Latest news with #JohnSpytek
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tom Brady Has Strong Thoughts on Geno Smith as Raiders QB
Early in the offseason, there was a lot of speculation about what the Las Vegas Raiders might do at quarterback. They had been linked to veteran names like Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers, and rookie names like Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers. However, the Raiders ended up trading for Geno Smith and drafting Cam Miller. The front office has been honest about leaning on new minority Tom Brady when searching for a quarterback. Advertisement He's the greatest quarterback of all time, so it makes sense to use him as a resource. 'When we are looking at quarterbacks, we'd have to be fools not to involve him,' general manager John Spytek told The Athletic's Dan Pompei. 'Tom is the foremost expert on quarterback play I've ever been around.' Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno J. Rebilas-Imagn Images While Brady seemed to be the highest on Stafford as an option, once he decided to stay with the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas pivoted to Smith. According to Spytek, that was a move that Brady was on board with. 'He really respected Geno — the way he can process and throw the football,' Spytek said. Smith was a late bloomer in his career, as he didn't become a full-time starter until he was 32 after starting for the New York Jets his first two seasons. Brady also had to work his way up to get a starting job, so it's easy to understand why he'd have respect for Smith. Advertisement There's no higher endorsement for Smith's abilities. He may not have the ceiling of Stafford, but he should be a significant upgrade over what the Raiders have had the last two seasons. Related: Ex-Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden Returning to Football Related: Raiders Owner Mark Davis Shades James Dolan With Beyoncé Message
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Tom Brady gives positive assessment of Raiders rookie Cam Miller's NFL future: report
Former Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty headlined the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Draft class. But the franchise's sixth-round selection caught Tom Brady's eye. Cam Miller, who won two FCS national championships during his standout career at North Dakota State, was the 215th overall pick in last month's draft. Brady owns a minority ownership stake in the Raiders. The Athletic chronicled Brady's close relationship with Raiders general manager John Spytek. Brady's friendship with Spytek dates back to the University of Michigan. Spytek also worked in the Buccaneers' front office during Brady's time in Tampa Bay. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON The outlet reported that the seven-time Super Bowl winner was on the call with Raiders owner Mark Davis and other limited partners during Spytek's interview for the general manager's job. Given the build-up of trust between Brady and Spytek, it stands to reason that the former NFL quarterback was on board with taking Miller on the third day of the draft. RANKING 2026 QB DRAFT CLASS: IS ARCH MANNING CLEAR-CUT NO. 1 OF A STACKED BUNCH? Spytek revealed that Brady provided a glowing assessment of Miller, saying, "He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion." The Raiders general manager added that Brady was bullish on Miller's "potential to improve." Miller ended his four-year run at North Dakota State with a 45-11 record. He will enter a Raiders quarterback room that includes Geno Smith and Aidan O'Connell. The Raiders sent a third-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Seahawks in exchange for Smith. The move to Las Vegas brought Smith's five-year run with the Seahawks to an end. He was the primary starter for three of those seasons and earned Pro Bowl honors twice. Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season and remains the favorite to be the starter when the Raiders open their season, even with the drafting of Miller. The Raiders finished 4-13 last season, which led to the departures of coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Pete Carroll, who coached Smith in Seattle, was named the Raiders' new head coach in January. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Raiders also spent part of the offseason making sure a key piece of their defense was locked in for the foreseeable future. Defensive end Maxx Crosby landed the richest contract for a non-quarterback in league history in March. ESPN reported his three-year extension is worth $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed. The deal ties Crosby to Las Vegas through the 2029 season. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
