For a team whose name derives imagery of pirates taking what they want https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-derek-carr-jersey , the Raiders have been the one’s getting plundered in 2018. That trend continued on Monday when Jon Gruden traded Amari Cooper to the Cowboys for a first round pick. While Gruden received great value in the deal, his lack of communication with the team afterwards is at the very least odd and at most inexcusable.It should be no surprise that players in the Raiders locker room were upset Cooper was traded, calling the move a ‘knockout punch.’ Nobody was thrilled to see Cooper leave. But Gruden’s handling of the trade, pulling the wide receiver out of practice, and then declining to tell the team until Wednesday morning was an even bigger slap in the face according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. When players returned to the locker room after practice and Cooper was nowhere to be found, they scrambled to their phones to see the news. “I came in the locker room, just grabbed my phone,” Derek Carr replied when asked how he found out about the trade. “It was more of a feeling of, ‘Where’s Coop?’ Then you kind of just assume after that.” “As soon as I got off the field I wanted to come grab him before he headed out, but he was already out and I got to my phone and he had already sent me this long text, just all the stuff that we would talk about,” Carr continued. “Honestly, just as a friend, just being in this business it was hard when I read it because not only is he a good player and all of those things, but you just want to spend more time with him.”Gruden didn’t mention the trade during practice or in his address afterward, and wasn’t expected to do so until Wednesday morning at the next team meeting.Running back Jalen Richard told reporters that the team didn’t find out from their head coach, but rather from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Instead of addressing the team Derek Carr Jersey White , Gruden talked to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and expressed his excitement of having five first-round picks the next two years. After facing backlash, Gruden defended his decision by arguing that he wasn’t sure the trade was official. “Well nothing’s official,” Gruden told reporters on Wednesday. “I thought maybe I should find out for sure what was going on. I don’t even know if the trade is official yet, honestly. Look, there’s people working in the building when we’re out here on the practice field. We just don’t turn the lights off. I’m not going to get into anymore. It was an uncomfortable thing. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it. It’s not the last time I’ve seen it. And it’s not the first time it’s happened in the league and it’s not the last time. It is the trade deadline looming and sometimes trades happen that are unexpected and untimely.”As Gruden was busy speculating whether or not the trade was official, Cooper was already in Dallas and had finished his first practice with the Cowboys. It’s laughable excuses such as this that have led to players reportedly questioning Gruden’s accountability. HOUSTON (AP) — Ask Oakland’s Jon Gruden about Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson and he sounds more like the president of Watson’s fan club than an opposing coach.“Everybody that meets Watson likes Watson,” he said. “I get accused of liking everybody … but if you don’t like Deshaun Watson, you don’t like anybody. You’re a miserable human being if you don’t like this kid. The room lights up when he walks in.”Gruden’s enthusiasm about Watson is only slightly dampened this week as the Raiders (3-3) prepare to visit the Texans (4-3) on Sunday.Article continues below ...“Unfortunately for us, he’s really turned into an all-around superstar quarterback,” Gruden said. “He’s throwing the ball better than I’ve ever seen him throw it, and he’s still a real threat to run and they can be creative with the playbook because of his skillset.”Watson will try and bounce back after throwing two interceptions for the second straight week in a 30-23 loss to Indianapolis last week which knocked Houston out of first place in the AFC South.Despite his recent miscues, Watson keeps showing his ability to be a dynamic playmaker in his third NFL season. Watson has thrown for 300 yards or more three times this season and has thrown two touchdown passes or more in three games.Coach Bill O’Brien has been impressed with Watson’s improvement.“He’s an excellent player,” O’Brien said. “He’s a great guy to coach. He learns, he gets better every day. He’s got a great attitude. He’s very, very smart when it comes to all the things that go into our offense. He’s done a great job for us this year.”While Houston looks to Watson as a star for its offense, the Raiders have found a new offensive standout this season in their running game.Gruden has always liked to have a featured runner as the backbone of his offense and he has appeared to find one with rookie Josh Jacobs. The 24th overall pick in the draft has topped 120 yards rushing the past two games and leads all rookies with 554 yards rushing and four TDs on the ground. He’s also played a bigger part in the passing game in recent weeks.Jacobs is dealing with a shoulder injury this week but figures to be counted on against a defense that hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher for 23 straight regular-season games.“When he’s running like he’s running, you have to feed the beast Womens Bo Jackson Jersey ,” Gruden said. “He’s hungry. He doesn’t want to come out of the game either. This guy wants to be a great back.”FOREVER LINKEDWatson and Oakland receiver Hunter Renfrow are forever linked for combining to make perhaps the biggest play in Clemson history. Watson connected with Renfrow on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1 second left to lift the Tigers to a 35-31 win over Alabama to win the national title in 2017. Their win over the top-ranked Crimson Tide gave Clemson its first title since 1981.Watson has worn No. 4 and Renfrow No. 13 since college. They think so fondly of their 4/13 Clemson connection that they have marked April 13 as a time to remember their accomplishment.“I mean, 4/13 is a day that — especially for us two, but for the whole Clemson nation that we’ll never forget,” Watson said. “That’s the day he got married, too. Everything just ties together as one big family, as one big day, really. It’s a beautiful thing.”MULLEN’S TESTRaiders rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen will get a tough, but familiar, test when he makes his first career start against former Clemson teammate Watson. Mullen is moving into the starting lineup after Oakland traded Gareon Conley to Houston earlier in the week. Mullen has played just 14 defensive snaps the past three weeks. But he spent plenty of time going up against Watson in practice in college in 2016.“I can say it made me better for that time that I was there,” Mullen said. “Watching him and being that freshman in college and the type of player he was, I know for sure he made me better in practice when I did have the opportunity to go against him.”TIGHT END TRIOTight end Darren Waller has been a revelation this season for Oakland with 44 catches for 485 yards through six games. But the Raiders have also gotten big contributions from the other two tight ends. Foster Moreau has 12 catches for 121 yards and TDs in two of the past three games, while Derek Carrier has added seven catches for 77 yards. All three are also capable blockers, adding versatility to the offense.“That’s the one position, I’ve said several times, that I believe that’s the life blood of our offense,” Gruden said. “I couldn’t be happier with the tight ends.”The Texans have also gotten important contributions from their tight ends this season. Darren Fells is tied for first on the team with three touchdown receptions and he and fellow tight end Jordan Akins have combined for 399 yards receiving.