All of a sudden, the Raiders are searching for another head coach. Pete Carroll and his sons will no longer be making football decisions in Las Vegas. General manager John Spytek, working with team owner Tom Brady, will now lead the search for the next coach.
The Carroll experiment ended after one season, and the fit always carried risk. Trying to rebuild with an aging coach proved unrealistic once the losses mounted. Spytek addressed the fallout Monday and took direct aim at the questions fans keep asking: What went wrong, and what changes now?
He started with accountability.
“The accountability should start and stop with me,” Spytek said.
Ashton Jeanty is great but needs more help…
Even as some questioned whether the Boise State alum delivered a breakout season, Jeanty still put his name in the Raiders’ rookie record book. The first-year running back posted more than 1,300 scrimmage yards, the most by a Raiders rookie since Josh Jacobs. Spytek pointed to Jeanty’s consistency as a baseline the team must build on.
“He showed up every game and competed,” Spytek said. “We got to do a better job surrounding him with a lot of players that can help.”
That need is most apparent on offense. Quarterback remains the central question, but the offensive line is also a major priority. With left tackle and tight end viewed as stable spots, Spytek signaled the rest of the front will be evaluated aggressively.
“Anybody that can help bolster the offensive line will be considered,” Spytek said.
The new head coach will bring his own staff: Bye, Patrick Graham…
Unlike last offseason, the Raiders plan to let their next head coach hire a full staff. The previous approach brought back defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, but his future in Las Vegas now appears uncertain as the organization resets again.
Spytek said the next hire will have broad authority over assembling the coaching group.
“My belief has always been you give a lot of the responsibility to the head coach to hire the staff,” Spytek stated.
Maxx Crosby is not untouchable…
Spytek’s response to the Maxx Crosby rumors offered praise, not clarity. He avoided any firm commitment about Crosby’s future, choosing language that kept options open while acknowledging the defensive star’s importance.
“I love Maxx [Crosby], and I continue to believe that,” Spytek said. “He embodies what a Raider is.”
For many fans, that was not the answer they wanted. Crosby’s value is obvious, but the lack of a direct statement about next steps was its own signal. The Raiders may want Crosby in Las Vegas, yet Spytek’s wording left room for the possibility that the franchise could eventually move on.
*Top Photo: Getty Images