Trading a first-round pick for a star receiver and promptly making him the highest-paid wideout in the league. Signing a Pro Bowl pass-rusher to big money. Hiring an actual coaching staff.
Josh McDaniels is already making the most of his second opportunity to lead an NFL franchise. He’s starting off by doing everything that Bill Belichick wouldn’t.
The protege is bucking his mentor.
The Raiders have been aggressively adding pieces this offseason, just like everybody else in the star-studded AFC West. Their biggest move came Thursday, when they traded two draft picks, including a first-round selection, to the Packers for Davante Adams. Shortly thereafter, it was reported the Raiders inked Adams to a contract worth $141.25 million over five years, which amounts to a cool $28.25 million per season.
“Josh McDaniels was so sick of game-planning without a No. 1 wide receiver he traded for the No. 1 receiver in the whole league less than two months on the job,” tweeted the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan.
It’s hard to argue with that point. The Patriots ran out a barren collection of skill players in 2019 and 2020 — Matt LaCosse at tight end, Damiere Byrd at receiver — and lacked explosion last season. McDaniels was forced to work with less.
Now he’ll be working with Derek Carr, Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller.
Talk about an upgrade.
McDaniels seemingly mimicked Belichick when he coached the Broncos, immediately alienating Jay Cutler and even running his own JV-level illegal videotaping operation. The offensive whizkid didn’t last two full seasons.
Twelve years later, McDaniels may have taken Belichick’s top personnel guy and coaches with him, but he’s left behind the austerity. McDaniels and Dave Ziegler are building a high-priced juggernaut, and a roster that can match up with the best in the AFC.
The AFC West promises to be the toughest division in football next season. The Broncos added Russell Wilson and Randy Gregory; the Chargers nabbed Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson; the Chiefs are awesome. But the Raiders are keeping up. They matched Gregory and Mack with Chandler Jones, and are rumored to be pursuing Stephon Gilmore.
The Patriots, lest we remind you, mishandled Gilmore’s injury and contract situation before trading him to the Panthers for a sixth-round pick.
There is a long line of Belichick disciples who tried to copy him and failed miserably. Many of them wind up back in Foxborough, just like McDaniels last time around.
He’s going for a better encore performance.