New York Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How John Spytek earned Tom Brady's trust: From Michigan to Tampa Bay to Las Vegas
In a banquet room decorated for Christmas, a group of coaches' kids were entertained by Santa Claus. There were awesome presents for the Michigan football team — high-end swag, including commemorative watches. The Wolverines were gathered at the Eden Roc Hotel Miami Beach the night before Christmas to prepare to play Alabama in the 2000 Orange Bowl, and this was a night of celebration. John Spytek, though, wasn't feeling very festive. He wouldn't be playing in the game. A redshirt freshman linebacker, Spytek was physically worn down from spending the last five months on the scout team and getting driven into the ground by Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Backus, both future NFL stars. He missed home. He wondered if he belonged. It had been a long season that began with a shattered thumb in training camp. Playing with a cast, he then sprained his shoulder. The week before Michigan's season opener against Notre Dame, he went all out in practice. The next day, after a Michigan win, Spytek was given a T-shirt in a team meeting. 'Scout Team Player Of The Week,' it read. It was the highlight of his year, along with a November practice. That week, in preparation for Penn State, Spytek was assigned to play the part of LaVar Arrington on the scout team. Arrington was on his way to winning the Butkus Award, the Bednarik Award and the Lambert Trophy. Wearing Arrington's No. 11 was an honor, and Spytek took it seriously. So did Tom Brady. The senior quarterback threw a deep ball to running back Anthony Thomas, who ran a wheel route. Often, scout team defenders run hard and then ease up at the end so the offensive player can finish the play. But Spytek closed on the ball, reached out and batted it down. Brady, unsurprisingly, would be more difficult to beat on game day. Down by 10 in the fourth quarter, he calmly brought Michigan back, throwing the winning touchdown pass with under two minutes remaining. It wasn't the only time Brady flipped a game's script that season. There was a late touchdown drive to beat Notre Dame and two touchdown drives in the final 16 minutes to overtake Ohio State. If not for Brady, Spytek and his teammates would not have been in Miami preparing for the Orange Bowl. Spytek brought his meal back from the buffet at the Eden Roc and sat at a table with other redshirt freshmen who were feeling like him. They looked down at their plates and didn't say much. Then someone walked up and put his plate on the white tablecloth. 'I think I'll have dinner with the young bucks tonight,' Brady said. Then the team captain and MVP was somehow one of them. For about an hour, Brady talked with the freshmen about nothing and everything, lifting their spirits and making them feel they belonged. 'It was a small glimpse of who he is, the grace he operates in,' Spytek says. 'He probably doesn't remember it. But the rest of us could never forget it.' It is more than an indelible memory. It was the beginning of a connection that would help make NFL history. On New Year's Day, Brady led another comeback to beat Alabama in the Orange Bowl. Then, 11 years passed before he and Spytek crossed paths again. Brady, a sixth-round pick, became arguably the most unlikely success story in the NFL's grand history, winning three Super Bowls and establishing himself as football's best quarterback. After Brady left, Spytek finally got on the field at Michigan, playing 37 games and making 37 tackles over three years. Then the Lions gave him $250 a week to run errands in the operations department. He bartended three nights a week to get by. Spytek began scouting with the Eagles and worked in Philadelphia for five years before becoming the Browns' college scouting director. On the field before a 2010 game between the Patriots and Browns, Brady caught up with his Michigan classmate Aaron Shea, then the Browns' director of player engagement. Spytek moved in and reintroduced himself to Brady. The interaction didn't last more than 10 seconds before Spytek walked away, unsure if Brady remembered who he was. Another decade went by. Brady had won his fourth, fifth and sixth Super Bowls and was widely considered the best quarterback of all time. But the partnership between Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick had frayed, and the Patriots somehow convinced themselves they would be better without him. As the Patriots concluded that Brady was descending, Spytek was ascending. After three years with the Broncos, where he won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning, he became the right-hand man to general manager Jason Licht with the Buccaneers. In Tampa, Jameis Winston, the former first pick in the draft, arguably had the best season of his career in 2019 under new coach Bruce