Oakland Raiders: Marc Trestman a Potential Fit for OC Position?
November 9, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) talks to offensive coordinator Greg Olson (right) during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at O.co Coliseum. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 41-17. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
What He Could Do for the Raiders
Trestman’s struggles in Chicago show his limitations as an NFL head coach. He seems to have lost his locker room already, and he does not have the balanced approach that allows a team to excel in both the offensive and defensive phases of the game. At the same time, he has also shown, again, that he has the offensive acumen to run a very effective offense at the NFL level, provided he has the right personnel. His offensive scheme in Chicago has been outstanding and innovative, even in a bad year like this year, but he has been to some extent sabotaged by his starting quarterback. Jay Cutler, who Trestman inherited in his eighth year, has a nasty knack for turnovers: he has thrown 122 interceptions in 113 career games, and he has lost 30 fumbles. He also takes a lot of sacks. Cutler has incredible arm strength and can hurt opponents when he’s hot, but he is also known for going on cold streaks and struggling with his consistency and accuracy. In fact, two of the three most accurate seasons of his career have been the past two years, under Trestman.
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Trestman has shown what he can do with coachable quarterbacks, and he has a lot of experience working with quarterbacks from Josh McCown and A.J. Feeley to Rich Gannon and Steve Young. He has twice worked with young quarterbacks very early in their careers: with Gannon in Minnesota, and with Jake Plummer in Arizona. With Derek Carr, a vastly more seasoned Trestman will have the opportunity to mold a supremely talented young quarterback. Carr, who is most comfortable and capable in a quick-release, short-passing offense, would fit perfectly with Trestman’s West Coast passing roots. Trestman excels at finding ways to get the ball into the hands of playmakers, something the current Raider offensive staff has had trouble doing. With the right head coach calling the shots, Trestman could be free as an offensive coordinator to guide Carr and the young Raider receiving corps, especially if given some more playmakers to work with in the draft and in free agency in the upcoming offseason. There is some good young talent on the Raider offense with Carr, Mychal Rivera, Rod Streater and Brice Butler, and a Marc Trestman offense would allow them to show exactly what they can do. The last time the Raiders were a playoff team, Marc Trestman was the team’s offensive coordinator, and he’s only had more seasoning and learned more since that time.
The Raiders are going to need top-notch veteran coaches to turn this thing around, and those coaches will be hard to find and even harder to attract to a team that could very well finish the year winless. That said, the Raiders should absolutely make a run at Marc Trestman should he indeed lose his job in Chicago at the end of this season. He’s got the experience, has a good history with the Silver and Black, and can help develop our young quarterback into a competent and confident franchise leader for years to come.