Despite hiring the most sought-after head coach on the market this offseason, the Oakland Raiders find themselves sitting at 0-2, largely because of the lack of any pass rush on defense.
That situation is slightly awkward since the Raiders traded away the best pass rusher in the entire league before the season after deciding he wasn’t worth the money.
When asked about the defensive struggles during a press conference Wednesday, Jon Gruden addressed the media by saying, “It’s hard to find a great pass-rusher.” This is of course despite the fact that the Raiders had Khalil Mack on their roster a few weeks ago.
Jon Gruden said that it’s “hard to find a great pass rusher…” pic.twitter.com/7QC7KpnKEh
— DeMarcus Davis (@DeMarcusRFNET) September 19, 2018
Meanwhile in Chicago, Khalil Mack is leading the most fearsome pass rush in the NFL, racking up more stats (excluding tackles) than Oakland’s entire 11-man defense by himself with two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Despite everything, Gruden told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN that “It doesn’t make me regret the trade.”
The Raiders got two first-round picks in exchange for Mack. If Gruden is able to find a “great pass-rusher,” perhaps they can’t find a replacement for Khalil Mack that resembles, well, Khalil Mack.