The Las Vegas Raiders‘ search for their next head coach drags on into another week.
Advertisement
That’s not necessarily a bad thing for Las Vegas, though, as it means the team is doing plenty of homework in order to find the right guy.
While that has been going on, the Raiders saw four of the top candidates come off the board, with the Tennessee Titans hiring Robert Saleh, the Miami Dolphins hiring Jeff Hafley, the New York Giants hiring John Harbaugh and the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski.
There are still some attractive candidates out there, though, including Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who Andy Smith of Roto Baller predicts will become the next head coach of the Raiders.
“While an experienced coach would also be a great match for Mendoza, the Raiders are looking for not only a budding offensive mind but also a coach who can provide a massive spark to the locker room, which is coming off a three-win season. Kubiak is prepared to lead a rebuild and will also create a running scheme to assist Ashton Jeanty round into form following a disappointing debut season,” Smith said.
Advertisement
Kubiak is absolutely a realistic prediction for the Raiders, as the team has already interviewed him for their vacancy.
Kubiak became one of the hottest names in this cycle after an impressive season as the Seahawks’ play-caller.
In Kubiak’s first season, and with the Seahawks having a new quarterback in Sam Darnold after they unloaded Geno Smith via trade to the Raiders, Seattle finished third in points per game, 10th in rushing yards and eighth in total and passing yards.
Kubiak would be just what the doctor ordered for the Raiders.
Las Vegas had one of the worst offenses in the NFL last season and are now set to draft quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, assuming he declares. That makes hiring an offensive-minded coach important.
Advertisement
The Raiders should be attractive to Kubiak. Along with possibly drafting Mendoza, the Raiders have a budding star running back in Ashton Jeanty and a ton of cap space and plenty of draft picks to help build the roster up quickly.
One issue with Kubiak is that he’s still in the playoffs with the Seahawks, so the Raiders can’t bring him in for a second, in-person interview until after the Super Bowl.
That creates a risky situation, as the Raiders could lose out on other candidates they like while waiting for Kubiak with zero guarantee he actually takes the job.
That said, Kubiak’s resume is good enough to wait for, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Raiders take that chance.
Advertisement