FAQ » offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said. "I'd have mor

Two days after the Oakland Raiders shipped Pro Bowl defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster deal that sent shock waves throughout the NFL Joe Mixon Jersey White , many of Mack's former teammates were still trying to come to terms with it.Quarterback Derek Carr, who heard the news while sitting down to eat breakfast, was stunned. Defensive tackle Justin Ellis called it a bittersweet moment. Others, like linebacker Bruce Irvin and offensive lineman Donald Penn, declined to talk about it.Carr, who developed a close bond with Mack after the two entered the NFL together as the Raiders' first two draft picks in 2014, was particularly rattled by the trade."It's not what anybody wanted, I think that's clear," Carr said Monday. "But it is what it is, it's part of the business. It's one of those sucky things that happen. The hardest part for me is, obviously you lose a good football player, but he's my brother. That's one of my best friends."Mack, the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, was traded to the Bears after skipping the Raiders' offseason workouts and holding out in training camp for a new contract.Oakland, which included a second-round pick in 2020 and a conditional fifth-rounder in the deal, received Chicago's first-round picks in the next two years along with a sixth-round selection in 2019 and a third-round pick in 2020.Shortly after the trade, Mack signed the richest deal ever given to a defensive player: six years, $141 million Womens Darqueze Dennard Jersey , with $90 million guaranteed."It was very difficult for us . but it was also like a bittersweet moment for us," Ellis said. "He got what he wanted and we know it's a part of the business. A lot of people were texting me and calling me like, 'Say it ain't true.' But it's true."Several players took to social media to express their shock and disbelief after the deal was announced. Carr posted 'No way' on Twitter. Irvin had a similar, albeit more colorful, message.Oakland coach Jon Gruden tried to clear the air when he addressed his team before Monday's practice as the Raiders prepared for their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams next Monday night."We don't have to like or agree with everything," Carr said. "We don't get paid for that. We get paid to come in here, come together as a team and win together. It's hard because we lost him, but I can promise you we're going to be ready to play."Carr and Mack became quick friends as rookies and spent many hours discussing ways to turn around a franchise that had been mired in chaos for more than a decade. They also talked about winning a Super Bowl together, plans that were scrapped when Mack was abruptly shipped to the Bears."When we showed up here we wanted to change the culture and show people what it meant to work, and I think we did that," Carr said. "I feel good about that. We did change the dynamic of how things are done from the people in the locker room. I believe that 100 percent."We won't be able to win a ring together. That's the only thing left on our list that won't happen. I wish him the best, besides when he plays us."While attempting to explain the trade to reporters on Sunday, Gruden repeatedly pointed to the $90 million in guaranteed money that the Bears gave Mack and said the Raiders offer wasn't close to that.That was particularly difficult for Carr.During the 2017 offseason the Raiders signed their young quarterback to a five-year, $125 million extension. Right guard Gabe Jackson was also given a hefty raise that same year, while Ellis and wide receiver Seth Roberts signed new deals with Oakland in March.That left little room for Mack under the salary cap, even though Carr specifically said he structured his contract in order to make it easier for the team to keep Mack."That's what makes it hard," Carr said. "We all saw it coming. You just hope it can work out. We all did our best to make sure it could, and it just didn't work out that way."Arden Key Womens Cordy Glenn Jersey , Oakland's third-round pick who is expected to get the majority of playing time in place of Mack, had been hopeful of learning from a player who compiled 40 陆 sacks in his first four NFL seasons."I wish I could have been able to play with him," Key said. "It was very shocking. I thought the deal was going to get done."NOTES: The Raiders continued to shake up their roster and signed veteran wide receiver Brandon LaFell. LaFell spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati and had 52 catches for 548 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. Oakland also claimed defensive tackle Brian Price off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. To clear room, the team waived wide receiver Johnny Holton and defensive tackle Treyvon Hester.