The Las Vegas Raiders fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther on Sunday night, here are five potential replacements for him in 2020.
The Paul Guenther era in Las Vegas/Oakland is finally over, as the Las Vegas Raiders fired the defensive coordinator after a little under three years on the job. Guenther joined the Raiders from the Bengals in 2018 after spending 12 years in Cincinnati in a number of different roles.
Guenther worked his way up the food chain in Cincinnati from a general assistant role, up to assistant linebackers coach, then linebackers coach, and finally up to defensive coordinator from 2014-17. During his tenure, the Bengals defense’s average ranking was 17th but they excelled in 2015, finishing second overall in points allowed and eleventh in yards.
When the Raiders made the hire in 2018, Guenther looked to be rising in the coordinator ranks and likely took the job excited about the prospect of leading a defense built around a potential all-time great in Khalil Mack. We all know the story of what happened next and the Raiders defense bottomed out in 2018.
Unfortunately for Guenther and Raider Nation, there has been little improvement since that moment even with the substantial investment on that side of the ball. The Raiders 32nd in points allowed in 2018, 24th in 2019 showing some improvement, but have dropped back down to the bottom of the NFL in 2020.
Because of these struggles the Raiders decided it was time to try something and someone new to see if they can bring out the best in the high-priced free agents and high draft picks that they have brought in on defense. Let’s take a look at who are the possible candidates for the defensive coordinator job in 2021 and beyond.
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.
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther
Wade Phillips: Currently unemployed
Just about everything we have said about Rod Marinelli and his experience applies to Wade Phillips as he has also been coaching football at a high level since the mid-1970s. Phillips has close to 20 years of experience as a defensive coordinator and like Marinelli has been a head coach in the NFL as well.
Phillips is as respected as they come in the NFL and has been talked about as a hot commodity this season to help fix some struggling units around the league. He was most recently with the Los Angeles Rams where he helped build a defense that made its way to Super Bowl LIII where they held down the New England Patriots until the fourth quarter but got little help from their offense.
The Rams defenses during his tenure were an average unit, finishing 16th in the NFL in points allowed and 17th in yards but were in the top 10 in takeaways in each year. Some of that of course had to do with having one of the best defensive players of all time in Aaron Donald in the heart of the defense but Phillips does deserve some credit for his efforts there.
Phillips also built a number one defense in Denver in 2015 which led the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl 50 though he once again was able to build around an all-time great in Von Miller. He did however bring the best out of recent Raider free agents Cory Littleton and Lamarcus Joyner and could likely do it again.
The Raiders don’t currently have a player anywhere near the abilities of Donald or Miller but just like Marinelli, Phillips knows more about defense in the NFL than Paul Guenther ever will and would be an upgrade.
Also like Marinelli, Phillips is in his 70s and may not have the same drive as a younger, hungrier coach. He is reportedly interested in returning to the NFL in some capacity and the Raiders could certainly do worse than him as their next defensive coordinator.
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther
Raheem Morris: Interim Head Coach/Defensive coordinator, Atlanta Falcons
Raheem Morris is an intriguing choice as a replacement for Paul Guenther because he is considerably younger than both Marinelli and Phillips and may have his eyes set on returning to the head coaching ranks. He has inspired a nice turnaround with the Atlanta Falcons this year since they promoted him to the interim head coach role and they could be eyeing him as a full-time hire.
Morris has experience as both a head coach and defensive coordinator, having filled both roles for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. He had a 17-31 record as a head coach in Tampa Bay but when the Bucs went 10-6 in his second year, they had the ninth ranked defense in points allowed and were 13th in takeaways.
His other defensive units have not been all that dominant, but he is a dynamic young coach that could help turn the Raiders defense around. His ability was highlighted in the Falcons’ big win over the Raiders this year and while that is not much of a sample size, he has improved Atlanta’s defense after their 0-5 start.
Morris also has a history with Jon Gruden as his first job in the NFL was with him in Tampa Bay in the early 2000s and the pair spent six years together between 2002-08. The Falcons may choose to retain the services of Morris as their head coach but he could be an easy choice for the Raiders given his ability to turn around struggling units and relationship with Gruden.
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther
Kris Richard: Currently unemployed
Kris Richard looked like a rising star in the NFL this past decade as he took over as the defensive coordinator in Seattle after spending five years working exclusively with their defensive backs and coaching some excellent defensive units. Richard spent three years as the DC in Seattle and had two top five units in terms of points and yards before “slipping” to 11th and 13th respectively in 2017.
That was apparently too much slippage for the Seahawks and he was let go but was quickly hired by the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive backs coach in 2018. Richard spent two years with the Cowboys working under Rod Marinelli but was a casualty of them overhauling their staff with the firing of Jason Garrett and hiring of Mike McCarthy.
It is a bit of a surprise that Richard has not found a new home this season, but he is reportedly waiting for the right opportunity and the lure of the Raiders job could get his attention. Richard is looking exclusively for coordinator positions and given his success with both Seattle and Dallas he would be a solid choice.
The NFL is skewing younger and younger with their coaching selections and the 41-year-old former defensive back certainly fits that bill. He has received glowing reviews from his former players and if he had a good relationship with Rod Marinelli they could continue but with the roles switched with Richard as the coordinator.
Las Vegas Raiders: 5 potential replacements for Paul Guenther
Current position coach or college defensive coordinator
While this may be the most unlikely choice, the Las Vegas Raiders could make a more out of the box hire by choosing to pluck a position coach from another NFL team or a defensive coordinator from the NCAA ranks. The NFL has a bevy of former star players who are now in position coaching roles such as Aaron Glenn or Jerod Mayo who could fit the bill as young and dynamic coaches that could energize a unit or even the team.
There are also several other position coaches like Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach with San Francisco, who have NFL experience but earned their current role by working their way up the ranks from smaller colleges. Kocurek’s name has come up several times as a future coordinator given his success with the 49ers and is another hire that would shake things up a bit in Las Vegas.
Lastly there are several college head coaches and coordinators like Jim Leonhard of Wisconsin or Luke Fickell of Cincinnati who fit the bill as players with NFL experience who are making their way up the coaching ranks as well.
Leonhard was in the NFL as recently as 2014 so he is not so far removed from the modern era of the league and could be an intriguing candidate.
There are more risks involved in the hiring of a young defensive coach with no coordinator experience versus a more veteran coach but the reward could be greater, as they could bring fresh new ideas to the position. Regardless of the choice made, we know that it will be hotly debated by Raider Nation, and any hire will be met with great skepticism until we see the final product on the field in 2021.