The Las Vegas Raiders need to find something on offense. Pete Carroll is clearly unhappy with the job that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is doing, and the whispers about him being replaced next season are transitioning into full-blown screams, by both analysts and the fan base.
Kelly hasn't been dealt the best hand, as Brock Bowers has been largely hindered by an injury, Kolton Miller has been out since Week 4, Jakobi Meyers got traded away at the deadline, and both of the team's starting guards have missed time due to ailments.
But great offensive coordinators adapt, and Kelly has yet to show that he falls into that category. With the next eight games likely to determine whether he keeps his job or not, Kelly needs to follow some of the NFL's best teams and take a metaphorical Hail Mary by making this dramatic change.
Chip Kelly could join fad of 13 personnel usage in a desperate attempt to save his job
It is no secret that the strength of the Raiders' offense is their tight ends. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer are the most promising young duo in the NFL, and the coaching staff is also high on depth pieces like Ian Thomas and Carter Runyon.
So, Las Vegas should go all-in on utilizing 13 personnel for the rest of the season, which would mean that they have one wide receiver, one running back and three tight ends on the field. It may sound crazy, but various teams around the league are laying the blueprint for it as we speak.
The Los Angeles Rams, who have the fifth-highest scoring offense in the NFL this season, are running 13 personnel on nearly 17% of their offensive snaps, which is the highest rate in the league. Their head coach, Sean McVay, is always on the cutting edge, and Kelly should follow suit.
On plays where the Rams have this personnel grouping on the field, their EPA is a staggering 25.83 this season, with a whopping 0.63 EPA per pass. The Indianapolis Colts, who have the highest-scoring offense in the league this season, have the third-highest 13 personnel usage in 2025.
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Essentially, what this creates for the offense is nine gaps for the running back to choose from on run plays and at least four vertical threats when passing the ball. In theory, all of these tight ends can block, so it helps the run, but they can all catch as well, so play action would work incredibly well.
Cover 1 reported that the Buffalo Bills are also using 13 personnel at a high rate (the seventh most in the NFL). On those plays, they rank 1st in EPA per play, 1st in success percentage, 2nd in pass success percentage, and third in run success percentage.
The Rams, Bills and Colts have all had success despite not having a tight end room that can hold a candle to what the Raiders have. Some would argue that this would take away Las Vegas' chance to make explosive plays, but the Rams had a 20% explosive play rate with this grouping in Week 10.
This would take away reps from young players like Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton, which fans were looking forward to after Meyers' departure, as Tre Tucker and Tyler Lockett would figure to get the bulk of the snaps as the Raiders' lone wide receiver.
But the coaching staff in Las Vegas has shown little interest in focusing on the future. The Raiders have only used 13 personnel on 16 plays all year, and they've had little success. However, going all-in on this new fad and showing some adaptability may be Kelly's only chance at keeping his job.