It's been nearly two weeks since Mark Davis relieved Antonio Pierce of his duties as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
In the wake of that firing, Davis employed the help of minority owner Tom Brady in the search for the next head coach in Las Vegas. That move alone was enough to attract some of the league's top candidates, including the Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is the hottest name in this coaching cycle.
But Johnson going to the Raiders is far from official, despite the many reports that suggest Las Vegas is the favorite to land him.
Major shifts occur in the offseason all the time, and now that Johnson can meet with teams in person, it is a different ballgame. Both the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars remain heavy contenders for the coveted coach, so Las Vegas needs a backup plan in place.
Who are the Raiders' other head coach options?
While Johnson is the apple of the Raiders' eye, they did complete several other interviews with prospective candidates.
Aaron Glenn, Lions Defensive Coordinator
Glenn has mainly been linked to the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints head coaching vacancies, but don't count him out in Las Vegas.
He was part of the Raiders' first set of interviews and is a fast riser in the coaching world. After a 14-year NFL career, he began coaching in 2014 and quickly rose to the defensive coordinator position in Detroit.
His defensive unit got better each season for the Lions, punctuated by his seventh-ranked scoring defense and top-five rushing defense. Glenn is highly touted both by his head coach Dan Campbell and fellow coordinator Ben Johnson.
While he may not be linked to Las Vegas at this juncture, Johnson taking another job could flip this notion on its head.
Pete Carroll, former Seattle Seahawks Head Coach
Many fans are familiar with Carroll from his tenure as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, where he went to two Super Bowls, winning one in 2013.
While the rest of his time as the Seahawks' head coach was marked by falling short of the Super Bowl, he still led the team to eight winning records in the next nine seasons.
Carroll brings a wealth of coaching experience that nobody on the Raiders' candidate list brings, which could be beneficial in a division with Andy Reid, Jim Harbaugh, and Sean Payton.
He was linked to the Raiders early in the coaching process, and while that talk has cooled a bit, don't be surprised if Carroll joins the Silver and Black if Las Vegas misses out on their top candidates.
Robert Saleh, former New York Jets Head Coach
Robert Saleh is one of the brightest defensive minds in the league, and the San Francisco 49ers have made it clear that they will make him the league's highest-paid defensive coordinator should he not get a head coaching job.
There is a situation where the Raiders miss out on both of the Lions' coordinators, and Carroll takes a job with the Cowboys, which means that Saleh would be the next best option. Neither Steve Spagnuolo nor Vance Joseph are viable candidates, and Todd Monken did not respond to the team's interview request.
Saleh could be a good option for Las Vegas as he is still on the young side for a head coach, but his career record is not something to ride home about. While many feel he was scapegoated by Aaron Rodgers and the Jets this season, his defense was ranked in the top four in each of his last three seasons.
While I feel that Saleh will be this year's Mike Vrabel, sitting out this cycle and becoming a hot name a year from now, it is not impossible that he becomes the Raiders' next head coach.