The Raiders haven’t made a decision on the future of head coach Antonio Pierce, but as of Monday the situation seemed to be trending in a positive direction for the first-year head coach.
Whether it’s Pierce or someone else on the sidelines next year, there will be a long list of challenges waiting for the next head coach of the Raiders.
Even though Pierce said he doesn’t anticipate major changes to the coaching staff, there is a good chance the Raiders are going to lose both coordinators. And the uncertainty around the organization isn’t limited to just the coaching staff.
As of now, Aidan O’Connell is at the top of the depth chart at quarterback and there’s no guarantee the Raiders will be able to make a big splash at the position in free agency or the draft.
Even Maxx Crosby seems to have doubts as to where the organization is headed, and it sounds like a few key free agents might be approaching the offseason with a similar mindset. According to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the Raiders are going to have convince some of their own free agents to stay in Silver & Black.
“In my first five [seasons covering the Raiders], every offseason it was ‘Who do the Raiders want to keep [in] free agency? Now, the tables have reversed,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“And in my decades of doing this, this is the only the second season where I’ve ever covered a team where I felt this,” Carpenter continued. “Now it’s a matter of who wants to stay and not stay only for paychecks… [Players] are really going to be watching this franchise now. This franchise is going to have to sell them. It’s going to have to earn it.”
Hondo didn’t say who he was referring to, but some of their notable players slated to hit free agency this year are Robert Spillane, Adam Butler, Malcolm Koonce, Divine Deablo, Nate Hobbs and Tre’von Moehrig.
In a previous podcast, Carpenter said he believes the Buffalo Bills are going to make an aggressive play for Spillane, and there’s no question it would be a significant loss if the Raiders aren’t able to keep Spillane. Other than Crosby, Spillane might be the most important defensive player on the roster.
Most of the key free agents on the roster happen to be on the defensive side of the ball and it’s no secret that the players have a tremendous amount of respect for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, whose contract will expire at the end of the season.
Bringing back Graham, who will reportedly interview for the Jaguars head-coaching vacancy, would definitely help the Raiders chances of bringing back a few defensive players.
And speaking of the defensive coordinator job, it will be interesting to see what the Raiders do if they aren’t able to keep Graham.
One name to watch might be defensive line coach Rob Leonard. The players like Leonard and he is one of the rising position coaches in the league.
But before anything can happen with assistant coaches or free agents, the Raiders need to make a decision on their head coach. Pierce is operating in his usual role for now, but the team still hasn’t made any kind of statement on his status for next year.
Until the team publicly backs Pierce, it probably isn’t safe to make assumptions about him or his coordinators. In theory, the Raiders should want to make a decision on their head coach as soon as possible, but team owner Mark Davis generally isn’t one to rush to a decision.
x: @raidersbeat
Pierce needs to go
Spillage can go, we need playmakers at each level on defense. Spillage is good but, he’s not a playmaker
He led the defense in turnovers and tackles. Don’t say he’s not a playmaker.
You’re 100% correct Spillaneis the best linebacker we have on the roster .
But he’s solid as they come..
And tough as nails. Some people don’t have a clue.
Spillane can go, we need playmakers at each level on defense. Spillage is good but, he’s not a playmaker
The sooner we fire Pierce the better chance of getting quality coaches, and coordinators, and etc
Rob Leonard as DC? I doubt it. The best in-house choice would be Marv Lewis as our new DC. There are reasons why Antonio Pierce has not been fired. One, the players play hard for him, and two, he’s put together a staff of experienced men in Marv Lewis, Norv Turner, and Joe Philbin. These three have been head coaches and they all bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. And if there is a change at OC it would be in-house. Norv Turner would be the new OC and his son will be the QB coach.
Telesco is to blame for a lot of dysfunction. Getting rid of jacobs bringing in rejects like Minshew, mattison. This needs to be accounted for. All I hear is how great he is??? Huh??? Explain this I’m having brain fog. What has he done that doesn’t deserve firing??
JJ didn’t want to be here! When he ended his holdout he came back fat and out of shape. Get a clue.
RB play is generally due to offensive line and passing game performance. There are very few backs who can overcome a bad line and bad passing game (the Raiders rushing attach was at its best this year when they got their best play from the OL and AOC, right?). Is Jacobs one of those guys. At times he has been. But he wasn’t last year. The game is changing a bit again due to defenses prioritizing the pass, but I still think passing a RB is a luxury for a team that is otherwise ready to contend. Like the Eagles with Barkley.
Really? Lmao
Zeus averaged 5 plus a carry last year. There was nothing wrong with the run game last season.
Your point is like like a bowl of grits. We had no run game this season until Getsy was fired. And it took two weeks for any success. Our O line is terrible. Miller is done. Powers might be good. Parham is inconsistent as is James. Glaze looks like he could be good. We need depth across that line.
I hope Graham signs elsewhere. He can’t make in game adjustments and last season he showed he topped out. It wasn’t until AP took over as HC and all of a sudden we’re blitzing like never before. And Graham sticks with personnel that are getting burned over and over again. Don’t let the door hit ya Graham.
If Hondo Carpenter is your insider then you are outside asf.
The raiders should have never moved to Vegas, they have lost their home field advantage… opposing fans were afraid to go to Oakland but now they fill the stands in Vegas. The raiders have become a Vegas residency act! . Davis needs to sell the team to an owner that knows football…. It’s sad what they have become…. It doesn’t help that the NFL hates them in general
Anyone that didn’t see that coming is a fool.
Andy made a great point about never leaving Oakland, the good news |Oakland is wide open and in need of a professional team !!!
Bingo. They fired the wrong guy. And the owner who said he doesn’t know much about football and wants to focus on the business side of things continues to make (and mess up) the three most important football decisions a team faces. Hiring (and in his case, constantly firing) the gm, the head coach and the QB. Remember that it was the owner who, after a surprise run to the playoffs despite tremendous in season adversity, turned around and fired the gm and (interim) head coach who got us there. And their replacements jettisoned our QB. This constant turmoil is a sign of the dysfunction caused by a meddlesome owner who doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Mr Davis need to to sit back and let his partner show him how it’s done. Brady my man … Let’s show these rattlers some venom and rock the world with some Primetime live in Las Vegas Baby Win. By bringing the Sanders to Sign City. And show The Raiders Nation some real action. and bring us some trophies and rings. But honestly I feel content with AOD as my quarterback we just need to pick up Jeanty from Boise back field and of course a offense of line that will provide the time AOD needs. This is reality