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Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther

By Khaled Abdallah

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who formerly coached the same unit for the Cincinnati Bengals, reacts to a penalty in the first quarter of a Week 15 NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.Oakland Raiders At Cincinnati Bengals 12 16 2018
Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who formerly coached the same unit for the Cincinnati Bengals, reacts to a penalty in the first quarter of a Week 15 NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.Oakland Raiders At Cincinnati Bengals 12 16 2018 /
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Gruden could give Rod Marinelli the job permanently. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Gruden could give Rod Marinelli the job permanently. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther

Rod Marinelli: Interim defensive coordinator, Las Vegas Raiders

Rod Marinelli was brought in this summer as the defensive line coach, replacing Brentson Buckner and bringing along a few of his old charges from the Dallas Cowboys. Buckner had the Raiders’ defensive line playing at a high level and the idea was Marinelli could help them take a leap from good to great, but it has not worked out that way.

Under Buckner, the Raiders recorded 32 sacks and 74 tackles for loss but this year they have just 15 and 44 in each category through 13 games. The Raiders’ defense has regressed but it starts with the defensive line despite bringing back most of the starting four and adding free agents like Carl Nassib who were supposed to improve the unit.

The case for Marinelli is that as defensive coordinator in Dallas he built several competent units, including a group in 2019 that was ninth in the NFL in yards allowed and eleventh in points. His defenses were no worse than 16th in points allowed during his tenure with the Cowboys and two of them were in the top six in 2018 and 2019.

Marinelli knows defenses in the NFL like the back of his hand and has been coaching in the college and pro ranks in some capacity since 1976. His experience far outweighs the rest of the Raiders staff but he is also 71-years-old so he may not have the desire or the vigor to take the coordinator role on full time.

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