Raiders Opinion: New Staff Taking Shape

When the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, thoughts surrounded who the assistants became the subject of speculation. Yet, as the offseason swings into high gear, the names of hires start to trickle in. Unlike past years when names didn’t seem to generate any positivity, 2022 brought change to RaiderNation. For the first time in what feels like dog years, the Raiders head into the offseason with a semblance of an intriguing coaching/administrative staff.

The Champ Is Here

In an under-the-radar move, the Raiders hired Champ Kelly as their assistant general manager. The front office boasts another pair of quality eyes. Kelly exemplifies the axiom of “paying dues.” Starting as an Arena player, then general manager, Kelly built an impressive resume, toiling in Denver and Chicago first. No nepotism, just hard work. What makes this hire outstanding? The dedication to detail in talent evaluation. Moving up from player personnel means possessing a keen eye for evaluating talent. For the first time in eons, the Raiders’ front office isn’t a one-man show.

A New Defensive Era

While Gus Bradley managed to light a fire under a defense that failed under Paul Guenther, changes occurred. New coaches want their own staff. Enter the widely respected Patrick Graham into the hall of Henderson. People want to look at the Giants’ stats and find fault with the hire. However, if you look at the stats, look at all of them. New York ranked twenty-seventh in time of possession. As a result, they logged more field time. Attrition isn’t the only determining factor in success, fatigue is. Graham’s defense ranked in the middle of the pack in eight defensive categories. Graham chose Las Vegas, On top of that, his defenses blitzed 25 percent of the time, twice what the Raiders did under Bradley. Under those circumstances, look for the number of takeaways to increase. Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue should feast under Graham.

Actual Hope

Unlike previous seasons when coaches would stand at local establishments, promising the world, and delivering nothing, this seems different. Behind McDaniels, are qualified assistants, eager to work in Vegas. Sometimes, a team needs a complete coaching overhaul to establish a culture change. The Raiders could actually benefit from this. Now, time to give the staff more talent to work with.

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