Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Wednesday 5 september 2018
Gruden explains Raiders' decision to trade Khalil Mack

By JOSH DUBOW of it certainly weighs in," Oakland has already cut
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Gruden said. "We've got ties with its second-round
Jon Gruden didn't mince free agents on our team picks from 2015, '16 and '17
words. that are going to be (up) in Mario Edwards Jr., Jihad
As excited as he was to next year; we've got to find Ward and Obi Melifonwu
coach Khalil Mack in his a way to bring them back. and has only 11 of the 50
second stint with Oak- So you've got to field a 53- draft choices that general
land, Gruden believes the man roster and there are manager Reggie McKenzie
right move ultimately was some implications of hav- made from 2012-17 on the
to trade Mack to give the ing two players making 53-man roster.
Raiders the draft picks and that much money. That's That has contributed to the
salary cap room needed to no mystery to anybody." Raiders having the oldest
rebuild a depleted roster. The Bears were willing to roster in the league and the
"It wasn't my goal to trade commit that money in part desire for more draft picks.
Khalil when we got here," because they have quar- "We're trying to hit on the
Gruden said Sunday. "One terback Mitchell Trubisky on draft," Gruden said. "We're
of the reasons I'm here is a rookie deal. The Los An- trying to draft and devel-
because of him. Unfortu- In this Dec. 24, 2016, file photo, Oakland Raiders defensive end geles Rams gave $87 mil- op. Obviously the last three
nately, we had a standoff Khalil Mack (52) rushes against the Indianapolis Colts during an lion guaranteed to Aaron draft classes we haven't
with a contract, and we NFL football game in Oakland, Calif. Donald this past week in got a lot of production out
could not come to terms. what was the richest de- of yet. I don't think there's
The Bears made us an of- sixth-rounder next year and That's the richest deal ever fensive contract for one anybody left from the '13
fer of two first-round draft a third-rounder in 2020. for a defensive player and day until Mack surpassed draft. The '15, '16, '17 (class-
choices and here we are Oakland also included its nowhere near where the it, but they also have quar- es), not much production
today." second-round selection Raiders were willing to go terback Jared Goff on a at all. With that being said,
The Raiders made the in 2020 and a conditional after already committing rookie contract. you have to fill holes."
blockbuster trade on Sat- fifth-rounder that year in $25 million a year to quar- The Raiders don't have that Gruden didn't want to sec-
urday, dealing one of the the trade. terback Derek Carr. luxury and have several ond-guess the approach
game's most dominant Mack then immediately "It's tough when you have holes to fill on a team that the Raiders took with Mack
defensive players to Chi- signed a six-year, $141 mil- two players that are the went 6-10 last year and after exercising the fifth-
cago for first-round draft lion extension with the Bears highest paid at their posi- has gotten little production year option on his rookie
picks in 2019 and 2020, a that guarantees $90 million. tions, so the economic part from recent draft classes. deal worth $13.8 million.q
COLIN KAEPERNICK Kaepernick also posted cided individually to not
Continued from Page 18 a Nike ad featuring his sign Kaepernick.
Country music star John face and wrote: "Believe A similar grievance is still
Rich tweeted a picture of in something, even if it pending by former 49ers
one of his crew members means sacrificing every- teammate Eric Reid, a Pro
holding the tops of a cut thing. (Hashtag) JustDoIt" Bowl safety who joined in
pair of Nike socks, with the Kaepernick already had a the protests.
caption: "Get ready @Nike deal with Nike that was set On Friday night, Kaeper-
multiply that by the mil- to expire, but it was rene- nick and Reid, also now out
lions." The tweet garnered gotiated into a multiyear of the league, were each
about 10,000 retweets and deal to make him one of given huge ovations when
30,000 likes, plus thousands the faces of Nike's 30th an- they were introduced and
of critical comments. niversary "Just Do It" cam- shown on the big screen
Rich, part of the duo Big paign, according to a per- during a match between
& Rich and a former con- son familiar with the con- Serena and Venus Williams
testant of President Don- tract. The person spoke to at the U.S. Open.
ald Trump's reality show The Associated Press on Meanwhile, the league
"The Celebrity Apprentice," condition of anonymity and players union still
said he supported the right because Nike hasn't offi- haven't resolved whether
to protest but Nike lost his cially announced the con- players will be punished
support when it endorsed tract. this season if they choose
Kaepernick. The person said Nike will to kneel or demonstrate
Trump, a frequent critic of feature Kaepernick on during the national an-
protesting NFL players, did several platforms, includ- them. Owners approved
not weigh in Tuesday morn- ing billboards, television a policy requiring players
ing even though he has commercials and online This image taken from the Twitter account of the former National to stand if they are on the
Football League player Colin Kaepernick shows a Nike adver-
loudly urged the league ads. Nike also will create tisement featuring him that was posted Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. sideline during "The Star-
to suspend or fire players an apparel line for Kaepe- Associated Press Spangled Banner," allow-
who demonstrate during rnick and contribute to his ing them to stay off the
the anthem, repeatedly Know Your Rights charity, through 2028. cause of his protests of so- field if they wish.
diving into what has devel- the person said. The deal Last week, Kaepernick cial injustice. But the league and union
oped into one of the most puts Kaepernick in the top scored a legal victory in his Kaepernick contends the put that on hold after the
contentious debates in the bracket of NFL players with grievance against the NFL owners violated their col- Miami Dolphins faced
sports world. Nike. and its 32 teams when an lective bargaining agree- backlash for classifying
Kaepernick's attorney Nike also provides all NFL arbitrator allowed his case ment with players by con- the protests as conduct
Mark Geragos announced teams with game-day uni- to continue to trial. The spiring to keep him off potentially detrimental
the endorsement deal on forms and sideline appar- quarterback claims that teams. His case hinges on to the team — putting
Twitter, calling Kaepernick el, a partnership that was owners conspired to keep whether owners worked players at risk of fines or
an "All American Icon." extended in March to run him out of the league be- together rather than de- suspensions.q