Jon Gruden's trade of Amari Cooper may have crushed whatever was left of Raiders' moral

On this issue of "Jon Gruden's Raiders Seem to be Imploding," a report Wednesday quoted that "nobody is happy" with the trades of Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack. Another Oakland player went much further than that, describing Cooper's sudden, unexplained departure this week as "a knockout punch."

A picture is a newcomer to the past, but it's a little bit more important than anything else. It is not possible that the team has gotten off to a 1-5 start, with Gruden's moves appearing to reflect a strategy apart.

Derek Carr felt that he had shed tears during a seahawks and said he still wanted to be a Raider. These comments have been made in the past by a team member, and if it is any consolation to him, his fellow Oakland players may be more dysfunctional.

Telling the Athletic Vic Tafur in comments published Wednesday that "of course" he was "concerned about the locker room," Raiders tight end Lee Smith said, "Guys do not work their [butts] off year-round because they are worried about the team being good in two or three years. They work hard to win. Now. "

"Nobody was happy when we traded Khalil. And nobody is happy that we traded Amari, "Smith continued. "How could you be? You never want to trade elite, homegrown talent. "

The eighth-year tight end, in his fourth season with the Raiders, noted that it makes sense for Gruden to be "thinking long term" saying, "It's no secret that he got a 10-year contract." However, some of the coach's comments to the team about being competitive and not "tanking" this season could be ringing painfully hollow these days.

"You have to wonder if we have not been playing for picks all along," an unidentified Raiders player told Tafur. "Despite everything the coaches told us at training camp."

"The Mack trade was a real stiff jab," another anonymous player said. "But the Cooper one was like a knockout punch, especially because we had just walked in the door from the bye. We did not want to believe it was coming, and Coach said we were not going to trade him. "

A Third Raider, per Tafur, summed up the growing distrust of Gruden by saying, "When you say it and you are two different things, there is a problem. We all have to believe in each other and pull in one direction. "

Some of the dynamics in the Raiders 'locker room may have been all too familiar to a few players who were on Gruden' s Buccaneers teams from 2002 to 2008, before he spent a decade in the "Monday Night Football" booth. For instance, Jeff Garcia could probably explain a thing or two to Carr, given that he told Sports Illustrated in July that the 2008 season featured "probably the most uncomfortable quarterback room I've ever been a part of in my entire career."

"The mix of personalities did not blend," said Garcia, who was 38 during that season, "and there was not any support for whoever was the starter at the time."

Former Bucs wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson told IF that Gruden "was not as genuine" as some of the media at the time seemed to believe, and other ex-players said they had trouble where they stood with the coach.

Gruden may have done a little bit of this coaching stint, as Smith told the Athletic that the 55-year-old "has been clear about its open-door policy." they can go to their office and tell him, "it would be a good idea to have a good job.

"I think we're going to be here," said Oakland player said. "We are just waiting to see if we will be here next week."

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