The Las Vegas Raiders' season has come careening off the tracks, and ahead of Monday night's showdown against the Detroit Lions, head coach Josh McDaniels gave his players the floor to clear the air during a recent team meeting.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, McDaniels opened the meeting up for players to vent, amid a 3-4 start to the season that has fallen woefully short of preseason expectations.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay: The #Raiders held a passionate team meeting this week to clear the air; #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray took some first-team reps this week; #Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey is expected to debut for Miami today. pic.twitter.com/AOc5ibBbvW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2023
"Coach Josh McDaniels, I'm told, opened the floor in a team meeting on Thursday to players, allowing them to voice all the frustrations that at times have bubbled over publicly during the team's 3-4 start. Guys like Maxx Crosby, Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs all spoke up — but so did players from every area of the roster," Pelissero said on NFL Network's The Insiders.
Leading up to the team meeting, veteran wide receiver Davante Adams had previously voiced his displeasure over his usage and the Raiders' trajectory, in his second season since being traded to Vegas from the Green Bay Packers, leading to his name being floated as a possible trade candidate ahead of the deadline.
These sort of meetings can foreshadow a team packing it in, which wouldn't be all that surprising given the fact that McDaniels has been suggested by league sources as likely being on the hot seat. Likewise, the timing shouldn't be shocking, given that the Raiders are reeling after falling to the Chicago Bears, led by backup undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Tyler Bagent in Week 7.
Monday night could be telling about both where the Raiders go from here, the rest of this season, and if the meeting had any impact whatsoever when it comes to potential personnel or schematic changes, coming off one of the biggest losses of the season and ahead of a clash against a likely playoff contender.
