Raiders GM Mayock: Lynn Bowden trade was a football decision – NFL.com

The Las Vegas Raiders made a surprise carry on cutdown day, sending third-round choice Lynn Bowden together with a sixth-round pick to Miami for a fourth-rounder.

” Quite frankly, I think the position change is a challenging one in any year but its exaggerated in a COVID-19 year with no offseason. Youre taking a kid that was a slot receiver in 18, a quarterback in 19 and asking him to play running back in 20. Since of that, we felt like we had to make a move.

Mayock taking the blame for the busted experiment acknowledges the trouble in an athletic player making a position switch. Blaming COVID-19 is fair, however Mayock could have expected the problem considered that the draft had actually currently been altered and it was possible to see at the time that much of the offseason program was going to be changed. True, he may not have thought the preseason would have been erased, but we knew it wasnt going to be a regular offseason.

Despite a report out of Vegas that the Raiders were interested in off-field issues, general supervisor Mike Mayock stated Sunday that the choice to trade Bowden had only to do with the novices on-field play.

The choice to cut bait on a third-round choice was a shocker given the reward money already paid and the draft capital utilized. Saying bye-bye to an early-round choice before hes even seen the field is a rarity.

Since of that, we felt like we had to make a relocation. In the end, the Raiders deciding it wasnt worth hanging on to Bowden to provide him more time to adjust speaks loudest. Well see if Mayock and the Raiders were right in their evaluation that Bowden would not fit at RB.

In the end, the Raiders deciding it wasnt worth holding on to Bowden to offer him more time to change speaks loudest. The very best groups admit their mistakes and proceed. If Mayock and the Raiders were right in their examination that Bowden would not fit at RB, well see.

The Dolphins reportedly prepare to move the novice back to WR, which could be a more natural area for the athletic Bowden.

Bowden supposedly didnt look explosive throughout Raiders camp and struggled mightily when asked to pass secure, which should not have been unexpected given the position switch.

Bowdens situation, however, had actually difficulty written all over it from the start. A former receiver-turned-quarterback was attempting to become a running back at the professional level. Combine a currently tough position switch with a scrapped offseason program, no preseason games and an odd training camp, and this year wasnt conducive to such a move.

” No. 1, it was a football choice only,” Mayock said Sunday, through The Athletic. “Character, off-the-field, the kid did absolutely nothing incorrect. He came to work every day.

Bowdens situation, nevertheless, had problem written all over it from the start. Integrate a currently tough position switch with a scrapped offseason program, no preseason video games and an odd training camp, and this year wasnt conducive to such a relocation.