The Las Vegas Raiders, as they did during their head coach search, looked far and wide for a new defensive coordinator under Klint Kubiak. Some thought they would target Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to serve as the older, more experienced counterpart to Kubiak.
Others thought that they would pry someone from the Seattle Seahawks' coaching tree, like Aden Durde or Karl Scott, but they never even tried. Perhaps one of the external candidates, like Jeff Howard, Zach Orr or DeMarcus Covington, would get the job. But they didn't have to look that far.
Rob Leonard will serve as the next defensive coordinator in Las Vegas after three years as the defensive line coach for the Raiders, the most recent of which he also gained the run game coordinator title. This was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Raiders promote Rob Leonard to defensive coordinator under Klint Kubiak
Leonard, after following Patrick Graham around for several years in the NFL, will now succeed him as the defensive play-caller for the Silver and Black. This will be his first time calling defensive plays at any level, but he must have knocked his interview out of the park.
According to those in the building, Leonard is widely respected by the players in the defensive line room, the entire roster, his fellow coaches and those upstairs. He's been cutting his teeth and working his way up for several seasons now. 17 years, to be exact.
But on Saturday, he earned a well-deserved promotion. The move makes quite a bit of sense, as, first and foremost, Leonard is incredibly close with Maxx Crosby. Kubiak clearly wants Crosby to stick around, and hiring his closest confidant on the coaching staff to the DC role is a way to lure him back.
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In 2022, Leonard also worked as the outside linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens. The defensive coordinator that year? Mike Macdonald, who just got done leading Kubiak and Co. to a Super Bowl. The familiarity was clearly there, and hiring Leonard helps with continuity.
After four years of Graham coaching the Raiders' defense, his protégé will now get a crack at things in Las Vegas. It is unknown exactly what kind of scheme Leonard will run, but as the run game coordinator last season, the Silver and Black allowed the fourth-lowest yards per rush in the league.
Not only is Leonard a former Division I safety and linebacker, but he has 13 years of NFL coaching experience and has more than earned his stripes -- and this promotion. Still in his late 30s, Leonard and this Raiders staff can be around for a long, long time, and finally turn things around.