Arians. The assumption was that the Bucs would commit to Winston long term, even though he had led the league in interceptions. Spytek's job, however, was to open his mind and the minds of others. Late in the season, he studied tape of veteran quarterbacks he thought might be available. Among them were Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. One day, Licht walked into the draft room, which was adjacent to his office, and saw Spytek watching Brady. Spytek told him Brady's contract was expiring, and he didn't see any drop-off in his play. Licht chuckled. Nobody respected Brady more than Licht. He was part of the front office that drafted him and spent seven years with him in New England. But it was almost impossible to envision Brady leaving the Patriots, let alone becoming a Buc. Two days later, Licht approached Spytek at practice. 'I watched Tom,' he said. 'He's still pretty f—ing good.' Licht and Arians decided it was worth a shot, even if it was the longest of long shots. Licht, Arians, Spytek, Rob McCartney, who was the director of pro scouting at the time, Mike Biehl, the director of college scouting, and Mike Greenberg, who handled contracts, devised a plan. They knew if their interest became public, it would create a firestorm that could affect other options if Brady stayed in New England, so they decided to keep their pursuit between the six of them and team ownership. They would use code words to describe their mission. Licht asked Spytek if he really thought Brady might come to Tampa. Spytek, looking at the Bucs' impressive depth chart, pointed out the roster would be a selling point. 'If you build it,' Spytek said, 'he will come.' 'That's from a movie,' Licht said. And so they dubbed their project 'Operation Shoeless Joe' after the Shoeless Joe Jackson character in 'Field of Dreams.' Anytime they spoke of Brady, they called him 'Shoeless Joe.' Licht became 'Ray Kinsella,' the Kevin Costner character in the movie who built the baseball field that drew Shoeless Joe from the great beyond. They began calling Bucs owner Joel Glazer 'Terrance Mann' after the James Earl Jones character who disappeared into the cornfield with Shoeless Joe. They recited lines from the movie. 'Go the distance.' 'Ease his pain.' Operation Shoeless Joe worked, and Brady told the Bucs he intended to play for them. But he still hadn't officially parted ways with the Patriots. He told Licht he would visit Patriots owner Robert Kraft one evening to convey his intentions in person. The Bucs feared Kraft would convince him to stay. Early the next morning, Spytek was stuck at a traffic light on his way to work. He picked up his phone. The first story on his Instagram feed was from Brady, thanking New England and saying he was going to take his football journey elsewhere. By the end of the day, he was a Buccaneer. The Bucs closed their offices that day because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first time Spytek and Brady met as Bucs was at training camp in a BioReference trailer, where both were getting nose swabs for COVID tests. 'Hey, Tom, John Spytek,' Spytek said through his mask. 'We played together a long time ago.' 'Yeah, yeah, great to see you again,' Brady said through his mask. 'It's been so long.' Spytek wasn't sure Brady remembered the batted pass or the Christmas Eve dinner, but he was certain Brady had done his homework on him. During Brady's New England years, he met with Belichick leading up to games and was given a detailed report on the defense he would be opposing. In Tampa, he asked Licht for a similar arrangement. Licht suggested to Spytek that a couple of young scouts could handle the assignment. 'No,' Spytek said. 'I want to do it. We can't send a young scout in to meet with the greatest player of all time.' Spytek wanted McCartney with him because he respected McCartney's knowledge. Licht agreed and told Brady, who had questions about both. 'Are they going to know the league?' Brady asked. Brady showed them a sample report of what he expected. To prepare, Spytek put in the equivalent of a full day's work, as he would before every meeting with Brady. He knew Brady would want a full report on the second nickel and fourth safety, as well as the star linebacker. In their first meeting, they talked about the Saints for about an hour. It didn't take long for Brady to challenge the information. Sptyek told him Marshon Lattimore was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. 