Next Stop on the Carousel
The Raiders organization's perpetual chaos and coach firings make the head coaching job increasingly unattractive to candidates with options. And those options are growing with plum spots in places like Buffalo, Baltimore and Pittsburgh opening up.
This is just common sense, Mark Davis has painted the team into a radioactive corner. In terms of coach recruiting, the only things the Raiders have working for them are Tom Brady's star power and the #1 pick, but because Tom Brady by some accounts was himself an agent of the chaos this year, and because the Raiders don't have a good record of making savvy draft picks, and because the coach won't have much say because Mark already declared Spytek and Brady to have control, where does that leave us?
Pete walked into the building with a legacy, and 12 months later that legacy is trashed. Josh McDaniels leaves and suddenly, as if by magic, he knows how to run an offense again. I'm not saying he was a good head coach, but my goodness the Raiders have proven that they can make everyone look utterly incompetent.
I've seen several media reports declaring that the Raiders represent one of the most attractive head coach openings right now. Honestly, what are they smoking? I hope they don't get paid for that kind of analysis.
All the things I've cited above are likely going to factor into who's willing to take a risk on this job. It's likely going to be someone unproven from the coordinator ranks, but with "upside," but even the best among those candidates may cast a wary eye. In short, the Raiders have to really stick the landing.
Who will it be!? Bang out your best guesses here.
posted by Raider Take at 8:46 AM
72 Comments:
How is it even possible the Raiders are searching for their 6th head coach in six years? That screams incompetence. Frankly, I'm kind of taken by their arrogance. I think they believe they can just slow walk this process (with their recent coaching history) and fully expect to land a top coach.
Carroll was arguably a "top coaching candidate" last year but I also think he was desperate to coach and the Raiders were desperate to turn it around, thinking Carroll could help. I didn't like that decision from the start but certainly hoped he'd be successful.
Funny that Davis says he has turned over the process/decisions to Brady and Spytek then shows up at the National Championship game. I would guess Davis is still directly involved... so we are not free from his bad decision-making.
Edge of my seat, for sure. But no matter who they hire, it's a massive uphill climb. The Raiders are clearly a bigger lift than most teams.
Davis showed up in a Las Vegas Aces shirt, and a Raiders hat. If he cared about the Raiders the way he does the Aces, we wouldn't be in this position. He is selling minority stakes in the Raiders, not to fill the holes in the Raiders, but to have $$ to own the Aces.
Jesse Minter completed his 2nd interview today, and the Raiders are about to meet with Evero for a 2nd time. If I had to choose between the two, I'd go Evero first. The fact that Sean McDermott's name has not been mentioned at this point is baffling. I'd been on the phone with him already. I don't think he'd come here, but he is like Harbaugh and Tomlin, in that how can you not have a conversation?
We avoided Robert Saleh (Titans) and Jeff Hafley (Dolphins). Hafley was supposed to interview with the Raiders a second time on Wednesday. I think McDermott may be a good fit in Pittsburgh. I think Klint Kubiak is favored to Baltimore or Buffalo. Mike McDaniel seems to be a fit in Cleveland, the land of multiple QBs; or Arizona who has a smaller version of Tua. Cardinals are riding our coat tails of interviews. To be honest, I think Arizona, Tennessee, and Cleveland are worse than the Raiders, but Tennesse has made its hire, and Cleveland seems to be about to land one as well.
Who will the Raiders get? Will we get our guy, or will we have to settle for the "next best thing"? I, unfortunately, think it will be the latter.
McDaniel and Mendoza would be an interesting pair. Sandy
Still riding with my gut feeling on Davis Webb. Also wouldn’t mind Kubiak or any of those Rams wiz kids. My bias is in favor of an offensive coach, especially with Mendoza in the cards.
I know I've been pretty negative here lately, but I'm just trying to convey an accurate portrayal of the situation by way of logical observation. The Raiders are in a bind. They don't have the pick of the litter with coaching candidates. Which means they'll need to take a swing on an unproven commodity or a former head coach who's more desperate than the Tomlins, Harbaughs, McDermotts, etc. We can all agree that their track record on coaching picks hasn't been good, it's evidenced by all of the firings since Gruden. They have to stick the landing, big time.
