It appears as if Josh McDaniels is learning from his mistakes. Like many of Bill Belichick’s proteges, the longtime Patriots offensive coordinator seemingly tried to emulate the “Patriot Way” during his first head coaching stint with the Broncos, right down to running an illegal videotaping operation.
McDaniels is taking a different approach with the Raiders, says former Patriots safety Duron Harmon, who recently signed with Las Vegas.
“He’s trying to create a culture that is not the Patriot Way,” Harmon said Wednesday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “He’s said it over and over.”
Though McDaniels may be trying to build his own culture, he’s certainly taken a lot of ex-Patriots with him. The Raiders have signed Brandon Bolden, Jakob Johnson, Chandler Jones and Harmon this offseason. McDaniels hired three Patriots offensive assistants — Mick Lombardi, Bo Hardegree and Carmon Bricillo — as well. Former Patriots personnel head Dave Ziegler is in charge of the Raiders’ football operations department.
It’s apparent McDaniels and Ziegler are doing business differently than Belichick, however. The Raiders acquired Davante Adams for a first- and second-round pick, and then awarded the star wideout with a five-year, $141 million deal.
The Raiders and Derek Carr agreed to a three-year, $121.5 million extension Wednesday.
In other words, McDaniels and Ziegler are spending big on skill players, which is usually the opposite of Belichick’s approach. Maybe Harmon has a point after all.
