NFL Rumors: Chris Jones update, Love hurt by Packers injuries, Raiders drama
- Josh McDaniels is acting like Chandler Jones situation isn't happening
- Jordan Love's Packers debut could have some hurdles amid injuries
- Chris Jones gives an update on negotiations, Week 1 status
NFL Rumors: Josh McDaniels acts like Raiders-Chandler Jones drama doesn't exist
On Tuesday, Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones went off on the organization and head coach Josh McDaniels on Instagram in a series of since-deleted posts. It seemed as if it was spurred on by Jones being locked out of the team's gym facilities.
In the rant against the franchise, Jones stated plainly that he didn't want to play for the Raiders as long as McDaniels was the coach. That was the most eye-popping point, without question. So naturally, the head coach was asked about the situation with Jones and the pass-rusher's subsequent absence from practice on Wednesday.
Curiously -- to put it kindly -- McDaniels acted as if there wasn't a problem. The Raiders head coach told the media, via Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, "There's nothing to talk about. He's not going to be here today."
If there was nothing to talk about, I doubt reporters would be asking the question.
In reality, McDaniels seems to be setting himself up for quite a bit of controversy. Even before catching the ire of Jones this week, he alienated Derek Carr and forced his ultimate departure from the Raiders this offseason while also leading the team to a dismal campaign. He replaced him with a later-at-best move of signing Jimmy Garoppolo and the overall roster got worse, not exactly setting himself up for a rebound season.
Now he's handling this controversy like he's Bill Belichick. But there's the issue. McDaniels, like many Belichick disciples before him, try to be their mentor when they get a head coaching job before they earn the caché and gravitas that Belichick has. There's a reason a man with more Super Bowl rings than he can wear on one hand can be prickly and mysterious with the media -- he's got the accolades behind him to prove his process.
McDaniels has none of that. In fact, he's still yet to prove he's a good coach. And while the Chandler Jones drama doesn't appear to be subsiding, the Raiders head coach is only making himself look worse.