Getty Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.
Despite the fact that the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t started their search for a new head coach yet, per CBS Sports‘ Jason La Canfora, the team could still very much be planning to move on from interim head coach Rich Bisaccia in the offseason. Though he is an experienced and respected coach, owner Mark Davis could be interested in starting fresh with a more exciting name. There will be a litany of coordinators due for head coaching jobs that will undoubtedly have interest in the Raiders.
However, Davis has shown with his past two head coaching hires that he likes candidates with previous success leading teams. As we’ve seen in recent days in college football, it’s possible to get a head coach that’s employed by another team if the price is right. The Los Angeles Rams have mortgaged their future by trading away draft picks to win a Super Bowl this season. The team has lost three straight games and certainly doesn’t look like a Super Bowl contender.
If they can’t win a Super Bowl this year, it’s fair to question their future viability considering their lack of draft capital. Head coach Sean McVay is one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL. Perhaps he could see that the future is murky in Los Angeles and considers taking a massive offer from Las Vegas.
Raiders beat writer Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal suggested that the team trade draft picks to the Rams to land McVay.
“Think about it. The Rams next have a draft pick in like 2054, so why not have Davis really act the part of his gambling father and ship a bunch of high selections to Los Angeles and lure McVay to Las Vegas? Boy Wonder does buffets,” Graney wrote.
Obviously, McVay would have to approve such a deal and it would likely mean the Raiders having to redo his contract. He’d be worth the 10 years and $100 million the team previously gave Jon Gruden. McVay was a Gruden disciple so that could be appealing to Davis.
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Why Raiders Could Appeal to McVay?
GettyJon Gruden with Sean McVay.
If the Raiders truly feel like they want to make a run at McVay, who has shown no interest in leaving Los Angeles, it’s going to take a lot of convincing. While the silver and black have had one winning season since 2002, the potential is there for them to have a great team with the right coach. McVay would inherit a solid quarterback in Derek Carr, a Pro Bowl running back in Josh Jacobs, a superstar tight end in Darren Waller and many more good young pieces.
Plus, McVay coming to Las Vegas would make the Raiders a free agency hotspot. Impending free agents like Davante Adams could jump at the chance of playing under the coach. Also, if he doesn’t think Carr is the answer at quarterback, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers showed interest in getting traded to the team last offseason, and playing under McVay would be even more appealing than playing under Gruden.
Worth a Shot
It’s incredibly rare for successful NFL coaches to jump from one situation to another, especially when the situation is the Rams. The team has given McVay everything he could need. They traded for Matthew Stafford and Von Miller, and then signed Odell Beckham Jr. There’s no reason to believe he’s unhappy with how the Rams have gone about business.
That said, it’s a brutal business and the Rams lack future flexibility. If McVay sees that he can’t quickly build a Super Bowl winner in Los Angeles, a new challenge could be worth exploring. It’s highly unlikely that the Raiders could pry away McVay from the Rams but it’s at least worth a shot. Davis can’t afford to keep losing in a new city. Going all out and hiring a huge name like McVay would be a statement to Las Vegas that the Raiders are serious about building a powerhouse.
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Wild Trade Proposal Has Raiders Dealing for Superstar Head Coach