'He's not Darrelle Revis,' Brady shot back. Spytek warned him that Saints safety Marcus Williams could hurt him if he hung a ball up in the middle of the field. He described Janoris Jenkins as a twitchy corner who will play off and take chances and said if a quarterback is late with a throw, Jenkins could come up with an interception. Both players intercepted Brady. The game was lost, but trust was won. As the weeks went on, the meetings became casual and longer, sometimes lasting as long as 2 1/2 hours. Their conversations were about more than their upcoming opponent. Often, the first 20 or 30 minutes of the meeting were about their experiences at Michigan. They laughed about how the strength coaches emphasized thick necks. By then, neither had Michigan necks as Spytek had become a marathon runner and Brady had spent years training for pliability. Brady came to Tampa on a plant-based diet that excluded processed foods, dairy, gluten, sugar and nightshades. But at Michigan, it wasn't quite like that. They reminisced about gorging on Cottage Inn Pizza at all hours, pigging out on Mister Spots wings, taking down deli sandwiches from Maize and Blue Deli and trying to bulk up with prime rib and cheese fries from Outback Steakhouse. 'I got to listen to it all, and then eventually was like, come on, can we get to the meeting?' McCartney said. Brady took the prep work seriously, even if he knew his opponents as well as Spytek and McCartney before showing up for the meeting. He even wanted to meet before training camp joint practices. When it was established that he would play in a preseason game in Houston, he asked Spytek and McCartney to meet in their hotel the morning of the game. 'I need to be at my best because people are coming to watch me,' he told them. After their prep work was done, Brady often started storytelling, which he did about as well as quarterbacking. He talked about idolizing and hanging with Joe Montana, Steve Young and Dan Marino and playing golf with Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers in 'The Match.' Despite an uncomfortable parting, Brady spoke reverently about Belichick and his processes, game planning and motivational techniques. He said playing for him helped him see the game from a defensive perspective, which empowered him at the line of scrimmage. Belichick taught him that certain defensive alignments meant he didn't have to concern himself with every coverage possibility. That helped him process more quickly. He told tales of teammates, opponents, games, drives and plays. Brady gushed about Julian Edelman and Rodney Harrison, saying you almost had to kill them to get them off the field. He also expressed admiration for Danny Amendola, Dave Andrews, Rob Gronkowski, Matt Light, Wes Welker and others. 'When he talked about what made them special, it rarely was about how fast or skilled they were,' Spytek said. 'It was how tough they were and how much they loved to play. You got a peek into his mind about what was important to him.' Part of Brady's alchemy was that he seemed to remember almost every blade of grass he played on, but his recall appeared selective about the 2015 AFC Championship Game, when Spytek's Broncos beat Brady's Patriots. In Brady's first season in Tampa, the Bucs won 11 games and made the playoffs as a wild-card team. Moments before the offense took the field in their first playoff game at Washington, Spytek noticed Brady reading something on the sideline. Brady put it down and jogged off. Spytek looked again at what he was reading. It was the report he and McCartney had given him that week. 'The last thing he did before walking on the field to start the playoff run that led to a championship was read the writeup we gave him,' Spytek says. 'It was one of the most poignant moments of my career.' Their work also affected Super Bowl LV. The scouting reports had a video element with 20 to 25 plays. After Spytek and McCartney showed Brady the video of Chiefs defenders before the Super Bowl, Brady gathered his receivers, tight ends and running backs to share the videos with them. It was the first time he did that, and it helped the Bucs put up 31 points in a one-sided victory. As Brady ran through the end zone and headed for the tunnel after the game, he saw Spytek and his wife, Kristen, in the southwest corner of Raymond James Stadium. He stopped and changed directions. Brady bear-hugged Spytek. Spytek had thought about what he wanted to say if this moment came. 'I want you to know that working with you has been the honor of my career,' Spytek told Brady. 'You're awesome,' Brady said. 'Love you.' Nine months later, Spytek ran in the New York City Marathon to raise funds for the National CMV Foundation, a charity he and Kristen helped establish. Their daughter Evelyn had congenital CMV, or cytomegalovirus, an infectious disease that can be fatal. Evelyn lived until she was 21 months old. Shortly before the marathon, Licht told Spytek he should tell Brady about why he was running. Spytek demurred, but Licht told Brady anyway. A couple of days later, the CMV Foundation received the most generous donation in its history, courtesy of Brady. Brady played two more years with the Bucs before retiring at 45 with 23 NFL seasons behind him. Last year, he became a game analyst for Fox and was approved as a minority owner of the Raiders. Before each of the three Bucs games Brady was assigned to, he visited with Spytek. By January, the Raiders were searching for a general manager. Brady, not the typical minority owner, called Licht. 