There’s only so much the Las Vegas Raiders can do with their coaching staff right now as they wait for Klint Kubiak to wrap up his season with the Seattle Seahawks. It’s unlikely the team will start announcing any hirings until after the Super Bowl, but they may have hinted at which coaches aren’t being brought back.
There was no coach more maligned by the Raiders fan base than offensive line coach and run game coordinator Brennan Carroll. He is the son of former head coach Pete Carroll. Other coaches got fired throughout the season, and despite the Raiders having arguably the worst offensive line and run game in the NFL, Carroll survived.
That led to many accusations of nepotism. The chances that Carroll would be on the coaching staff next after his father got fired were very low, but it sounds like the Raiders have already made a decision.
The team updated its coaching staff on the official website, and a few names were removed, most notably Brennan Carroll. Nate Carroll and Greg Olson were the other notable names no long listed. Running backs coach Deland McCullough, offensive quality control coach Conner McQueen, tight end coach Luke Steckel, defensive line coach Rob Leonard, assistant defensive line coach Kenyon Jackson, defensive assistant Rip Rowan, defensive backs coach Joe Woods and interim special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II are all still listed on the site.
Which Coaches Could Kubiak Keep?
The Raiders couldn’t have brought back Carroll. The offensive line was too bad. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t coaches the Raiders can retain.
Woods is somebody who has a good chance to stick around. He has previously worked with Kubiak. He could be in the mix for the defensive coordinator job. Leonard is a respected defensive line coach, so he should be back if he wants to stay. Anybody coaching on the offensive side of the ball might be in trouble. Kubiak is likely to bring in a number of people from Seattle to his offensive staff.
Charles Woodson Praises Kubiak Hiring
The Raiders have been a sinking ship for a long time, but now they’ll have a respected young offensive mind to build up the franchise. Hall of Famer and Raiders legend Charles Woodson is really high on the team hiring Kubiak.
“It looks like that is what is in the cards,” Woodson said on the “Rich Eisen Show.” “I go back to last week’s game, and the touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught. He came out of the back field and ran the corner route. Just the perfect play for the defense that they were going to see. … Just understanding what you are going to get in certain situations. … Having a guy like that calling plays that can dial it up.”
“The way he can do it, and if he is the guy in Las Vegas, they have weapons. Brock Bowers is at the top of the game. [Ashton] Jeanty, without blocking, still rushed for almost 1,000 yards. There is some pieces there he can work with.”
Raiders Seemingly Fire Maligned Pete Carroll Assistant Coach