The Raiders seem to know who they want with the no. 1 pick in the draft, and greater curiosity around the team right now involves their next head coach.
According to league insider Jordan Schultz, the Raiders made a “very strong push” to hire former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter at the end of last week, but the source of that information likely came from Minter’s representation.
For weeks, the assumption has been that the Raiders are looking for a young offensive-minded head coach, and even Schultz had been pushing that narrative leading up to his pivot on Minter.
From the outside, it looks the Raiders are waiting to see what happens in the conference championship games and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport offered a new name to watch on the Broncos’ coaching staff this weekend.
“The Raiders have at least two, potentially three, candidates whose teams will play Sunday. Sources say they are looking into scheduling another interview with Broncos offensive passing game coordinator Davis Webb, who is considered a strong candidate. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph have interest, as well. Webb has not yet been a coordinator, but his experience as an NFL QB, along with his leadership abilities, make him an attractive candidate,” Rapoport reported on Saturday.
“The belief is Las Vegas is looking for a younger, offensive coach, and Kubiak — a top coordinator — and Webb fit that bill. Kubiak was also a strong candidate for the Falcons’ vacancy before they hired former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Kubiak, Joseph and Webb have completed virtual interviews with Las Vegas.”
Rapoport’s comments on Kubiak and Webb are in line with the popular narrative around the Raiders’ coaching search right now, and on Sunday morning ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler seemed to hint that Kubiak is the current front runner for the job.
The expectation is that Tom Brady will make the final call on the Raiders’ next head coach, but GM John Spytek is going to have more influence on the decision than he did a year ago.
After the way the season played out with Pete Carroll, look for the decision makers in Las Vegas to prioritize a candidate who falls in line a litter better with the vision shared by Brady and Spytek.
A year ago, Brady made the decision to hire Chip Kelly to a reported three-year, $18 million deal and it’s possible Brady might prefer a head coach and coordinator who will be open to his involvement the way Kelly was.
Answers will be coming soon, but if the Broncos and Seahawks win on Sunday, the wait for a head coach in Las Vegas could be another two weeks.
And last but not least, does it sound like Adam Schefter is expecting Davis to end up in Buffalo?
x: @raidersbeat
Let the hype drive up the trade value on Mendoza. Draft capital and build the OL in this draft and use those picks to snag Manning next season.
#nocheckdowncharley, #noshotgunQ, #holdyourwater.
Let the imbeciles whine and moan.
Laughable. The Raiders have no guarantee of being in position to draft Manning next season. SMH…
Clueless. Draft capital. Comprehension fail.
Kubiak & Chandler from Ind Hoosiers, who him self has helped groom a couple of QBs, and through the draft you build the team around Mendoza, if he has to sit for a year that would work, Use AOC as your bridge QB, why u groom Mendoza, and build a O-line, to take a chance for next year that you’re in the position to get Archie, for all you know he may pull a Peyton and stay his senior year, why waste those draft picks when you need them to build your team, and get a good young DC like Chris Shula
Jim Swartz is still available, he’s a great DC, you think Brady could convince him to come to Vegas
Philly shifting again