3 Dave Ziegler mistakes Raiders still have to undo
By Simon Shortt
Dave Ziegler was let go as the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday morning, coinciding with the firing of now-former head coach Josh McDaniels.
He was with the Raiders for less than two years after taking the job in January 2022. In that time, Ziegler and McDaniels made many questionable decisions -- decisions the team is still paying for, and may have to continue paying for.
Neither a full rebuild nor getting this team to title contention are things that can happen quickly. That said, here are three Dave Ziegler mistakes the Raiders can undo relatively quickly.
3. Trading for Davante Adams
Less than two months after his hiring, Ziegler traded his first and second-round picks to acquire Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. They then gave Adams a five-year, $140 million contract extension.
Ziegler and McDaniels believed they could continue to push the team into competing after their playoff birth the season before. To capitalize on that belief they went "all-in" on the star receiver.
Trading for Adams hasn't been a mistake because of anything the 30-year-old receiver did wrong. Adams was an All-Pro last year and led the league in touchdowns. Instead, the mistake was spending a high investment on an older player when fundamentally the offense had much bigger issues.
Less than a year after the trade, Ziegler released quarterback Derek Carr, Adams' college teammate, and brought in Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo has already missed two of the Raiders' games and leads the league in interceptions.
Luckily, correcting this mistake would be a very easy fix for the franchise. There's no reason Adams can't yield at least a first-round pick ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, though there are complications still with a trade financially. Whether it's Champ Kelly or a different GM come the spring, moving Davante Adams will be the first step in correcting some of Ziegler's mistakes.