The right coach, young QB and culture/leadership can make all the difference, and fast, see Broncos. Bears and Patriots. We need to get all three of those things right. The right QB is likely right there in the draft, the right coach will mean a savvy hire here soon, but the culture/leadership issue is still probably the biggest hurdle.
I'm with you Steve, drafting Bowers, Jeanty and Mendoza at the top, then hiring another defensive coach, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense
It’s funny because I remember it being a big deal when we hired Dennis Allen that he was our first defensive head coach since Madden. But in the past 10 years we’ve had Del Rio, Pierce, and Carroll.
Raiders are always going to be a day late and a dollar short. It's their nature. As mentioned by others, they probably don't have access to a vet coach like Sean McDermott, so they will likely be stuck hiring a first-time HC. I agree 100% it should be an offensive-minded coach. It's a risk, for sure. And while guys like Harbaugh and McDermott will have no trouble filling their staff, a first-time HC is inherently further down the coaching tree and without the kind of access to assistant coaches that vet coaches have.
That's why, IMO, the Raiders need to move faster and smarter. They need to assemble a staff asap (or end up with another Getsy level coordinator). Unless they are confident that they can get someone like Klint Kubiak, they shouldn't wait around for him to pick another team.
In the end, we may have a rookie staff coaching a young team and a trigger-finger owner who gives HCs a 1-2 year shelf life.
Call me skeptical, but I don't trust the Raiders to get this right. IMO, they would have kicked the 60-yarder to win their final game even if the Giants didn't gift them the #1 pick.
If Al Davis was nothing else in his day, he was shrewd. Mark didn't catch that gene. Not that Al would hire a top vet HC, but he hired some pretty incredible young coaches in his day, e.g., Madden, Flores, Gruden. Mark, on the hand, is zero for infinity.
They gave us Carroll. Now they are looking for the opposite of Carroll. How will they know when they see it?
Plain and simple, I don't trust Mark Davis to break the cycle. And Brady's proven so far to be of no help. It's the blind leading the blind, until it's not (by accident).
Mike McDaniel signed with the Chargers as their new OC. Davis Webb may be the guy, but he has not had a 2nd interview, but he is ineligible to interview this week. Same with Klint Kubiak. To be honest, I'm not sure who the Raiders get at this point. Still my top guys (in order) of all they have officially interviewed:
Evero, Brady (but rumor is he is not interested), Mike LaFleur, Klint Kubiak, Chris Shula, Davis Webb, Nate Scheelhaase, Klay Kubiak, Jesse Minter, Mike McDaniel, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Kevin Stefanski, and lastly Matt Nagy.
This is why they need to talk with Sean McDermott. If they do, he'd be the leading candidate for me. I feel this way because the Ravens, Bills, and Steelers are better jobs than the Raiders. The worst opening was Miami, and now with the remaining 6 its Arizona, but the Raiders are #5. The front office mess, and the "job security" is the concern. Arizona and the Raiders have talent on their rosters, but a lot of holes. The Cardinals, Steelers, and Raiders are the 3 teams that need a QB. But the Steelers stability has more sway to potential coaches. Browns have QBs, but the front office and owner make it difficult; but yet, they have more potential as a team than the Raiders and Cardinals right now. The Ravens and Bills are in a position to win now, and win big. Ravens need an O-Line but with the owner, front office, and talent, they are the #1 landing spot for a coach.
Nate, the Raiders QB position is resolved. The QB risk is that Mendoza will not assimilate to the NFL, but any good coach worthy of the job knows he can make that happen. IMO, Mendoza is failproof on any team but the Raiders. Time will tell.
I thought Mike McDaniel would have been a solid pick for the Raiders as OC or as HC. Did the Raiders even reach out to him?
I just feel like the Raiders are behind the eightball, slow walking this thing until eventually finding out their #1 or #2 target is going to another team. They will be left flatfooted and embarrassed, again.
It's musical chairs and the Raiders don't know how it works.
Rumor...
"If Davis Webb becomes a head coach, Kliff Kingsbury could be his OC"
That's interesting, but would either one work for the Raiders? Kingsbury already blew off the Raiders recently.
NY, the source of that "rumor" is Mike Florio; so I don't put much stock into anything that clown says. His basis for this claim is the connection between the two at Texas Tech. Klifford hasn't done well in Washington, so I'd rather him stay in Washington, fwiw.
