The Khalil Mack trade was one of the biggest blockbusters seen in the NFL over the past five years. Nobody thought the Oakland Raiders (now in Las Vegas) would actually trade their superstar pass rusher. They were wrong. The arrival of the headstrong Jon Gruden coupled with a desire to avoid paying Mack top money pushed the Raiders to find a Boyer. The Chicago Bears came calling and two worked out a trade. Mack and two picks went to the Bears while the Raiders got two 1st rounders, a 3rd rounder, and a 6th rounder.
With the first of those 1st rounder, Las Vegas took Alabama running back Josh Jacobs. He ran for over 1,100 yards in 13 games as a rookie but ended up on Injured Reserve. Hopes were high that Gruden and GM Mike Mayock would make good on the second pick to really show they’d gotten great value in exchange for Mack. They ended up taking Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette.
A move that many around the NFL question according to Albert Breer of the MMQB.
NFC scout: “Damon Arnette to Oakland seemed like a reach.”
AFC college scouting director: “Arnette to the Raiders. Good player but could have gotten him later and it is a high price to pay for a guy with questionable character.”
NFC exec: “The one where we were happy with was when Vegas took Arnette. That was a head-scratcher. He’s a good player, but most teams had second/third, every time we interviewed him, he was late, there was always something. … They vouch for him at the school, and he brings juice. But giving him money in Vegas would scare me a little.”
Khalil Mack trade appears to favor Bears in long run
NFL.com had Arnette ranked as the 13th-best cornerback in the draft. The concerns with him centered around limited fluidity and a lack of true speed. He also has a history of letting his emotions get the best of him. He almost quit football altogether before the 2019 season. There is hope he can end up being a good player, but few believe he’ll be much more than that. The same can be said for Jacobs.
So was the trade worth it for the Raiders? Most expect Mack will end up in the Hall of Fame. The Bears just gave him a ton of extra help this offseason by adding Robert Quinn at outside linebacker and Jaylon Johnson to their pass coverage. He should have a productive 2020 and plenty of seasons to come. Jacobs and Arnette would really have to outplay their respective draft evaluations to validate Gruden sending him on his way. Especially if Cole Kmet, whom the Bears picked with the 2nd round selection they got back in that trade, ends up being a good player.
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