The Las Vegas Raiders‘ coaching search is starting to heat up. The team has satisfied the NFL’s Rooney Rule, so they can hire a coach at any time.
The team continues to add names to their list of interviews, but a candidate is finally getting a second interview. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is interviewing in person with the Raiders in South Florida after doing a virtual interview previously.
Evero has been in the mix for head coaching jobs for years now, but hasn’t been able to seal the deal. Notably, he was briefly a player for the Oakland Raiders when he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2004.
He never got a chance to play with the team, but they’re the only NFL team he ever played for. That’s not why the Raiders are taking a look at him.
Evero earned a reputation as one of the best young defensive minds in the NFL in 2022 when he turned a depleted Denver Broncos defense into a strong unit. Now, what’s concerning is that the Panthers had the worst defense in the NFL last season, and they only had the 15th-best scoring defense this season. The defense isn’t loaded with talent, but they haven’t been particularly good under Evero.
Is Evero a Real Candidate for Raiders HC Job?
Despite some of the defensive woes in Carolina, there’s a reason Evero has continued to keep his job. He’s a respected coach and could put together an elite defense with the right talent.
Also, being a head coach is a different skill set, so the Raiders could believe that he’s got a lot of potential as a leader. The team doesn’t give him a second in-person interview if they aren’t strongly considering him for the position.
That doesn’t mean he’s the favorite right now. The Raiders still have a lot of other coaches to interview in person. Evero will be in the mix, but it’s too early to know if he’ll get the job.
Mike McDaniels Lands In-Person Interview
The Raiders are going to be in South Florida to scout Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and other potential NFL prospects in the National Championship game. While they are there, it looks like they’re planning to be productive.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders are interviewing former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel in person. The team hasn’t done a virtual interview with him, but he’ll be in South Florida, so it’ll be easy to add him to the slate.
McDaniel has proven to be an elite offensive mind and will land an offensive coordinator job if he isn’t hired as a head coach. There are questions about whether or not he has the right personality to lead a team as a head coach, but there’s no denying he’s a very good playcaller.
The Raiders could favor an offensive mind to pair with a rookie quarterback, so McDaniel is going to be a real candidate for them. He’s a name to watch closely for the Raiders job.
Former Raiders Player Is First to Get Second HC Interview With Vegas