Nobody would put the Las Vegas Raiders in the "stable franchise" category for this milennium. But that reputation has gotten even worse since the team relocated to Nevada in 2021, as the team is on its sixth different head coaches in as many years when they kick off during the 2026 NFL season.
For members of the Raiders' 2023 NFL Draft class that means that they will have had a different head coach in each of their first four professional seasons and are on their third general manager. The regime that drafted them is long gone and miniscule in the rearview mirror.
This instability has led to almost no success on the field, and the team's roster has been been a hodge podge as a result. Most would say that the team's young players have not been developed properly during this time, as constant turnover hinders any momentum they may have once had.
But for Tre Tucker, who was part of that 2023 draft class in Las Vegas, he has found a silver lining amid the Silver and Black's chaos.
Tre Tucker has used Las Vegas Raiders' instability as a chance to learn and grow
Tucker spoke with Raiders.com's Paul Gutierrez on an episode of Upon Further Review earlier this week, and he was asked about the team's annual change at the head coach post since he's been in Las Vegas, and how that has affected him in his young career.
"At the end of the day, you don't want that," Tucker admitted. "You wish to have the same head coach all four years that I've been here. But that's the nature of the business. I think the best thing you can do is just be a pro and be able to adapt. It's obviously going to be new schemes, new changes. And I think the great ones, the ones who last so long, they're able to adapt."
Adaptability is a great trait to have, even in an organization that has stability. But it has effectively been a lifeline for Tucker in his time with the Raiders. And he has found a pretty great silver lining amid all of this turmoil in Las Vegas, one that will serve him well as he finally plays for a great coach in 2026.
"I think the hidden thing that people don't realize is you get to learn. You learn ball," Tucker said. "So, I've been in a bunch of different schemes, but I've learned different things in each scheme, so that way when you get in another scheme, you kind of learn something new or the 'whys.' Like my coach always says, 'the why.' So, I think I've been blessed to be able to have different schemes and learn different ways how to play football, and each one has impacted me in a way, and I've taken something from it."
It is honestly quite amazing that Tucker thinks of such rapid turnover and still feels that he has been "blessed" with the Raiders. That not only shows his gratitude and character, but proves just how much more he has in the tank when the situation around him isn't a complete disaster.
And Tucker did note that, while the coaching staff and front office have been filled with new names and faces practically every year of his career, not everything has been different for him. During his press conference on Thursday, he gave a big shoutout to the strength and training staffs.
"For me in particular, I've been able to have the strength staff and their training staff here all four of my years and they've been great," Tucker said. "So to have those guys to be here in the offseason to train with (head strength and conditioning coach) AJ [Neibel] and his staff, and [head athletic trainer] Chris [Cortez] and all those people, it's been awesome to have that for me."
As for the newest scheme that he'll be playing in though, Tucker also gave reporters and fans a small glimpse behind the curtain during his Thursday media availability. It sounds like Klint Kubiak is going to be keeping defensive coordinators guessing.
"I think Coach Kubak, his big thing is just being able to do multiple things," Tucker said. "Not just lining up at one spot and playing that spot, but lining up at all three. So, in our scheme, you'll see guys everywhere, and that's the whole versatility part. So, I'm excited to do that. Excited to do a bunch of different things. You'll see me here, you'll see me there, you'll see that guy here, there. So, we'll be all over the place."
Tucker has somehow improved in each of his three NFL seasons, and a big jump is expected for him in Year 4. After fending through the ineptitude of Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll, Tucker deserves a coach like Kubiak, who knows how to maximize his talents.
Ideally, Tucker balls out in 2026 and reaches a long-term deal with the Raiders, and he's playing for Kubiak for years to come. And if that were the case, he wouldn't necessarily need a silver lining anymore. Maybe everything would finally turn to gold for him.
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