It amazes me that some in media are still circulating trade rumors with Lamar Jackson to the Raiders. How did that even start? Jackson couldn't win on a Ravens team with John Harbaugh as his coach. Paying Jackson a ransom and putting him on a Raiders with team with no WRs and no high draft picks (after that ridiculous trade sucks them away) would be an unmitigated disaster.
Note to media writing that crap: Shut up!
I have to believe the Raiders are all-in with Mendoza. They have to be! It's their only hope of actually turning around a dead franchise. Mendoza will be on a rookie contract and allow the Raiders to use their bounty of resources elsewhere.
It's a once in a generation opportunity, and it's all they've got. There are no other viable options which allow them to actually build a team around the QB. The Jackson trade scenario is a vacuum that would suck the life out of an organization that's as far behind as the Raiders. Jackson is only viable for a team which ONLY needs a QB (and can afford him). That ain't the Raiders.
NY, it's just like the several media stories I've read talking about how the Raiders job is one of the top openings. It's just clickbait. The word "might" has become a fertile field for made-up stories in the media. As long as you say "might" you can report that anything is in play. "Word is that the Raiders MIGHT trade for Lamar Jackson..." Haha.
Although, wouldn't the Raiders trading for Jackson and trading the top pick be the most Raiders thing ever?
Jackson trade would absolutely be an Al Davis move.
I saw Jesse Minter canceled an interview with the Browns. Apparently, he is getting close to a decision and the Browns weren't it. Raiders have interviewed him twice... but Ravens are more likely his choice.
Jackson to the Raiders have been rumored every year since before Josh McDaniels took over the Raiders, I think it became more vocal after Derek Carr was let go. I think it is ridiculous to think the Ravens would get the #1 pick for him too. Maybe a 3rd Round pick, but not the #1 overall pick.
I don't think Lamar is the problem in Baltimore, I thought the OC's under Harbaugh were, they were too conservative and didn't know how to utilize Lamar's talent. Lamar is a multiple MVP in the League, and he can win big in this League. I'd love him on the Raiders, but we have so many holes to fill, he and/or Mendoza won't equate to much without filling the holes.
Bills OC Joe Brady interviewed with the Ravens yesterday, so I'd also pump the brakes on Minter going there. Also think Minter would do well in Pittsburgh.
One name that I am surprised to see not interviewed for any HC job is Declan Doyle (OC, Chicago). He was named the new OC in Philadelphia because Ben Johnson really called plays.
The Bills Owner's comments about McDermott and a current player Keon Coleman is just atrocious, and I think will hinder the search process for a new HC. They interviewed Brian Daboll for the HC position. Is Charles Nagy next in line? How about Richie Kotite? I don't know why people are running from the Browns with the talent they have, other than the owner's inability to not trash the team. Bills' owner is about to find out that same lesson.
Mendoza declares for NFL draft.
Raiders have no choice. There should be zero doubt.
I live in NY, just read that Harbaugh will not bring back Giants OL coach Carmen Briscillo. As much as I can’t stand all things Josh McDaniels, he was the last good OL coach we had.
The Falcons are not bringing their OL coach back. Didn't the Falcons light up the league in rushing last year?
There's a new article suggesting Mendoza will have to learn to operate under center in the NFL. Sure, that's true, but are we about to head down the Derek Carr path? Carr was masterful in college playing shotgun (50 TDs in final year). When he came to the NFL, he was forced to play under center... except for a brief period with Bill Musgrave during which Carr excelled and the Raiders won. I would guess nobody forced Carr to play under center more than Jon Gruden, and after he resigned, Carr was back in shotgun more.
Is this where the Raiders (and/or new head coach) plan to take Mendoza? Because that's how dumb they were with Carr.
Two critical factors (or facts) are at play here. Mendoza thrives in shotgun and Jeanty is best standing up in the backfield, which the Raiders allowed him to do by the end of last season. If either of these guys are not allowed to play to their strengths, the Raiders will again suffer a huge disservice to their star talent.
I hope the Raiders are smart enough to understand this simple nuance. It plagued Carr for much of his career.
John Elway only played out of the shotgun and the Broncos had a string of RBs that excelled in that formation. And nobody should know that better than the Raiders!
