The Las Vegas Raiders finished the 2025 season with a 3-14 record, securing the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft with a lot of decisions to make outside of that pick.
Longtime legendary head coach Pete Carroll envisioned his squad making a playoff push in his first season at the helm, but unfortunately, his team’s all-around dysfunction led to him getting canned and being one-and-done in Las Vegas.
But before Carroll was fired, his offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, and special teams coordinator, Tom McMahon, were fired midseason as the team kept losing badly. Yet, despite the defense allowing the eighth-most points per game, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham wasn’t fired.
Graham actually did a decent job with the secondary this season and the team was middle of the pack in terms of yards allowed per game, so the team must have felt that he was a voice worth keeping around.
Graham’s work in Las Vegas has led to the Washington Commanders requesting to interview him for their own defensive coordinator opening.
A source close to the team believes the Raiders will go for an offensive-minded head coach, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Despite the presence of Tom Brady as minority owner, expect general manager John Spytek to be a major factor in the hiring process of a new head coach,” Fowler wrote Wednesday. “‘He’s in the crosshairs now,’ an industry source said. Last year, Spytek was hired just a few days before the hiring of Pete Carroll. Much of the legwork was already done. This time, Spytek can collaborate with Brady from the get-go. As for candidates, one team source believes offensive-minded candidates will get serious consideration. The Raiders pick first in April’s draft and they know they must get the quarterback position right.”
The Raiders are reportedly interviewing the following candidates in the coming days: Denver Broncos QBs coach Davis Webb on Wednesday night, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph on Thursday and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on Friday.
Kubiak could be a sneaky favorite to land this job, as he is probably the most respected offensive mind from this list. Is it a coincidence that Las Vegas is interviewing Kubiak the same day that the top quarterback prospects in the draft (Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore) play each other?