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Things are moving fast for the Las Vegas Raiders after they hired Josh McDaniels as head coach and Dave Ziegler as general manager. There are a lot of big decisions the two will need to make throughout the offseason but first, they need to figure out the coaching staff and front office. McDaniels and Ziegler have been around the NFL for a long time and have plenty of connections.
The two have decided to bring in a familiar face to the front office. The Raiders announced that Anthony “Champ” Kelly has been hired as the team’s assistant general manager.
Kelly comes from the Chicago Bears where he was the assistant director of player personnel from 2017 to 2021. Prior to that, he was the team’s director of pro scouting. What connects Kelly to McDaniels and Ziegler was his time with the Denver Broncos. When Ziegler was a player personnel assistant and McDaniels was the head coach in 2010, Kelly was assistant director of pro personnel for the team. The trio is clearly familiar with each other.
Kelly was actually interviewed for the general manager opening with the Raiders before they hired Ziegler. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the team was very impressed with him during the interview and they wanted him in the front office in some capacity.
The Raiders didn’t employ an assistant general manager when Mike Mayock was with the team so this will be a new position. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have more smart executives in the front office.
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Khalil Mack Supported Kelly as Bears GM
With the hires of McDaniels and Ziegler, the Raiders will be adopting the “Patriot Way” in some capacity. That means things could get intense and difficult for some players. Bringing on a guy like Kelly is smart as he’s proven he can build strong relationships with players. When he was interviewing for the Bears general manager opening, superstar pass rusher Khalil Mack endorsed him for the job.
The Bears went in a different direction but it’s a testament to how respected he is by players that the team’s biggest name came out and supported him for the general manager job. Raiders fans still remember Mack fondly for his time with the team. The fact that he supports Kelly should excite fans.
Raiders Front Office Coming Together
More changes and additions could still be made but it looks like the Raiders’ front office is coming together. According to Bonsignore, it looks like the team might be keeping on some names from the previous regime.
The most notable name on Bonsignore’s list is Dwayne Joseph, who has been the director of pro personnel since 2019. He interviewed for the Raiders’ general manager job and has been considered a candidate for other jobs. He’s a respected executive and it’d be a smart move for the team to keep him on.
DuJuan Daniels is another guy who has been on staff with the team. It appears that the Raiders will be keeping him on as assistant director of player personnel. He spent time in New England with Ziegler and McDaniels so it’s no surprise that he’s being kept on. If this setup holds, the Raiders have put together an impressive front office.
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