The Las Vegas Raiders made the correct hire this offseason when they added veteran coach Pete Carroll to the fold. This might have been both the safest and most exciting decision that the Raiders have made over the past 20 years, and it seems like the fan base and media agree.
Grabbing a veteran coach with a winning pedigree and a proven track record of culture building was a smart move after years of swinging and missing. Pairing him with a young, first-year general manager in John Spytek and a well-respected offensive mind in Chip Kelly will also set them up for success.
Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski recently ranked each of the new head coaches in the NFL based on their possibility of success and projected records. Naturally, rookie coaches with questionable talent did not fare so well, but an experienced leader like Carroll was a different story.
Bleacher Report thinks Pete Carroll will be successful in year one
Sobleski ranked Carroll at No. 2 behind the Dallas Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer, ahead of other coaches like Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn and Mike Vrabel.
"Pete Carroll wasn't hired as the oldest head coach in NFL history for the Las Vegas Raiders to rebuild. Just win, baby, and now," Sobleski wrote. "Las Vegas isn't ready to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won nine straight division titles, but it's not difficult to imagine a world where Carroll's approach allows the Raiders to more than double last year's win total (4-13)."
Sobleski also commended the Raiders for acquiring Geno Smith and building a run game around Jeanty, which is reminiscent of Carroll's glory days with the Seattle Seahawks.
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While his statement about Las Vegas not being ready to dethrone the Chiefs may not raise eyebrows, his projected win total might. Sobleski projected the Raiders would go 10-7, which would absolutely put them in the playoff picture.
Getting the Raiders to the playoffs in year one would certainly be a sight for sore eyes, and few fan bases have had sorer eyes lately than Raider Nation.
It's too early to know what this new regime will bring, but on paper, it is incredibly promising, and for once, the media is taking notice. Most still think that the Raiders are a fringe playoff team rather than a contender, but sometimes teams need to be able to walk before they can run.