Ex-Raiders GM explains why Jon Gruden was 'frustrated' in 2021 offseason

After taking over as the head coach of the Raiders for the second time in 2018, Jon Gruden was frustrated with the lack of cash the team had on hand for free agency in 2021.

Former Raiders general manager Mike Mayock revealed on 3 and out with John Middlekauf (h/t Raiders Beat) that the COVID-19 pandemic left the franchise short on cash for free agency that year, which was obviously an issue for Gruden.

“I got there the last year in Oakland in 2019 and Mark Davis’s financial situation was probably one of the least positive in the league,” Mayock said. “Then in 2020, our first year in Vegas, COVID hits and we have no fans, no income, no revenue. So, we had to structure contracts a certain way with our guarantees, different than a lot of teams, and that [was] frustrating because we didn’t have as much cash as a lot of other teams around the league did. Jon [Gruden] would get frustrated [and say] ‘Look at the Chargers. Look what they did. Look what this team did. Why can’t we do that?’”

“We just couldn’t [do what other teams were doing],” Mayock continued, “and that’s ok as long as you know going in what the situation is and how you have to structure your cash.”

The Raiders had a relatively tame offseason that year but still managed to go 10-7, with seven of those wins coming after Gruden was let go.

The bigger issue during the Gruden-Mayock era was the fact that they whiffed on several picks. Had they done better, it could have alleviated the need to depend on free agency.