Graney: New general manager represents ‘landmark shift’ for Raiders

Mark Davis finally wanted a veteran over a rookie.

He chose been there, done that over never have.

And 63-21 obviously didn’t sway the Raiders owner away from hiring Tom Telesco as his general manager.

That was how much the Raiders beat the Chargers by Dec. 14, a day before Los Angeles fired Telesco as its general manager and Brandon Staley as its coach.

Now, Telesco is charged with building a Raiders team that has made two playoff appearances since 2002.

It’s obvious Davis didn’t want to mix a first-time general manager — either Champ Kelly or Ed Dodds — with a first-time coach in Antonio Pierce. That’s fine. The Raiders have tried such a combination in the past. Didn’t work.

Helping AP

You would think the hope is Telesco — general manager of the Chargers since 2013 before being shown the door — can help Pierce navigate the NFL waters as he settles into his role.

This is what some who covered Telesco thought of him: That he is meticulous. Cooperative. Positive. Balanced. Personable. Principled. Cares about a player’s character. That he’s about as nice a guy as you will encounter.

Another opinion: This is a no-brainer. That he’s exactly what the Raiders need. That if you’re trying to create a cultural change and get serious about your organization, you get Telesco, someone with vast experience in the position.

That it’s a landmark shift in how the Raiders have handled their general manager hires. That’s a good thing.

Why not this way? Why not now?

That’s all the good with Telesco.

It’s also true those rosters he built with the Chargers produced little of note. The team went 84-92 during his tenure with two playoff wins and no AFC West titles.

He drafted some big-time talent, names such as Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen and Joey Bosa and Derwin James and Mike Williams. He built rosters that people liked.

But the depth many seasons was questionable and there were all sorts of issues along the offensive line for years.

Everyone misses. That’s part of a general manager’s world. But he has hit more than missed.

Telesco can’t possibly draft worse than the Raiders have recently. Anyone in that chair now has to be considered an upgrade.

The NFL is also as much about salary-cap management as it is talent evaluation, and the Chargers definitely have some problems with the former right now. Telesco left his replacement with some serious issues.

But it might be a good thing he has a first-year coach in the fold. None of those coaches he and owner Dean Spanos hired with the Chargers (Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Staley) worked.

All were rookie head coaches (except for Lynn, who was interim coach with the Bills for a minute), so Telesco has experience with those growing pains Pierce is sure to encounter. That’s an important piece to this, because there will be times when Pierce needs his share of support from above.

Building relationships

Here’s one thing that nobody outside really knows: How much of what happened with the Chargers was Telesco or John Spanos, son of Dean and president of football operations?

Who really had the hammer when a final decision needed to be made?

Some insist Telesco did, that Spanos would offer his opinions but that the general manager had the last say. Some aren’t so sure.

And yet many will tell you that getting along with the younger Spanos was arguably one of the most important jobs for Telesco. It’s reportedly one of his greatest strengths from those who know him best — he understands how to build relationships.

That will also be a significant part of his tenure here. Of any general manager.

He’s the pick. The veteran. Been there, done that.

A landmark shift for the Raiders.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.