The Las Vegas Raiders made the right call when they fired head coach Pete Carroll a day after an embarrassing 2025 campaign ended. Not only did he fall short in his role, but the people whom he obviously had a hand in bringing to Las Vegas, both players and coaches, also failed miserably.
John Spytek made it clear earlier this month that nobody else on the coaching staff had been fired and that they were all still under contract. This will change when the Raiders eventually hire a new head coach, and Carroll's two sons will surely be the first to go, if they haven't silently left already.
Brennan Carroll, the team's offensive line coach and run game coordinator, should have been fired very early on in the season. But the elder Carroll let him finish out the year despite the offensive line giving up the most sacks in the NFL and the Raiders having a league-worst rushing attack.
Nailing the head coach and offensive coordinator hires will be paramount for Las Vegas this offseason. But finding the right offensive line coach to maximize the talent the Raiders have in the room will also be huge. Luckily, one just fell right in their lap.
Raiders should hire former Falcons OL coach Dwayne Ledford no matter who the HC is
The Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski last week to be their next head coach, and it was assumed that he would largely bring in his own staff. That has, of course, come true, as he hired his former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, to the same role in Atlanta.
But Stefanski also nabbed former Raiders head coach Bill Callahan as his offensive line coach for the Falcons, meaning that Dwayne Ledford, the position's incumbent in Atlanta, is now without a job. Las Vegas should make a push to hire him, no matter who their head coach ends up being.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo already got the ball rolling by pointing out that Ledford will be highly coveted by other teams around the league as an assistant. Matthew Bergeron, a starter on the Falcons' offensive line this past year, also clearly disagreed with the team letting Ledford walk.
Ledford has also developed Chris Lindstrom into one of the league's best guards and made the most of a bunch of depth pieces in 2025. Simply put, Ledford is respected by his players and expected to be a commodity as teams around the NFL look to fill out and finalize their coaching staffs.
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Although Brennan Carroll's unit struggled tremendously, the same pieces thrived the year prior. This offensive line has never been devoid of talent, but it was devoid of an effective coach who could develop the group's players and scheme properly.
Las Vegas also has the flexibility to bolster the unit in the draft with 10 picks at its disposal, or in free agency with over $110 million to spend on the open market. The Raiders can add even more talent to the room, and with a coach like Ledford, they could be all that the offense needs them to be.
Imagine an offense where Fernando Mendoza has a clean pocket to throw to Brock Bowers. An offense where Ashton Jeanty has his choice of holes to run through. That's what Ledford could help provide for the Silver and Black.
Ledford held the title of offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Atlanta over the last two seasons, which is precisely what Brennan Carroll's role was in Las Vegas. This is an easy replacement option for whoever takes over for the Raiders in the coming weeks.