The Las Vegas Raiders tabbed Klint Kubiak as their next head coach because he wanted them just as badly as they wanted him. But it doesn't hurt that he was born into the NFL's best coaching tree, whose philosophies dominate the current landscape of the sport.
Kubiak's system, by way of Mike Shanahan and his father, Gary Kubiak, is built on the outside zone running concept. Contrary to popular belief, the Raiders have actually implemented that concept over the years under Luke Getsy and Chip Kelly. The Athletic's Ted Nguyen explained why it hasn't worked.
"Naturally, there was a distinct lack of details in the Raiders’ scheme and they were unable to adjust because the proper knowledge base to draw from was lacking," Nguyen wrote. "That won’t be an issue for Kubiak, who came up in this system. Last season is no indication of whether the Raiders have the right personnel for this system."
Ted Nguyen outlines potential Raiders personnel fits in Klint Kubiak's system
As Nguyen alluded to, a system's success is not just about good coaching or play-calling. Teams need the right personnel to maximize the coach's concepts. Luckily, Nguyen sees some parallels between the play styles and roles of several Seahawks players and those already in Las Vegas.
"Everyone had a specific role in Kubiak’s offense. Tight end A.J. Barner was mainly an underneath target who could run after the catch and was used occasionally on shot plays. Rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo was an effective vertical threat who could burn defenses that tried to match him with a linebacker. Kupp isn’t the receiver he once was, but he’s still a physical run blocker and an effective No. 2 receiver. Shaheed could beat one-on-one coverage when teams focused too much on Smith-Njigba and was used as a gadget player.
"Tight end Michael Mayer could run the routes Barner did. Bowers’ role will be a cross between Smith-Njigba’s and Arroyo’s. Tre Tucker will play Shaheed’s role, while Jack Bech will attempt to do some of what Kupp did. Adding offensive line talent should be the priority, but finding a credible receiver on the outside should also be on the Raiders’ to-do list."
Fans expected a complete overhaul this offseason, as the Silver and Black don't have nearly the same level of talent that Kubiak had in Seattle. But with a detail-oriented approach and a coaching staff full of teachers, perhaps the Raiders' young players aren't as far off as many think.
Of course, as Nguyen said, adding a top-flight pass-catcher on the outside should be near the top of the priority list in the offseason, whether that is a veteran addition or a fairly early draft pick. Dont'e Thornton Jr. could always take a big step, but after his lackluster rookie year, that's hard to bank on.
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The most important element of Kubiak's offense will be Las Vegas' ability to run the football. Ashton Jeanty will be the focal point of that attack, and fans should feel optimistic after watching Kubiak turn Kenneth Walker III, a similar back to Jeanty, into a Super Bowl MVP and high-dollar free agent.
There are some similarities between how running backs Ashton Jeanty and Kenneth Walker run," Nguyen explained. "Both are explosive power runners with excellent balance. Kubiak didn’t ask Walker to do much from a route-running perspective, but he has reliable hands and was hard to tackle in open space, so Kubiak designed a lot of screen passes for him."
Jeanty is a spectacular pass-catching running back, so if Kubiak can expand his role even more than he expanded Walker III's in Seattle, then teams need to watch out. Again, this is contingent on the offensive line improving. That should naturally happen with a more competent coach leading them.
Are the Raiders close to contending because parallels can be drawn between Seattle's personnel and Las Vegas'? Certainly not. But the Silver and Black may not be as far away from competing as some would think. Nguyen's explanations certainly support that point.
Addressing the offensive line in free agency and the draft, however, will be essential to carrying out Kubiak's vision. The whole thing in Las Vegas will come crashing down if the big boys up front can't properly do their job, even if the Raiders have some adequate pieces for Kubiak's system.