Raiders: Patrick Graham was a home run hire as defensive coordinator
By Nick Bailey
Las Vegas Raiders’ new head coach Josh Mcdaniels swings big and hires Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham away from the Giants.
With the Las Vegas Raiders moving on from Rich Bisaccia and hiring Josh Mcdaniels away from the New England Patriots to be the new head coach you knew that changes among the coaching staff were coming. Earlier Friday, it was announced that Gus Bradley was taking the Indianapolis Colts job, clearing the way for Patrick Graham to take over in that role.
For the Raiders, this is a home run hire, as Graham is one of the more highly-thought of defensive coordinators in the game. During his time in New York, he served as assistant head coach and DC for Joe Judge, who has a relationship with McDaniels from their New England days, so that could have played into this hire as well.
The Giants had hoped to retain Graham after the Brian Daboll hire but he decided to join the Silver and Black, so let’s take a look at Patrick Graham’s history and see what kind of defense he runs.
Raiders: Graham’s history and coaching style
Patrick Graham started his coaching career at Wagner as a graduate assistant in 2002 after playing for Yale in college. He would continue to coach college football until 2009, holding various positions such as Graduate Assistant, defensive line coach, and tight ends coach at colleges such as Richmond, Notre Dame, and Toledo.
Graham’s first job in the NFL came in 2009, when he joined the New England Patriots as a defensive assistant, then eventually moved up to defensive line and linebackers coach throughout his time in New England. He also coached for the Giants and Green Bay Packers as a position coach before taking his first defensive coordinator job with the Miami Dolphins under Brian Flores in 2019.
Although the numbers were not good for the Dolphins defense that season, ranking 32 in points allowed, 30th in yards, and 28th in turnovers ending with a ranking 30th total defense, that Dolphins defense was injury-plagued and devoid of talent. Graham joined the Giants in 2020 and has been the Defensive Coordinator and assistant head coach under Joe Judge for the past two seasons.
The Giants mainly ran a 3-4 defense under Graham in New York but he has said in multiple interviews that he can and will adjust his defensive schemes to match personnel and depending on the opponents weekly. The Raiders have not only run a 4-3 defense this past season but have been running that style for years now.
When Graham was hired by Joe Judge he hailed Graham’s ability to be multiple in his defense and that’s exactly what the Raiders defense needs. One player who could excel under Graham is Clelin Ferrell if the Raiders decide to keep him as he has a similar frame to Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams who has thrived under Graham after struggling a bit with the New York Jets to start his career.