Pat Kirwan of CBS Sports first Tweeted the news and now Bill Williamson of ESPN.com has confirmed Steve Wisniewski has cleared out his office and is no longer working with the Raiders in an assistant coaching capacity. Perhaps this move was being discussed behind closed doors for some time now. For me, personally, it is stunning and very sudden considering camp is right around the corner.

Williamson cites Wisniewski’s desire to spend more time with his family as the main reason for his abrupt departure. However Williamson also claims that Wisniewski will continue to work with the team in a different and lesser capacity.

The knee-jerk reaction is that Wisniewski never felt welcomed during the transition to the Reggie McKenzie regime. Wisniewski was one of only three members of the previous coaching staff that remained on board when Dennis Allen was hired.

Of course Wisniewski has been a part of the silver and black family long before he was hired to help coach up the O-line including working with his nephew Stefen.

Maybe this was part of the plan all along. Perhaps McKenzie and Wisniewski had an understanding in place early on that he would remain as an assistant coach during the offseason to help preserve some continuity before bowing out before camp. Or it could be that Wisniewski saw the writing on the wall and decided to depart on his own terms.

No matter the case the Raiders will open camp with Frank Pollack coaching up his unit without the aide of Wisniewski.

With all of the movement on the staff it is becoming difficult to keep track of who is staying and who is going. Of course, with only a couple of coaches staying put (as of now) it is much easier to start with the men that don’t have to clean out their offices.

Kelly Skipper has received high praise for his work with Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. That’s why it was a done deal for Allen to retain the services of Skipper as the running backs coach. Both Bush and McFadden have a great deal of respect for their position coach as you’d expect from two men that have featured prominently in Oakland’s offense.

Stefen Wisniewski got high praise during his rookie year. Playing both guard and center during the season the New Wiz showed plenty of promise. Therefore it is just good business sense to keep his 8-time All-Pro uncle Steve Wisniewski on the coaching staff.

While Wisniewski is staying the man he answers to is gone. Bob Wylie might have done the best coaching job of any member on Oakland’s staff last season. His offensive line allowed the 4^th fewest sacks in the league and was by far the biggest surprise of the season for the Raiders. However Allen has allowed Wylie to move on, choosing to replace the O-line coach with Frank Pollack. Pollack comes over with Greg Knapp from the Houston Texans.
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