The Raiders remain one of the three NFL teams without a head coach, and the pool of candidates is thinning as other staffs are filled. It appears the club may favor an offensive-minded head coach, given how many top offensive coordinators have already been hired this cycle.
Graham has called the Raiders’ defense for four seasons, navigating three different coaching staffs along the way. He’s widely respected for his defensive acumen and even drew head-coaching interviews this offseason, but a continued change at the boss level could complicate his future in Las Vegas.
Whether Las Vegas pushes to keep Graham depends on the incoming head coach’s plan. He’s under contract, so a stay would require mutual interest from the new leader, but a fresh start with a different organization could be appealing if the opportunity presents itself.
Defense-wise, the unit showed flashes in 2023 but didn’t sustain the peaks of the previous years, in part because Graham had to weave in Pete Carroll-inspired philosophies. While not a wholesale failure, the results prompted consideration of how much continuity the Raiders want to preserve on that side of the ball.
The Raiders’ search has included several names and scenarios. Jesse Minter was a strong defensive fit before taking the Ravens’ head-coaching job, Vance Joseph’s candidacy has cooled, and attention has shifted toward potential offensive-minded options such as Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Las Vegas will need to act promptly to avoid losing key pieces, especially if the plan centers on pairing a rookie quarterback with an offensive-minded leader.
