The Las Vegas Raiders are in a pivotal offseason that could shape the next decade for the franchise. They will, in all likelihood, select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, marking the first time they draft a quarterback in the first round in 19 years, potentially giving them a bright future under center.
A pressing question also remains about who will lead the franchise in 2026 and beyond. Las Vegas is in the process of an extensive head coach search that is already in its fourth week, and they have already met with 15 different candidates, 11 of whom are still available.
The overwhelming belief was that they were waiting for one of the coaches remaining in the postseason, however, all but one of those prospective coaches are now available. Franchise legend Rod Woodson chimed in, saying who the Raiders hire will be more important than drafting Mendoza.
Rod Woodson believes the Raiders' coaching search is the most important aspect of their rebuild
The Raiders have been, rightfully, taking their time in their search for a new head coach, as they look to determine who will lead the franchise into the future. It is a crucial decision, as they must identify who will be both a leader and do the best job at developing Mendoza.
Woodson stressed the importance of nailing that hire during a recent episode of Laying the Wood.
"My question would be, which is a more important pick? Mendoza or the head coach? You get Mendoza, and you get a terrible head coach, and he brings in a bad staff, I don't care what he is, this kid's going to be thrown to the wolves. So, it's first you better get a solid head coach with a solid coaching staff that can feed into him."
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The Pro Football Hall of Famer shared that fixing the staff is the only way that the Raiders of the past can return. It is hard to argue with Woodson's assessment, as the team has lacked stability at head coach for nearly three decades.
To be fair, Las Vegas has also lacked an answer at the quarterback position. Head coach and quarterback are often intertwined, however, as they are the most high-profile men in the building. When one fails, often, the other does as well.
Constant turnover has plagued the franchise, as they have reached the postseason just two times in the past 23 seasons. If Las Vegas can finally get some stability on the coaching staff, it would likely do wonders for Mendoza's development.
Fortunately, the front office appears to be taking its time and conducting a thorough search before hiring a candidate. Let's hope they nail the hire, and Mendoza turns out to be everything Raider Nation has been dreaming of.