'We had a couple long conversations about Spy,' Licht said. 'He knew him well, so I don't really think he wanted reassurance. He was just kind of telling me, 'This is what we want here. Do you think he would fit?' And, of course, I said yes.' Spytek was interviewed on a video call by Brady, Raiders owner Mark Davis and minority owners Egon Durban and Mike Meldman. Spytek had interviewed for the Raiders' general manager job in 2021 but felt like he had no chance. This was different. Brady asked many of the questions. The interview was cut off after 90 minutes because Spytek had to fly to Nashville to interview with the Titans for their general manager position. But the Raiders knew everything they needed. When Spytek agreed to become the Raiders' general manager, Brady told him, 'Just be you. That's good enough.' They have talked on the phone quite a bit since. Spytek keeps him updated on everything the Raiders are doing. Spytek says Brady asks many questions but has not objected to anything. 'Cool, babe, trust you,' is a typical response. Sometimes, they just talk about what's happening in the league. 'He's as consumed with it as I am, and our love affair with the game is what we have most in common,' Spytek says. Brady, aware of how his physical presence changes the dynamic in a room, contributes remotely for the most part. But when the Raiders were vetting quarterbacks, he came to Las Vegas for a few days. He met with Spytek and coaches to discuss the veteran possibilities. He spent another day with Spytek discussing college quarterback prospects. 'When we are looking at quarterbacks, we'd have to be fools not to involve him,' Spytek says. 'Tom is the foremost expert on quarterback play I've ever been around.' Of course, Raiders coach Pete Carroll was a driving force in the trade for Carroll's former quarterback Geno Smith. But Brady endorsed the move. 'He really respected Geno — the way he can process and throw the football,' Spytek says. During the draft, Brady stayed away but was in constant communication and was on board with the selection of quarterback Cam Miller in the sixth round. 'He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion,' Spytek says. 'And he thought he had the potential to improve.' Like Brady, Miller has a history of winning, having won two FCS national championships at North Dakota State and 32 of 35 starts at Solon High in Iowa. Dating to their days together at Michigan, Brady shaped how Spytek thinks about quarterbacks — how they should comport themselves, which traits are essential and which are superficial. Their football values, milled in Ann Arbor and reinforced in Tampa, are the same. What matters to both is the team above all, a wholehearted commitment, unrelenting perseverance and unadulterated accountability. In Tampa and even at Michigan, they helped bring out the other's best. Even if neither realized it, they have been intertwined for 26 years, all the while building for now. After Spytek formally accepted the offer to become general manager, he received a text from Brady. He looked at his phone and saw three letters, an acronym Brady was associated with during the time he and Spytek shared in Tampa. 'LFG,' it read. (Top photo: courtesy of John Spytek)
New York Times
02-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The 10 best remaining free-agent fits for the Raiders following the NFL Draft
The Las Vegas Raiders' roster is full. After drafting 11 rookies, signing 14 undrafted free agents and adding defensive tackle Laki Tasi, they have all 90 offseason roster spots filled. But while they'll have to release someone from the current roster if they want to sign someone else, that doesn't mean the roster is set. The Raiders hold rookie minicamp from May 9-11 and mandatory minicamp from June 10-12. Observations from those practices could lead general manager John Spytek and coach Pete Carroll to make changes. Advertisement The Raiders will still have significant cap space after signing all of their draft picks to rookie-scale contracts. That money could be saved for contract extensions or to roll over into next season, but it could also be spent on late free-agent additions. As of this week, any free agents who are signed won't count toward the compensatory pick formula for the 2026 draft. Those won't be determined until the season plays out, but the Raiders are currently projected to be awarded a fourth-round pick and a fifth-round pick next offseason, according to Over the Cap. Here are the 10 best remaining free-agent