The Las Vegas Raiders have been as patient as can be during this coaching cycle. While other teams have scrambled to hire people after firing their respective head coaches, John Spytek and Tom Brady have seemingly been taking their time, and it hasn't come back to bite them.
But the heat just got turned up.
Landing either Denver Broncos assistant Davis Webb or Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak seemed like a guarantee after the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns hired their coaches, leaving just two head coach vacancies in the NFL. Mathematically, that favored the Raiders.
Seattle's playoff success, however, has thrown off the timeline for the entire search. If the Raiders want to do their due diligence, and they should, they have to wait until later this week to interview Kubiak (they'll do so on Saturday) and until after next Sunday's Super Bowl to officially hire him.
Broncos assistant Davis Webb drops out of race for Raiders' HC job
Well, Las Vegas better hope Kubiak wants the job.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Webb is removing himself from consideration for the Raiders' head coaching job. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport corroborated that report, noting that Webb is in the running for the Broncos' offensive coordinator gig, and he's received several other OC requests.
Missing out on Webb is a bit devastating for the portion of Raider Nation that saw something special in him. Webb was an incredible candidate for the job, albeit a long shot, but perhaps he's better suited to take a small step up in the coaching world instead of making a major leap to a head coach post.
With Webb now out of the running, Las Vegas better hope that Klint Kubiak wants the job. They're playing with a bit of fire here now, as rumors have circulated in recent weeks that the Seahawks are putting a full-court press on him to stay in Seattle. If he does, the Raiders are screwed.
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Of course, other solid candidates remain on the market, like Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. But those clearly weren't Las Vegas' top options, otherwise they'd be hired.
It would be a doomsday scenario for Kubiak to stay in Seattle, or for him to take the Arizona Cardinals' head coach job, which he is in the running for as well. The Raiders are seemingly putting all their eggs into one basket, and they better deliver.
Patience during this coaching cycle has been widely viewed as a good thing by the fanbase, as both of Las Vegas' favored candidates were available. But with Webb now off the table, it is Kubiak or bust for the Raiders' front office.
If it ends up being Kubiak, then all will be forgiven for the stress that the weeks since Pete Carroll's firing have caused Raider Nation. If the brass in Las Vegas swings and misses again, however, it'll be time to hit the panic button.