Chandler Jones, a talented defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, recently took to his Instagram Stories to express his unhappiness with the team.
Just five days before the start of the NFL season, he made it clear that he was not pleased with the Raiders’ organization. Chandler mentioned that he had trouble accessing the team’s gym facilities and went on to say that he didn’t want to play for the Raiders as long as Josh McDaniels was the head coach and Dave Ziegler was the general manager.
This situation adds to the existing sense of uncertainty surrounding the Raiders as they head into the new season. Earlier in the offseason, star wide receiver Davante Adams hinted at his dissatisfaction with the organization. He acknowledged that the unexpected change at quarterback, from Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo, would impact his performance, as he and Carr had a close relationship dating back to their college days at Fresno State.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano even speculated that if the offense struggles under Garoppolo’s leadership, Adams might become a trade candidate midway through the season.
Chandler Jones’ concerns seem to be separate from Adams’ situation. This public display of dissatisfaction certainly puts the Raiders in an uncomfortable position right before the start of the season. It’s worth noting that Jones signed a substantial three-year, $51 million deal with the Raiders as a free agent in March 2022.
This deal marked a reunion between Jones and McDaniels, as they had previously worked together for four seasons with the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2015. In his first season with the Raiders, Jones recorded 15 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks in 15 starts. McDaniels, meanwhile, is entering his second season as the head coach of the Raiders, coming off a 6-11 record in 2022.
In April, Jones restructured his contract to reduce his base salary for the current season, but he still carries a significant $14.2 million cap hit. Notably, if the Raiders decide to part ways with him, there’s a substantial $25.9 million dead cap figure associated with his contract.
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The Raiders are set to kick off their season against the Denver Broncos this Sunday at Empower Field. It remains to be seen how these recent developments will impact the team’s performance and chemistry as they embark on the new season.