The Raiders ultimately concluded the town wasn’t big enough for Derek Carr and Khalil Mack.
It’s the biggest factor in an expected deal first reported by ESPN that will likely get the Raiders two first-round draft picks and possibly more.
The Raiders could have afforded Mack in terms of actual dollars but thought the price tag was too high for someone who plays defense in a league designed to reward the offense.
Jon Gruden, the Raiders head coach and decision-maker, is an offensive guy. General manager Reggie McKenzie, a former linebacker whose job it is to build the team to Gruden’s specifications, would have done things differently.