As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders are leaving few stones unturned in terms of candidates they are lined up to interview for their head coaching job. As far the sentiment from Raider Nation, the level of excitement naturally extends across the spectrum depending on the candidate.
When a head coach is hired, it will be the same, as it is everwhere. Some fans will love it, others will hate it and still others will take a "let's see" approach.
There is one potential candidate for the Raiders, with no reported interview request at this point, who fans seem to dislike for no clear-cut reason. But it is possible to see the fit, as long as some other things are put together correctly.
Prediction for who'll be the Raiders' head coach is sure to draw ire from fans
Heading toward the Divisional Round of the playoffs, ESPN's Dan Graziano offered some "still too-early" predictions for who will fill each of the eight NFL head coaching openings that existed when he wrote them.
For the Raiders, Graziano went with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
"Saleh has been on Las Vegas' short list in the past, and his work in San Francisco this season has caught a lot of people's attention around the league. His Jets tenure didn't go great, but that's true of most people who coach there. It doesn't sound like teams will let his Jets tenure deter them from talking to him this time around."
"Whoever gets this job must have a plan for offensive coordinator and the development of a young quarterback, likely Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. But Saleh is part of that Shanahan/McVay network and should have no trouble putting together an offensive staff. The Raiders were last in the NFL with 14.1 offensive points per game and 245.2 yards per game this season."
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Graziano nailed the biggest key for Saleh if/when he gets a second chance to be a head coach after his rough tenure as the New York Jets' head coach. Hiring a capable offensive coordinator matters more than anything else he'll do, and it's especially important in regard to the Raiders' job with Mendoza lined up to come aboard via the No. 1 pick in the draft.
A head coach with a defensive background is never all that exciting of a hire for fans. But Saleh was on the Raiders' radar as the potential coach-in-waiting alongside Pete Carroll a year ago, and circling back to him in the current search for a head coach is definitely possible.
At some point, someone will find out if Saleh can be more successful in his second shot at being a head coach. The idea of the Raiders being that team shouldn't be brushed aside.