Ex-NFL GM slams Raiders owner Mark Davis for making "irrational" decisions amid team's struggles
Former Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi called Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis "irrational" after a series of decisions regarding the coaching staff. As part of their plans to revamp the offense, they signed Norv Turner, a longtime head coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL, to join the staff as a senior advisor.
During Thursday's edition of the "Pat McAfee Show," former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano asked Lombardi about the recent Raiders move. The former executive didn't mince words as he said that they have an identity problem, not a quarterback issue.
"Mark is been very irrational," Lombardi said. "He's made very quick decisions, and, you know, he's fallen in love. He's listened to a lot of the wrong people. I think, to me, I'm not sure he has enough confidence in listening to the right people. They've gotten worse since the year has begun, defensively, they haven't been anywhere where they were last year.
"So, you know, I think Antonio Pierce is grasping for straws here at this point, because how has he made the team better from a year ago when he took over as the interim coach? I think that's the real challenge in this offseason. Now he's talking about maybe starting Desmond Ridder at quarterback. I think they have more of an offensive problem than just a quarterback problem."
Las Vegas fired three members of its coaching staff on Sunday, including offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Raiders pass game coordinator Scott Turner was named interim offensive coordinator.
Scott is the son of Norv Turner, who coached the Raiders from 2004 to 2005, boasting a 9-23 record. Before becoming a head coach, he was the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys during their first two Super Bowl wins in the 1990s.
Las Vegas Raiders are one of the worst teams in the NFL this season
The Raiders started this season with a surprising 26-23 win over the 2023 AFC No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens. They were 2-1 after a Week 3 win over the Cleveland Browns. Since then, they haven't won a single game.
The last straw for Pierce was the 41-24 loss to the Bengals in Week 9, but if the situation doesn't improve, the former Giants defender could leave soon. Neither Gardner Minshew nor Aidan O'Connell have been the answer for Las Vegas and the crisis could worsen if the new signings don't work out.