Oakland Raiders Expected to Have Interest in Jack Del Rio

Dec 14, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Jim Harbaugh is an afterthought for the Oakland Raiders, and the head coaching search will go on with owner Mark Davis telling the media he along with general manager Reggie McKenzie will begin their interviewing process as early as this week. With a proven head coach on their wish list, the names are out there in who they can bring in from the free market as well as from staff jobs across the NFL this offseason.

One of those names is former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who is currently on the Denver Broncos staff and has two AFC Wild Card berths on his head coaching resume when he went toe to toe with Peyton Manning in the AFC South. According to Ian Rapoport, Del Rio will be high on the Raiders list of candidates come the hiring process.

Del Rio is an interesting name because of his long tenure in Jacksonville, one that lasted nearly a decade and included two 10+ win seasons with the Jaguars. If the Raiders went the route of Del Rio it would be for a head coach who has clearly proven that he can handle a head coaching job over many years while providing playoff success in a market that is somewhat similar to Oakland’s at this point. Nobody knows what Davis has in mind until official interviews start, but for now it is safe to assume that Del Rio is going to be one of the head coaching candidates attached to the Raiders job once the new year rolls in.