The Las Vegas Raiders' quest to replace Pete Carroll as the franchise's head coach officially began on Monday. It's not crazy to think, however, that the Raiders have been doing some preliminary work through the NFL's back channels for some time now, as Carroll was always bound to be fired.
Missing out on an elite set of candidates during last year's coaching cycle has come back to haunt Las Vegas doubly. This year's contingent is not viewed nearly as favorably, and no clear-cut favorites have emerged to captivate fan bases like Ben Johnson or Mike Vrabel.
Going young is always a smart move for the future, especially because the Raiders are admittedly rebuilding. Hiring an offensive-minded coach would also be beneficial for whichever quarterback Las Vegas likely selects at No. 1 in April's draft. But their first interviewee is neither of those things.
Broncos DC Vance Joseph expected to interview for Raiders' HC opening
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is expected to interview with the Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans. Because the Broncos have a playoff bye, Joseph can interview as soon as January 7.
Now, Joseph is a good coach. On paper, he appears to be a promising candidate, as he leads one of the NFL's top defenses and has prior experience as a head coach. He also interviewed in Las Vegas last year. However, there is much more nuance to him as a candidate.
Joseph went 11-21 as Denver's head coach back in 2017 and 2018, and he has yet to land another head job since. He has always been a good coordinator, and Joseph, at least statistically, has improved over the last two years, so perhaps he is still growing as a coach and leader.
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But Joseph is 53 years old, which means he isn't exactly a spring chicken. Raider Nation wants youthful energy in the building and someone who can be around for decades, not necessarily someone who is already over the hill and a retread, defensive-minded coach.
Broncos fans have also grown a little tired of Joseph's defense collapsing in the second half of the season and during the playoffs. Denver gave up 26 or more points just twice in the first 11 weeks of the 2025 NFL season, but they have done so three times in the last five games against starters.
The Broncos also gave up 30 or more points in four of their last five games against starting offenses in 2024 after not doing so in the first 12 weeks, so Joseph's unit tends to crumble. The vibe I've picked up from Denver fans is that they are fine parting ways with Joseph, which is never a good sign.
Joseph would be an underwhelming hire for Las Vegas and a bit of repeated history after failing with Carroll. Both come from defensive backgrounds, have been ousted as a head coach before and aren't exactly young in this profession. The Raiders can do better, and hopefully, they will.