As the Raiders continue the process of searching for their next head coach, the team has been allowing some of their assistant coaches to look for jobs elsewhere.
They have also blocked at least one coach, most notably defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, from interviewing for lateral positions with other teams.
So far, the biggest loss of the offseason from a coaching standpoint was offensive coordinator Carmen Bricillo. But according to a report this week, the Raiders weren’t necessarily placing a premium on Bricillo’s services going forward.
“He wasn’t a favorite of players in Las Vegas, according to multiple sources,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported on Thursday. “There were questions about his coaching techniques, and the Raiders didn’t exactly put up a fight to retain his services, given his connection to coach Josh McDaniels, who was fired Oct. 31.”
It was telling that the Raiders allowed Bricillo to make a lateral move to the New York Giants. Because it was a lateral move (the same position with his new team), the Raiders could have blocked the move, but declined to do so.
As for the hire that everyone is taking about, Antonio Pierce is still considered the front runner to be the Raiders’ next head coach, but something is holding up the process and it isn’t clear right now what that is.
NBC Sports host Mike Florio talked about that dynamic on Wednesday, and he believes the door is being left open by Mark Davis to potentially make a surprise decision in the days ahead…
“I was saying throughout the final weeks of the regular season that Mark Davis needs to learn from the mistake he made two years ago when he didn’t keep [Rich] Bisaccia and Mike Mayock after they led the team through some pretty dysfunctional times…
The word on the NFL streets over the weekend, when you start connecting dots, was Vrabel to the Raiders. Tom Brady [is] intimately involved in the team even though his attempt to purchase 5 to 10 percent of the franchise is yet to be approved by the owners and it might never be. But he is involved, and he and Vrabel are tight.
So will Mark Davis hold firm with what we feel like Antonio Pierce has deserved or will he become tempted to make a bigger splash with a Jim Harbaugh or a Mike Vrabel. And that thing is, now that the Rooney Rule has been fully complied with and they can hire anyone at any time, Jim Harbaugh could show up today and [Davis] could hire Harbaugh today if he wanted to.”
twitter: @raidersbeat
I am a longtime Raider. I remember when AL Davis would do the fighting for the Raiders in the BoardRoom while the Raiders player did the fighting on the Football Field. Now it seems like Everyman for his self. I don’t much care for the Ride &Die mantra. But I truly believe the organization has enough Pride to put a **** Good rally a win another Super Bowl. That’s my 2 cents.
I don’t have a clue what Jim Harbaugh is worth. I have watched him for many years since I am a UM grad. He reminds me of the former race horse Silky Sullivan (check this out if you are too young to know that horse). But clearly JH sped up in the last few years. What is important is what he has done in the past 2/3 years! Given his age and experience, here is what I would do if I had enough money.
1. I would hire JH as Head Coach on a three/five year contract and beg (and pay) AP to become our Assistant Head Coach with him becoming Head Coach when JH leaves. AP is young and has a lot to learn and can help the DC.
2. Do what you can do to draft J.J. McCarthy who was UM’s qb. He is very young and can run like a deer, pass and run/pass. JH has said that J.J. was the best ever qb at UM which includes JH and Tom Brady. J.J. can be our next TB. Keep AO for our backup. He can pass, but not run (neither could TB). JH can teach both of them and we can have the best qb duo in the NFL.
3. Hire the OC and DC from UM. They are superb.
I leave the rest up to Davis to craft the full GM staff.
That is the dumbest remark I’ve heard hire the DC from Michigan when we have Graham as the DC who made waves with this defense to dump him and start new with a different scheme come on man quit swinging on UM they aren’t that good you win one championship and you think the coaches are GOD’S of football
Glad that Mark Davis hired AP as the new coach of the Raiders. Hope he hires Champ as the new GM now. Have been a Raider fan for 51 years. I remember Al Davis taking some chances on coaches as well, Madden, Floris, and Art Shell. Not bad. I wish you the best Mark Davis. I think you made the right choice, for the Radier Fans, the Raider team, and yourself as well. Raider Nation always!
Well.. throw that out the window. Ap is the HC
The team spoke. Mark’s hands are tied. He better hire AP or he will lose the locker room
The comment by Rico is not accurate while the players are supportive of Pierce they would quickly fall in line with an experienced coach who knew what was doing that was not McDaniels!
Antonio Has Earned to Job! Harbaugh is Not Raider Material! End of Story!!