DC played well under Center with Gruden too. Also, a lot of great QB's mostly played in the shotgun in the NFL. Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, John Elway, to current players like Lamar, Patrick, Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, CJ Stroud, Justin Herbert, etc. Yes, they all played under center as well.
Mendoza's problem won't be playing under Center in the NFL, his biggest problem and learning curve will be pre-snap adjustments, play calls, and snap counts. This "clapping" crap to snap the ball is the biggest difference in college and NFL right now. Dart struggled with it, Bryce Young struggled with it, and it took Trevor Lawrence awhile to get used to it.
The NFL does not adapt to players, they force players to adapt to them, always have, and always will. All of that said, I think Mendoza will shine and overcome. I am giving him past his rookie year to really shine, much like Eli and Peyton, they both struggled their rookie years, but everyone knew they'd be great. Tom surprised everyone, but mostly sat under Drew Bledsoe his first year, and he credits Drew for his success. That will be what the Raiders will have to do. Bring someone in to mentor Fernando.
Whatever science experiment the Raiders come up with, meaning their combination of HC, OC and QB, they need give it at least 2-3 years. This is a start from scratch moment, perhaps like the Raiders have never experienced.
As for Carr, he was impeded by system coaches most of his pro career, and Gruden was no exception. But we all saw the difference when Musgrave took off the shackles, then again after Gruden resigned, then of course the reversal when McDaniels took over. IMO, it could not have been more obvious.
With the Raiders inability to protect the QB, this is critical. Whoever the coach is, I wouldn't want to see them pigeonhole Mendoza into a system he's not comfortable. If I'm the Raiders, that's a top priority conversation during the interview process.
There needs to be an immediate synergy.
How many times do we need to see this play out? One system doesn't fit all. It's up to the Raiders to stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Their inability to get this right in the past has been staggering.
I'm going to guess the Raiders are pursuing Klint Kubiak. Kubiak is the guy behind the Seahawks impressive offense. But it's also interesting to me that Kubiak calls an alignment much like what I've been saying the Raiders need for Mendoza and Jeanty, with both guys standing in the backfield. It's been interesting to watch how effective that can be.
Whoever they are going after, I hope they get their guy. Compromise can be a tough thing and sometimes leads down the wrong path. I can't imagine Davis Webb is ready to be a HC. But what do I know.
It'll be interesting too see. The Browns are showing what a truly toxic head coaching situation looks like, their candidates keep withdrawing. Hopefully the Raiders sit higher on that totem pole, but it's obvious they're not at the top. I imagine we'll be taking a swing at someone new and unproven at the head coaching level, or someone who's got a middling reputation has a head coach (Nagy, Daboll, etc). There have been some nice success stories from the new and unproven coordinator ranks in recent. years, but also several failures. If the Raiders go that route, they gotta NAIL it.
Seems as though the Raiders have conducted a wide net of interviews, which is atypical for them. But the process is slow and arduous. And, to your point, RT, what access do they really have to hiring any of those candidates. Seems Webb, Kubiak and Joe Brady are frontrunners... but they are candidates for other teams as well. This is where compromise comes in and has led the Raiders to failures in their past. Dennis Allen and Lane Kiffin come to mind.
Raiders have had success coaching from their own ranks, Madden and Flores come to mind, but have they NOT had an assistant worthy of mention for HC over the past 20 years? I guess they tried Tom Cable and Hue Jackson. Meh!
Hopefully, they're not interviewing Brennan Carroll for HC. Amazingly, he's still working for the Raiders. He should have been fired to send a message that level of coaching is unacceptable to the org. I'm worried they are still running at sub-par and the more widespread interview process is all a show.
I like Kubiak because of his playcalling success. Joe Brady coached Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. These guys look the part. But so many in media believe Davis Webb is a diamond in the rough. He's young, like Sean McVay was when the Rams hired him, and he's had tremendous success.
Hopefully, today is the day... or will they wait for Kubiak and fail to land him?
Just guessing, but it looks like Raiders are trying to hire Klint Kubiak as head coach, and maybe Davis Webb as OC.
The AFC championship game, Donks vs Pats, played in the sloppy snow, featured a total of 3 penalties in the game. So yeah, big games are officiated differently than regular season.
Near the end of the game, broadcaster Jim Nance said that Mike Vrabel would be the first person to win a super bowl for a team that he played for, and was head coach...but...didn't Tom Flores accomplish this already ?
