accomplish a plus five ratio in every game. Why? Because on average, teams that attain the rule of five win 91% of their games. The rule of five. I was taught that years ago by a coach years ago by a very successful coach who taught and preached the rule of five. So it’s not mine. I did not invent it. So number one is the rule of five. And so the Raiders have got to win the battle of turnovers and win the rule of five. Number two, they’ve got to to they they can’t get pigeon holed. They can’t get in positions where the Patriots know they have to pass. That’s why early in preseason I made a big hoot nanny when I think it was third and five or third and seven they ran the ball against San Francisco and Ashton Ginty got the first down. Enormous. Cuz they sent a message to everybody. We’re going to we’re going to run when we want and pass when we want. That’s why you can’t get in the fourth quarter down a couple scores where they know you got to pass. The Raiders when when you get onedimensional, that’s not where the Raiders strength is. And the third key, and this is a big key, is they’ve got to be able to get contained pressure on Drake May from the front four. That’s the key to this game. Now, I think the Raiders win it. And I think they win it for a few reasons. Number one, this is the most healthy they’re going to be all year. If they played this game in November, I would not expect him to win. Number one. Number two, Josh McDaniels. I know a lot of you just plain hate him. He’s a wonderful guy. I like him personally. I think he’s an awesome coordinator. Terrible head coach, but his system is very difficult. So, you have a young quarterback learning a new system. I think once they get that thing rolling, it’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. But early, I think they’re catching them at the right time. All right. The other thing is is seven new players on that defense. There’s going to be some adjustment and I like the Raiders defense better than I like the defense um of the Patriots. So, it’s going to be an interesting I think it’s going to be a close game, but who cares? I want to address two more issues. One of them is going to be the the Jacobe situation. But one more thing about this game that I think is very crucial, very crucial, and that is is this very simple. The Raider Nation needs some red meat. They’ve been sold for nearly over two decades. Just win, just win, just win. and the team hasn’t. And these fans are amazing. And Raider fans are so smart. I told you this. I lived in Vegas about a year and I’m at a Smith’s grocery store on Sunset in Henderson and this old lady wants to talk to me about Colton Miller’s feet. That that’s Raider fan. I did a national interview today and on there I talked about, you know, the the black hole. Everyone thinks it’s a bunch of costumes and that it it’s doctors and the unemployed. It is Republicans and Democrats and independents. It’s atheists, Christians, Muslims, Jews. It is black, like black, white, brown, yellow, red. It is rich and poor. But one thing that group all has in common is they know football and they love it. And so they just they’re remember that old song just give me something to believe in. They just want something to believe. They want something to say, look at we’re taking a step. Listen, Antonio Pierce is is not was not fired because they didn’t get to a Super Bowl. It was because they they just didn’t show that they were taking the steps. Just didn’t show it. And and they weren’t. They’re just asking Pete, give us something to believe in. Now, they could very well lose this game because I think it is a razor’s edge. And if they lose, it’s not the end of the world. They’re going to they can sneak a game later in the year. I told you I don’t think Chicago’s good. I don’t think Dallas is good. And I got them losing both of those games. And I want you can go to go back and watch my podcast to know why. But I wouldn’t be shocked with a win there in either one or both. So, it’s not the end of the world. But man, give your team something cuz then you go home the next week to a Monday night game against a team who’s even if they bring all 18 of their fans, you’re going to have a homefield advantage. And then your crowd’s going to be wild. You got Pete Carol, you got Gino, you got Ashton, you got Brocker, yada yada yada yada. And your team just won a big road game. that place will be rocking. Just give them some red meat. Now listen, this game is not Pete’s not going to lose his job, nor should he. That’s not what I’m talking about. But this game is so big. Just give Raider Nation some red meat. Lastly, I want to address the Jacobe thing. Get this guy paid. It’s not going to cost you 30 large for two years, 60 large. It’s not going to cost that. And this is shaping up to be a real problem. And I’ve been hammering on this for months. Pay the man. If he has a great year and you say, “Well, we can just franchise him.” You’re going to way overpay him when you could assign him with a two-year extension for a lot less money. If you don’t play him much because you want to really get a bunch of rookies and young players experience, then the value of your compensation pick goes down. And if you play them all out and let him walk at the end of one year, okay, so you get a fourth round compensation piece. Okay, when you could have trade him for a heck of a lot better pick this year. The only way this works out from the Raiders and god forbid is if he gets hurt and then you let him walk because well, he didn’t have a good year. And and obviously he’s part of your plans. You want him to have a big year. So you want that he’s not a drama. You know how now listen I talked with a source directly close like I said earlier that told me that report which I couldn’t find was not based in reality. I am telling you as of Thursday night I do not believe there’s any intention on his part to hold out. Don’t believe that at all. Could that change? Sure could. I don’t anticipate it. You got a guy that wants to be here, Raider Nation. He’s not out there saying, “Well, I’m going to test free agency and get all the money.” No, he he wants to be here. No diva. Doesn’t drop the football. Great in the locker room. This literally is nonsensical. pay the man or you’re going to overpay or get less than his. Hey, if you said, you know what, we just think our young guys are going to be that good and we don’t need to pay a a wide receiver one. Okay, I disagree with that, but okay, I could live with that. Then you trade them earlier in the off season where you could have gotten a lot. There’s value there. A lot more than a four and they could have traded him last year. But no. So again, if you don’t think he’s part of the long-term plan, then you got to let him go for value. You already know this team isn’t a Super Bowl team. So you take your lumps and you say to Raider fans, listen, we love Jacobe, great guy, but he wasn’t part of our long-term plans. So, we traded him because we wanted to get value for him. You know what? Raider fan may think, “Ah, that sucks because we wanted to keep Jacobe.” But Raider Fan is smart and Raider Fan says, “Okay, great. Okay, don’t agree, but I get it.” Or, “Hey, we agree. Okay, let’s go.” Thinking about the future, pay the man, get it done. But I can tell you right now, as of Thursday night, it is 4:59 Pacific time. Don’t see him trading. I don’t see him holding out. Could change, but talking to somebody who would know that was not the plan. So, there you go. There you go. All right, everybody. Thank you for joining me tonight. We’ll see you all tomorrow. Don’t forget, go watch that. Uh, Patrick Graham and Chip Kelly going to have a lot of video over the weekend for you. A lot of video tomorrow. Just hang in there. It’s gonna be a good time. We’ll see you all soon.

Latest: Jakobi Meyers, Amari Cooper Retires, the Raiders Plans #raiders #amaricooper #jakobimeyers