The Las Vegas Raiders slipped to 2-11 after their Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos on December 7 at Allegiant Stadium. Pete Carroll’s opening year with the Silver and Black has unraveled in a hurry, and the uncertainty around his long-term future isn’t going away.
He already dismissed both his special teams coordinator and offensive coordinator, yet those moves haven’t sparked anything. The losing skid has now stretched to seven straight.
If Las Vegas drop the final four games and wrap up the year at 2-15, it’s fair to wonder whether that would be enough for the organization to move on from Carroll after just one season.
On the December 11 edition of the “Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast,” Hondo Carpenter, who covers the Silver and Black for On SI, shared the names that he’s hearing could be on the front office’s radar should Carroll’s time come to an end.
“Saleh is the name I’m hearing,” Carpenter said. “That move would let the Raiders pick their own offensive coach again. Robert Saleh is a strong defensive mind, and they’d be ready to pay him the way they once did with Chip [Kelly].
“Another name is the Giants‘ Mike Kafka. I’ve heard some talk about him. The Colts‘ Jim Bob Cooter has also come up. From the Bills, Joe Brady is in the mix. The Ravens‘ Todd Monken is very well respected. The Chiefs‘ Matt Nagy has been mentioned, though that one feels unlikely, but his name has still surfaced. Klint Kubiak is another. And there’s also [the Los Angeles Rams‘] Mike LaFleur.”
What’s the Latest on Pete Carroll’s Future?
CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones has offered an update on what he’s been hearing about the Raiders head coach’s future.
“I’ve been told don’t worry about the general manager there, John Spytek, in his first year as GM,” Jones said on the December 7 edition of “CBS Sports HQ.“ “He has been considered safe and will continue to be considered safe going into his second year. But is the Pete Carroll project working out? He’s already fired two coordinators… [He] didn’t get the quarterback right. This defense isn’t playing very well. The offensive line was not figured out and will not be figured out this season.
“There [are] claims of nepotism with Pete Carroll bringing in two of his sons to be on the coaching staff, where they haven’t really been successful without their dad as the head coach. And so all of these things can coalesce, can cascade on Pete Carroll… But a lot of folks within the NFL would not be surprised if, at the end of the season, the Las Vegas Raiders’ job winds up becoming open.”
Are the Raiders an Attractive Destination?
If Las Vegas moves on from Carroll, the focus turns to the type of coach they might pursue next. Carpenter has shared that people around the league are discussing whether the Raiders’ head coaching job is an attractive one for NFL coaches.
“Talking to a lot of people around the NFL, this is not going to be an attractive job, “ Carpenter said on the November 30 edition of the “Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.” “So either they’re going to have to make some big-time assurances to a big-time coach, or they’re going to have to go the youth route. And if you go the youth route, you are rolling the dice. I’m not rooting against the franchise, but if you go the youth route, you’d better hope they hit big.
“And those guys usually don’t, but you better hope they do, because the way this franchise has been conditioned, you go get a young coach and he has a rough year, and next year could be rough. Then your fan base is going to be calling to get him fired, and you’re right back where you are.”
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