This article (URL below) is interesting. Mark Davis gave charge to Brady and Spytek, but nobody really knows who's in charge. It notes Brady lives 2000 miles from the Raiders home. IMO, Raiders seem to still be a mess of an organization with no lessons learned from all their mistakes. If they somehow pull off hiring Klint Kubiak as HC and Davis Webb as OC, I will sit down and shut up. I just don't see that happening.
https://www.raidersbeat.com/some-still-unsure-who-is-running-the-raiders/
Joe Brady promoted to Bills HC. Another solid candidate down.
Do the Raiders want to be the last team to hire a HC because, if not, they're doing a great job faking us out.
I'm puzzled, we will interview Joe Brady, but no interview with Sean McDermott? IMO, McDermott is the best candidate out there, proven winner, proven he can build a team, proven with developing a young QB, and has his team prepared at all 3 levels of the game.
I understand, also, the excitement of potential Klint Kubiak, who put on a master class of play calling vs the Rams; but he is unproven in the HC arena. Davis Webb is unproven in play-caling, let alone, Coordinator arena, but is a potential HC. Kubiak may take his brother's stance and say, "No thanks."
Get McDermott in, do your due diligence.
McDermott is a defensive-minded coach. I've not read anywhere that he is credited with developing any QBs. But I agree he should be interviewed... and quickly! It's comical how slow and sloppy the Raiders appear.
Raider Nate, I'm afraid it's not about the Raiders not wanting to interview McDermott, he's a guy with options, it's what I've been saying all along, the Raiders are going to be a very hard sell to guys with options.
At this point, I think it's less about who we choose and more about who we can get. The gene pool is shrinking. Kubiak could be a good get - but does he want to come?
The three remaining teams needing a HC all suck. Yet I feel strongly that if the Raiders are waiting for the super bowl to hire Kubiak, they will fail miserably. If Davis Webb is as impressive as pundits and even Sean Payton claim, the Raiders might be well served to give him a chance.
The Raiders are a pathetic organization which appear once again to be painting themselves into a corner. There's no learning from past mistakes. They fired Carroll with lightning speed, meaning this moment was known weeks, maybe months. Yet the slow process and decision-making is baffling.
They do business like this, then wonder why they need to fire their HC every year.
I just read a report that McDermott is taking a year off, and has not interviewed anywhere. Interesting. I think he'd be a great fit for the Raiders.
NY, ESPN and other major outlets are reporting the Raiders front office mess is what is keeping potential coaches away, and is the reason why they are saying to trade out of the #1 pick and not select Mendoza. They look at the Raiders with the same lense as the Browns, Dolphins, and Jets. IMO, rightfully so
Kubiak can interview this week with the Raiders; and I guarantee the front office is probably keeping it quiet. They don't need to interview him in person either since they have already done so. They just need to find out if he wants the job and then they can hammer out details with his agent, and hire him right after the Super Bowl.
I still have a feeling he doesn't want this job. I bet he takes Arizona because of Shannarat
Nate, I don't understand the connection. ESPN is suggesting they can't get a coach, so they shouldn't get a QB either?
If you're reading the most up to date news, you can see newly hired HCs are filling their staffs with top assistants. That's exactly what the Raiders don't want... to be the last team trying to fill a staff.
This is exactly how we got Luke Getsy from the Bears. The Raiders waited too long to hire Antonio Pierce, in a decision that was so obvious and came with very few external interviews.
If the Raiders don't make a hire during this week, they will be shut down another week.
Rumor is Kubiak has held up the Raiders in not participating in a 2nd interview and might prefer staying as OC of the Seahawks over being Raiders HC. The Raiders are down to Davis Webb... but for how long.
Day late and a dollar short. Compromise will soon fall on the Raiders, again!
No matter who it is, they will likely struggle to put together a staff, and it will probably take Tom Brady helping to mix and match a staff, like he did last year. And what are the chances Patrick Graham stays with the team through his 4th HC? When does that ever happen, post-Al?
Raiders have a way of looking spectacularly unprepared, then being spectacularly bad.
Surprise, the Browns, Raiders and Cardinals are last ones out of 10 teams still trying to find (convince?) a suitable head coach. Do you see any common thread there?
On paper the Raiders have much to offer. In reality, they are a sh*t show hiring their 6th HC in six years.