fits for the Raiders. The Raiders made a significant investment in the wide receiver position in the draft. They took versatile inside-outside receiver Jack Bech in the second round, big-bodied deep threat Dont'e Thompson in the fourth and slot receiver/quarterback Tommy Mellott in the seventh. Still, it could make sense for them to add a veteran. Bech should be a rookie starter, but Thompson and Mellott likely will be limited to situational roles early in their careers. Jakobi Meyers is the only receiver who's locked in as a starter. Tre Tucker started 14 games last year, but his level of play was just OK, and he'll need to earn his spot along with the rest of the group. If Tucker doesn't look like he'll take another step forward in his third season, then a veteran could provide an upgrade. The top option on the market is Allen. He's 33 years old, but he remained productive last season with 70 catches for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. He's at his best when he's working from the slot and could slide into a starting role there. Elandon Roberts should be capable of holding down the fort at mike linebacker, but will linebacker remains a precarious position for the Raiders. The current No. 1 would probably be Devin White, who hasn't been an effective starter for a few seasons. Perhaps Tommy Eichenberg, whom the Raiders drafted in the fifth round last year, or another young linebacker could make a significant leap, but this is a spot on paper where it'd make sense to add help. Advertisement Kyzir White has been a solid will linebacker throughout his career. He started 17 games last year for the Arizona Cardinals and finished with 137 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. If the young linebackers don't show flashes in OTAs, then the Raiders should give him a call. The Raiders feel decent about their outside cornerback options. Jakorian Bennett should be a starter while Eric Stokes, Decamerion Richardson and Darien Porter compete for the other spot. At nickelback, however, the Raiders are less settled. Darnay Holmes and Thomas Harper are currently their only real options, and neither of those players has proven himself to be capable of being a full-time starter. While Gilmore is most famous for his work as an outside cornerback, he's also capable of lining up at nickelback. He'll turn 35 in September and, at this point in his career, transitioning to a slot role is probably best. Samuel played just four games last season due to shoulder and neck injuries, but he was a solid starter who played both outside corner and nickelback from 2021 to 2023. He's only 25 and could be worth a flier if the medicals check out. Douglas failed to make the Raiders roster back in 2021 and wound up being an impactful starter that season with the Green Bay Packers. He has started 51 games since then and spent time both as an outside corner and nickelback. The Raiders would need his services at nickelback. He's a big corner at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, isn't afraid to get physical in the run game and has a history of making plays in the pass game. He'd provide an immediate upgrade. Boyd is coming off a down year with the Tennessee Titans, but that might've been a product of his circumstances. He'd previously been a good slot receiver and perhaps could recapture some of his past success with a much better quarterback in Geno Smith. Hilton has been a longtime starter at nickelback. He had 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five pass deflections last season. He's getting up there for a corner at 31, but he would still be an upgrade for the Raiders. Advertisement Kendricks is another older player at 33, but he showed he could still be a productive starter last season with the Dallas Cowboys. In 15 games, he had 138 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. Although he's lost a step, he's still a better option than Devin White at will linebacker. Fuller has bounced between cornerback and nickelback throughout his career, but the Raiders would use him in the slot. He struggled with concussions last year, but he was a solid player when he was on the field. Cooper is no longer the same player who was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders from 2015 to 2018, but he could still be a starting-caliber X receiver. Maybe a reunion comes together at some point this offseason. (Photo of Keenan Allen: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders emphasize toughness in first NFL draft under Carroll and Spytek
