Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

We heard yesterday he was getting an interview, and now the Raiders are making the hire official. Oakland is making Mike Mayock their new GM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. 

Mayock will be replacing Reggie McKenzie, who was fired earlier this month. While Mayock will get the title of general manager, coach Jon Gruden will still have final say over all personnel decisions, meaning Mayock will be working under Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it will be interesting to see how the new power structure gets along.

Mayock has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason, but this will be Mayock’s first time working in a front office. While it’s an outside the box hire, it’s not unheard of. Two offseasons ago the 49ers hired John Lynch from the broadcast booth to be their new GM.

The Raiders are in the middle of a rebuild, and facing an extremely important offseason. Thanks to their 4-12 record they own the fourth overall pick, and they also have first round picks from the Cowboys and Bears thanks to the Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack trades. While Gruden will have final say, Mayock will play a large role in a draft that the Raiders must hit on.

As the Raiders search for a general manager to replace Reggie McKenzie, one “strong candidate” has emerged from the pack. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that analyst Mike Mayock has interview for the team’s GM position is “firmly in the mix” for the open gig.

Garafolo cautions that Mayock is “one of a few” candidates for the position, noting that the Raiders have “kept their interviews quiet.” NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the Raiders have interviewed “at least one candidate who is a minority,” satisfying the Rooney Rule. Therefore, they’re allowed to make a hire at any time.

College scouting director Shaun Herock has been filling in for McKenzie as GM, and it sounds like the team could give him a look for the position. Current Raiders executive Joey Clinkscales could also establish himself as a candidate, especially after being listed on the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s annual list of minority candidates for general manager vacancies. However, the organization hasn’t publicly said that they’ll be keeping McKenzie’s former right-hand man.

We previously heard that longtime Giants general manager Jerry Reese had turned down the opportunity to interview for the Raiders’ GM opening. Other potential candidates include Jets director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger, Jaguars player personnel director Chris Polian, Lions exec Jimmy Raye III and Gruden’s former Buccaneers coworker Mark Domenik.

As our own Rory Parks previously pointed out, it currently seems that whoever serves as the Oakland GM right now would be little more than a figurehead and a yes man for head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has already been sullied by frequent reports of internal discord, and it is likely that the club will have difficulty attracting an established GM candidate.

Mayock would seem to fit that bill. The 60-year-old has worked with the NFL Network since 2004, and he’s currently serving as a draft analyst. The former safety has spent time as a commentator, analyst, and reporter for the NFL, CFL, and college football. The Redskins considered Mayock for their GM opening last offseason.