Seems they wanted to hire Jessie Minter but got Ben Johnsoned. Raiders wanted a second interview with Klint Kubiak but got denied. Raiders gave Davis Webb a second interview but didn't hire him (hopefully, Mark Davis is NOT in the room during interviews). Rams OC Lafleur might still be on the table as a compromise pick. After that, Raiders brass will need to start drawing more names.
Raiders are quickly reaching "no win" territory with their ridiculously long and arduous process.
It's the end of January. If the Raiders next HC is someone they have not spoken to yet, that would be nothing short of pathetic.
Eagles, Giants, Ravens request OC interviews with Davis Webb...
Windows close fast this time of year. I feel like the musical chairs analogy I made earlier is accurate. The Raiders soon won't have a chair.
Back in the day, Al could take his time because he wasn't hiring a HC that anyone else wanted. NFL is a cutthroat business. Snooze you lose. Tom Brady is just learning that. He's not the GOAT of ownership/management.
Doncos fired OC Joe Lombardi, paving the way for Davis Webb to be the internal hire for OC. Sean Payton already made clear his thoughts by saying, "It would be a pain in his (Webb's) @$$" if Webb went to the Raiders. Remember, we lost the chance (twice) of hiring Sean Payton to be coach. Once with Al, and a few years ago.
Looks like the Browns are going to hire former Ravens OC Todd Monken to be the next HC. That would leave the Raiders and Cardinals. Mike McDaniel officially signs with Chargers to be OC. I read this morning that there is a "secret" candidate being interviewed by the Raiders this morning too. Kliff Kingsbury? I hope not....
If the Raiders wait another day or two they will be the only NFL team without a HC and their options at remaining candidates will be wide open. Pure Genius!
10 teams lose HC, 8 teams fill HC position, two remain. That's lame! When they eventually fill the spot, they will tell us that was the plan all along.
They're not playing with a full deck.
Browns, Cardinals and Raiders last to hire head coaches (Browns checked that box today). The worst three ownership groups among all of the 10 openings, and top five worst in the league (you can add Jets and maybe one more).
This is NOT a coincidence. It is the fruit of what I've been banging on for the past six weeks. It's directly related to Mark Davis's ongoing leadership incompetence. I hate to be so negative lately, but it's just the truth. You can only screw around for so long (and he's been screwing around for years) before you really paint yourself into a corner. That's the Raiders right now.
You couldn't duplicate the Raiders last 24 years if you tried... and this current cycle appears to be falling right in lockstep.
First team to fire their HC, last team to hire a new one. They seem unprepared in everything they do, on and off the field.
IMO, there's an urgency and savvy which must co-exist at the top of a successful organization, especially, at times like this when you are directly competing with other organizations for limited resources, e.g., coaches and assistants are right now flying off the shelves.
The Raiders have not had a winning culture since Jon Gruden's first fun as the Raiders HC. Al never had the urgency part because Al was the Raiders secret weapon back in his day. Al was the coach! He hired a few first-time head coaches and made them stars. That's why we're all still here. Al Davis!
But think about this. If only for the last 2+ decades, the Raiders fan base would consist of three, Mark Davis, Tom Brady and Jim Gray.
Under Mark Davis's ownership control, the Raiders are George Costanza, where everything the Raiders do is the opposite of right. It's a remarkable and unprecedented trend. It's been 5-6 years since we were discussing the Raiders as having the worst record over 10+ years, with no playoff wins. That's all grown since.
Honestly, no matter who they hire, I will be skeptical... perhaps for no other reason than the Raiders have trained me to know they are no good at their jobs.
It's a really sad thing for such a storied franchise.
Honda Carpenter says "Ignore the Noise: Raider Nation Has No Reason to Panic About the Coaching Search." This guy is often referred to as a "Raiders insider" but, apparently, he hasn't been paying attention. This is a culmination of decades of failure and Carpenter is treating it like it's a one-off. Is he on Mark's payroll?
I know Hondo, even before he started writing for the Raiders. He is not on Mark's payroll, but he does have good contact information inside the front office, as well as around the League. Though I don't know his writing habits, I think he talks more with people outside the organization on some of his stories, especially when he is having a hard time getting someone inside the building. I think every beat writer does this because the Raiders are always forth-coming (re-read with sarcasm if you have to).
