The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of work to do on the defensive side of the ball, and we look at what the coaching staff could look like in 2021.
2020 was filled with highs and lows for many people around the world, and it was no different for the Las Vegas Raiders. The Silver and Black started the season off by beating playoff teams like the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, only to let their playoff hopes fade away down the stretch.
The defense was always a work in progress, and going into 2021, that remains the one constant. After firing Defensive Coordinator Paul Guenther, Head Coach Jon Gruden is in the market for a revamped defensive staff. The Raiders have invested 13 draft picks on the defensive side of the ball since Gruden has taken over, and have also spent upwards of $34 million on free agents this past year, many of whom underwhelmed given their price tag.
It will be on a new coach to figure out how to get the most out of this unit. Realistically, the Raiders don’t need a top-5 defense to compete for a playoff spot. The offense flirted with a top-10 ranking for most of the year, and most likely would have exceeded those metrics if the defense wasn’t giving up long, clock-killing drives all season.
Gruden went on record saying the new defensive coordinator would be a coach with a proven track record and who is a strong communicator, two things Paul Guenther simply wasn’t. Let’s take a look at the most likely defensive staff for the Raiders in 2021.