__ CINCINNATI (AP) — A.J. Green has a collection of stories about quarterback Jeff Driskel's athletic exploits, such as the way he can dribble between his legs and dunk.Or outrun teammates. Or play multiple positions in practice.Green suggested that Driskel might be the best all-around athlete on the Bengals. "Nice," Driskel said in response. "But I don't know about that."Everybody will find out about Driskel on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium when he makes his first career start against the Denver Broncos (5-6), a matchup of teams headed in opposite directions as the final month of the season approaches.The third-year veteran is filling in the rest of the way after Andy Dalton injured the thumb on his passing hand.The reeling Bengals (5-6) have lost five of six because of significant injuries and breakdowns on offense, defense and special teams. They got steamrolled at home by the lowly Browns last Sunday, with Dalton hurting his thumb while trying to recover a fumble.It's up to the backup quarterback to keep the Bengals' slim hopes alive."Jeff is the most athletic guy on our team," said Green, who expects to play Sunday after missing three games with a toe injury. "He's a guy who can play any position, has a strong arm, very smart. My job is to go out there and make his job easy."Although the teams have identical records, they're on totally different trajectories .The Broncos are coming off a 23-22 win over the Chargers in Los Angeles and a 24-17 home victory over the AFC North-leading Steelers . They seemed all but eliminated after a 3-6 start, but have been given a second — and final — chance to salvage their season.A win on Sunday is mandatory for a team that's starting to feel it can still accomplish big things."You kind of want guys to walk with their chest out, right?" Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. "But at the same time, you've got to have perspective. There's a difference between confidence and arrogance."Some things to watch on Sunday:CAREFUL KEENUMCase Keenum was picked off 11 times in the first eight games but hasn't thrown an interception in the past three, a thread in the Broncos' revival. Keenum is getting more comfortable http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-malik-jefferson-jersey , and it's rubbing off on the rest of the offense. He faces the NFL's worst defense on Sunday. Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns without an interception in Cleveland's 35-20 win last week at Paul Brown Stadium. Keenum's goal is to keep up the trend."I'm throwing it to our guys, not throwing it to the other team," Keenum said. "Who knew?"KEEP RAMBLINGBroncos running back Phillip Lindsay ranks second among NFL rookies with 780 yards rushing. Clinton Portis set the club record for yards rushing by a rookie with 1,508 in 2002. Lindsay has 967 yards from scrimmage, leaving him on the verge of becoming the eighth Broncos rookie with 1,000 in a season and the first since Knowshon Moreno had 1,160 in 2009.DRISKEL'S DEBUTAfter Dalton left the game last Sunday with his thumb injury, Driskel threw his first NFL touchdown pass and ran for another score. He had problems getting the offense on the same page — five false-start penalties in the fourth quarter alone.Some rust was expected with a quarterback who hadn't worked with the starting offense all season. The biggest challenge will be staying calm enough to keep everything under control. Driskel's had a week to think about his first NFL start, so the Bengals expect some nerves early."If it was me, I'd be more nervous if I knew all week," offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said. "I'd have more butterflies."GREEN'S RETURNThe Bengals' offense struggled during the three games Green missed. His return — even if he's not 100 percent — would impact the game significantly. The Bengals are a far more dangerous offense when Green is lining up."Absolutely they are," Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. "He's no different than Antonio Brown. You have to take him out of the game, and if not he can beat you."STRONG SCHEDULESOnly one team — the Broncos — have faced a tougher schedule so far than the Bengals, based on opponents' winning percentage. The Broncos' opponents are 69-50-1 for a .579 winning percentage. The Bengals' opponents are 67-52-2 for a .562 winning percentage.The Broncos just became the first team since the winless 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face three consecutive opponents riding at least a five-game winning streak.After Houston escaped Denver with its sixth straight win after Brandon McManus‘ 51-yard field goal sailed wide right, the Broncos bounced back to end six-game winning streaks by the Chargers and Steelers.