IMO, I think he, Vinny, Q, and Moe Moton are the most honest reporters on the Raiders beat. Hondo is a good dude.
I'm not suggesting Carpenter is bad at what he does, only that he has poor judgement on this issue, telling Raiders fans not to panic because they got this. Obviously, it's not going as planned, as most of the people they expressed interest in are gone or have flat out denied access. And some of those folks have taken assistant coaching jobs to avoid being HC of the worst teams, specifically, the Raiders!
Maybe we could get Tom Brady to deflate a few balls to get the HC process on track. He can start with Mark Davis's.
BTW, not for nothing but the Steelers are about to hire Patrick Graham as their DC. Graham has been a safety net for the Raiders. Maybe it's good that he leaves. But we still have Brennan Carroll, for some reason.
Raiders reportedly scheduled to meet with Klint Kubiak on Saturday. Seems the Raiders have waited until the 11th hour and put all their eggs into one basket. Even if there's an agreement, a lot can happen between Saturday and post-super bowl, more than a week later.
There's no margin for error, but somehow the Raiders usually manage to find it. Hopefully, they don't get Ben Johnsoned, again. Yet I can't help but worry that's exactly what they're setup for.
Kubiak can stay on (and probably command a significant raise) as OC of a super bowl team or he can become a first-time head coach for the most dysfunctional team in the league, with tremendous pressures that go with being the 6th HC in six years, including but not limited to all the layers of management and ownership he will need to answer to.
If you were Klint Kubiak, would you want that job?
I hate to even throw this out there, but in a bizarro world:
Kubiak for HC
Davis for OC
Raiders had to wait until Saturday (by NFL rules) to talk with Kubiak, that was the earliest they could talk with him. I'm not panicking, because its really not the 11th hour. The 11th hour would be if this is happening after the Super Bowl; then and only then would it be a colossal failure.
If I were Kubiak, it is something to consider for sure, but I'd be honest up front in my interviews. Both the Cardinals and the Raiders are in the same boat; and I'm asking both teams tough questions about what I observe with the organization. If I didn't feel I wanted the job, I'd be upfront and tell them they have a hard sale to get me to be the HC; and that would be the writing on the wall for them not to put stock in me coming. This is what Ben Johnson did last season to the Raiders, but they couldn't sell him on the job and they knew early on.
This is why I feel differently about Kubiak, and if he backs out, it shows more of his character than the Raiders at this point, as one of not being honorable upfront. Honestly feels like he is not that guy. I'm not going to panic unless this happens after the Super Bowl.
ESPN ranking of 37 head coaches hired around the league since 2021.
Three Raiders coaches made that list. In order, Pierce, Carroll then McDaniels ranked 30, 31 and 32, respectively. I don't think any other team had three HCs on the list. And the funny thing is, the Raiders had two other coaches during that period, Gruden and Bisaccia. They are about to hire #6.
Obviously, they are not very good at this...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-offseason-ranking-every-head-coaching-hire-since-2021/ar-AA1VePzR?uxmode=ruby&ocid=edgdhpruby&pc=HCTS&cvid=697bb5738ef94f4db530b57decf360ed&ei=8
Nate, be prepared for "colossal failure," in your words and timetable above. The window to interview SB assistants started after the conf championship games. Kubiak has been absent from conversation this whole week. Plus, he can NOT be hired until after the SB, i.e., after your panic clock kicks in. It's also when good quality assistant coaches will be in even shorter supply... as they already are.
Raiders are almost out of options which might point them in the right direction! Not sure why you're giving them so much grace after failing at this process so many times and now look to possibly be the last of 10 teams to fill their HC vacancy.
Not much good comes from being last in a race, nor picking last from a limited pool of decent coaching talent. They barely spoke to any top vet coaches over the past several hires (if they did at all), then they hire the oldest one they could find, who lasts one season. Nothing they do makes sense.
More Tom Brady aint no Raider news.
AMC is airing a 2 part series, "The rise of the 49ers".....The narrator is.....Tom Brady.....Thanks Mr. Raiders, minority owner.....Your loyalty has no end !!
Davis Webb has removed himself from consideration to be Raiders head coach.
The Raiders have us in a painful holding pattern, with a low confidence level that stems from decades of failures regarding this very process. What evidence do we have that they will get it right this time?
