If the Las Vegas Raiders decide to cut ties with Pete Carroll after the season, it stands to reason that the team would prefer to hire a young up-and-coming head coach to replace him instead of another retread. This year’s crop of coaching candidates isn’t the most exciting we’ve seen in recent years, but there are some high-level options.
A key name to keep an eye on is Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. He’s helped turn the Chargers into one of the best defenses in the NFL despite not having a ton of high-end talent to work with.
Minter should have plenty of suitors this offseason, but the Raiders might have an advantage for a unique reason, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“His staff, with arranged marriages to coordinators Chip Kelly and Pat Graham, never really jelled like it needed to, and there is an expectation that, with Kelly already gone, the rest of the group will be cleaned out after Sunday’s game against the Chiefs,” Breer wrote. “The next steps will be interesting, with Tom Brady likely to have a big voice, alongside GM John Spytek, on what the franchise looks for.
“Brady and Spytek’s Michigan connection to Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, especially given the success of Mike Macdonald in Seattle (Minter and Macdonald worked in Baltimore together, and Minter succeeded Macdonald at Michigan), are worth noting.”
Is Minter Right for Raiders?
Minter spent two years at Michigan, so Spytek and Brady should be familiar with his ability as a coach. However, he’s not a Michigan alumnus and only spent two years in the program. It’s unlikely he has some kind of loyalty to all things Michigan.
Regardless, the Raiders should intrigue him. They have a lot of money to work with and will likely have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Typically, hiring a defensive coach when developing a young quarterback is a recipe for disaster, but Minter is a former wide receiver who has spent years working closely with Jim Harbaugh, who is a former quarterback.
He likely understands the offensive side of the ball more than most defensive gurus. Plus, he’s a young coach, which is perfect for a rebuilding team. The Raiders might prefer a young offensive coach, but they could definitely do worse than Minter.
Should Raiders Favor Offense?
The Raiders have tried so many different head coaches in recent years, but none of them have worked out. The franchise can’t really afford to make the wrong head coaching hire again.
There’s a strong argument that the Raiders need to hire a strong offensive mind to be the head coach. They tried that with Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels, but both were retreads. It has been a very long time since the Raiders gave a young up-and-coming offensive coach a chance.
With a rookie quarterback likely coming in, now might be the time to finally take a swing on a young coach. It can’t be risky, but most of the best coaches in the NFL right now comes from an offensive background.
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