Jon Gruden has acknowledged that Khalil Mack's contract demands were too large for the Oakland Raiders, and the trade offer they received from the Chicago Bears was too enticing to pass up.

Gruden did, however, dispute the notion that he wanted to trade Mack, while Reggie McKenzie wanted to re-sign him.

"They're trying to divide us," Gruden said. "People are trying to divide us: 'I wanted him gone, he wanted him here.' We made a decision as an organization. [Owner] Mark Davis, [executive] Tom Delaney, we all got the information and we made a decision, together. And I'll just say what [Reggie] said -- I read what he said yesterday -- it's a decision that we all came to.

"I know there's maybe some feeling that maybe I was involved in a day-to-day negotiation. I had nothing to do with it. We were at a standoff and something had to happen, and here we are."

Mack was under contract and due to make $13.8 million this season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. The Raiders could have used the franchise tag on him next season.