The offseason drama is beginning to unfold for the Las Vegas Raiders. The regular season is coming to a close this weekend. Despite hosting the Denver Broncos in Week 18, all eyes are set on the future of the organization, namely at the top.
In case you’ve missed headlines, the Raiders have been dominating them as of late. That’s thanks to the speculation that Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh could be the next head coach in Las Vegas. At the same time, current interim coach Antonio Pierce is seeing great support from current players such as Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams. Pierce is also seeing support from Raiders legends and former players who played for the Silver and Black not that long ago.
What will happen to the current Raiders coaching staff?
However, an interesting tidbit has developed. Current assistant coaches serving under Pierce are free to pursue other opportunities around the league. The Raiders won’t obstruct them from doing so, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.
“At a team meeting this week, Raiders coaches and staffers were told that they would not be blocked from looking for other jobs but that the organization wanted to be kept in the loop on any potential opportunities.”
When looking at the situation closely, maybe none of this is too much of a shock. The majority of this current staff consists of assistants hired by Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. “Patriots holdovers,” if you will. Still, some of these coaches have lived up to their expectations, namely defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. A coach that many within Raider Nation are imploring owner Mark Davis to keep around.
At the same time, it’s easy to see all of this as a sign that Harbaugh’s hiring could be a foregone conclusion. But not so fast. It is important to remind those people that Davis and the Raiders must still adhere to proper guidelines and rules before reaching a decision. That, of course, includes an interview for Antonio Pierce and satisfying the Rooney Rule as well.
With all of this in mind, we can begin to freely speculate about the future of the Raiders. By all accounts, Pierce’s interim run has impressed Davis. At the same time, he’s proven over time that he leans more towards landing a “big fish” to fill his openings. Money is no issue for him; Davis just wants the team to win.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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