I like Klint Kubiak as OC but he's a high-risk choice to be HC, and maybe 50/50 that he would even take the job. Maybe he's the next Sean McVay. Mike McDonald is a defense guy, so Kubiak is the offense in Seattle, and it's been impressive. The shotgun and standing formations Kubiak employs for Darnold and Walker are exactly what I picture for Mendoza and Jeanty. I can't be the only one who sees that.
Even George Castanza had one day when he did the opposite and got everything right.
Fingers crossed.
NY, So if his offensive scheme is a perfect fit why is he high risk? Sandy
He's never been above OC. Remember Josh McDaniels?
And I don't know if his scheme is a perfect fit. I have no clue. I'm just putting together what I see. Based on recent history, I feel like the Raiders are completely blind to it. They are really bad at this.
Looks like its Klint Kubiak or bust now. Everyone else is gone !! Nice job Spytek !!
Fernando Mendoza's recent awards now include the Manning Award, the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O’Brien Award and the AP College Football Player of the Year Award and was named the CFP Offensive MVP.
Reports suggest Mark Davis pays around $50M to ex-coaches and execs to stay home. Pete makes about $15M a year, and I'm guessing that's what the Raiders will need to pay Kubiak after he uses his leverage by doing a 2nd interview with the Cardinals today. Maybe he takes that job, especially, after the negative PR with Davis Webb pulling from consideration. Webb makes nowhere near HC money in Denver.
So, how desperate are the Raiders? Probably off the charts desperate after getting Ben Johnsoned last year.
For what it's worth, Raiders have Bowers, Jeanty, Crosby and no state income tax in NV. And they have access to Mendoza. But they also have Mark Davis doing his "worst" imitation of Al Davis Mini Me.
Nothing is certain.
"Locker named offensive lineman Alex Cappa the team's worst free-agent signing [last year]."
File that under Duh! It was obvious from the start, just reading PFF grades and Bengals media about how bad Cappa was the previous year.
Be that as it may, it wasn't the Raiders worst move. IMO, trading Jakobi Meyers was a bigger mistake. Meyers was the only starting WR the Raiders had, and now they have none. They could have easily extended him.
But collectively, signing Cappa, trading Meyers and allowing the entire defense to walk was incompetence at an extraordinary level even for the Raiders.
Now despite their depleted roster, Eric Stokes is on FA watch. Stokes had a good season on a bad defense. Raiders would probably be smart to re-sign him.
It's gonna be a long week!
Interesting that the two people the Raiders may choose to rely on most (QB and HC) we have (or will) see on the biggest stages of their careers thus far.
Sure, maybe Mendoza wasn't perfect against that tough Miami defense, but he balled out a Championship win and co-MVP. His body of work in 2025 was outstanding. Raiders will get him on a rookie contract, allowing them to use their ample resources at other positions. Should be a slam dunk!
Kubiak is not as obvious. Darnold has quietly developed into a solid QB. He clearly has innate talent but it comes from good coaching as well. I don't make a habit of watching the Seahawks but I've been impressed with their playcalling this postseason, much more so than anything the Raiders have fielded in years. We'll get another look at them next weekend.
So, one guy will need to transition to the NFL, the other guy to the ranks of head coaching. It's potentially another moment which we don't know until we see it. Both guys seem like the right move, but can they survive the Raiders, who have screwed up too many times (and people) for it just to be coincidence.
Kubiak is the new coach. Sandy
I feel good about it, Sandy. Let's hope he follows through and signs after the SB, because the Raiders likely next choice for head coach just agreed to coach the Cardinals. I believe it will happen because of the money involved.
If so, can we say the Raiders are looking to go 2 for 2 early on. Major challenge for Kubiak will be to build an 11th staff of quality assistants. Then free and the draft, both of which the Raiders must do better. Spytek sucked at both last year.
Let's hope Kubiak and Mendoza start a changing of the Autumn Wind. Raiders need to get some swag back. It's been too f'n long!
free agency!
Early reporting suggests it was Brady's "star power" that shined with Kubiak, which is what Raider Take eluded might happen.
Glad you feel good---finally---lol. Hopefully it lasts. Carr is a huge fan of Kubiak from their year together with the Saints. Sandy
My biggest fear remains the same, the Raiders being the Raiders.
New take is up!
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