Las Vegas Raiders first-round draft pick Ashton Jeanty, center, speaks as head coach Pete Carroll, left, and general manager John Spytek look on during an NFL football news conference Friday, April 25, 2025, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/David Becker) HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders used to own one of the NFL's most well-defined identities, an outlaw, physical brand that produced three Super Bowl championship teams. This year the NFL draft was a step in at least recreating a new identity. Advertisement Pete Carroll coached physical, intimidating teams in Seattle, and his first draft in charge of the Raiders showed that's the kind of edge he plans to bring to Las Vegas. No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty of Boise State is a running back known for breaking tackles and ankles. Second-round wide receiver Jack Bech of TCU plays with the motto that it will take a second or third effort to bring him down. Third-round cornerback Darien Porter of Iowa State said he will do anything to get on the field. Whether that all translates to victories is another question. The Raiders, who went 4-13 last season, are a long way from legitimately chasing another Vince Lombardi Trophy, but they are following the Seahawks' Legion of Boom blueprint that made two Super Bowl appearances under Carroll and won one. 'There's not going to be a place for you in this organization and this team if you aren't willing to go out there and lay it on the line all the time,' general manager John Spytek said. 'You'll get weeded out pretty quick. So I feel like as a personnel guy and with our scouts, we've got to find the right kind of mentality to bring that to life. Advertisement 'Otherwise, they're going to show up and by mid-August, (Carroll's) going to say, 'Well, these guys, they won't give me their all', and that'll be a big miss by us.' Trader John Spytek is in his first year as general manager, having previously served as Tampa Bay's assistant GM. He wasn't afraid to make moves on Friday, twice trading down to give Las Vegas five picks in the first 99 selections. 'How many trades can you make in one day? Unbelievable,' Carroll said to Spytek. Spytek said 'the value was in rounds two and three,' and he wanted to take advantage. The extra picks in those rounds landed Bech and offensive linemen Caleb Rogers of Texas Tech and Charles Grant of William & Mary. Advertisement On Saturday, the extra picks were used on defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway of South Carolina, quarterback Tommy Mellott of Montana State and QB Cam Miller of North Dakota State. On a personal note, this was Spytek's first opportunity to truly put his stamp on a draft. The 44-year-old spent nine years with the Buccaneers and called these past three days 'a lifelong dream come true.' 'I'm happy with the way it went because of the teamwork that we had, the people that worked hard, the unselfishness of the group, just whatever it took to make the Raiders better," Spytek said. 'That's what the room was about. I felt we did that. It was the first of hopefully many, but it certainly was a special one.' Playing with a purpose Advertisement Bech's older brother, Tiger, was one of 14 people killed in the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans' French Quarter when a driver plowed into the crowd. 'I don't even know if there are words to describe this feeling and the emotions that, not only myself, my family, are going through," Jack Bech said. 'Just surreal. It wasn't only my dream; it was my brother's dream, too, and our dream came true tonight. Now I just can't wait to get to work. I can't wait to come up and come start helping this team win as many games as possible.' Bech joins a receiving group led by tight end Brock Bowers, who as a rookie last season caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers made 87 receptions for 1,027 yards and four TDs. Filling a need at CB Advertisement The Raiders' cornerbacks room is a lonely place these days, and Porter has the chance to play right away. Nate Hobbs left for Green Bay and Jack Jones was placed on waivers. 'Obviously, will have to work and earn that opportunity," Porter said. "But, obviously, departing with two corners, it's exciting for me to be put in this position to have that instant contribution on the defensive side.' He said he would even play on special teams, and the Raiders could use him there. Porter blocked five career kicks at Iowa State. Hanging up on the coach Rogers was celebrating as the club called Friday night to tell him they were drafting him. Advertisement Then when Rogers got on the phone with Carroll, the newest Raider hung up. 'He's in trouble,' Carroll said. 'I thought the phone call was over,' Rogers said. 'I felt horrible. The O-line coach called me and Carroll was with him. He said, 'You hung up on me,' and the idea of hanging up on Pete Carroll, someone who I've watched coach my whole life, is insane. It's hopefully a funny story that we can tell sometime here in the future when I've been a Raider for 12 years and I'm leaving a legacy.' ___ AP NFL:
