With the Las Vegas Raiders coming off of a 4-13 season, the franchise opted to fire head coach Antonio Pierce. Since the start of the offseason, the Raiders have been searching for their next head coach. This morning, it became official that Pete Carroll will be named their next head coach.
Las Vegas Raiders Hire Pete Carroll For Head Coach
The Las Vegas Raiders have officially hired Super Bowl winning head coach Pete Carroll. The Raiders will be the fifth team Carroll will be a head coach for, including the University of Southern California at the collegiate level. Carroll previously coached the Seattle Seahawks from 2010-2023, where he won a Super Bowl in the 2013-14 season. Pete Carroll brings a wealth of experience to the table for Las Vegas.
How does Carroll fit with the Raiders?
Pete Carroll will be the first head coach of the Raiders in the Tom Brady minority owner era. Carroll is a proven winner who can provide stability and leadership to an organization that has lacked both for some time. He has an incredible defensive coaching background, stemming all the way back to 1978 when he was the secondary coordinator at Iowa State University. Carroll has led some dominant defenses in his years of coaching including the Legion of Boom.
From 2011-2016, the Seattle Seahawks had an absolutely absurd stretch of defensive play. Each season the team gave up less than 20 points per game, including in 2013 when they gave up just 14.4 per game. Carroll can bring this same level of defensive expertise to the Raiders, a team desperately looking for an identity on either side of the ball.
Concerns
Although Carroll is a great defensive mind, he will be the oldest head coach in the league at age 73. There are concerns that his schemes will not be as well adapted in the modern game. It is also worth noting that the Raiders do not have a good roster as it currently sits. Tight end Brock Bowers is a franchise cornerstone on offense while Maxx Crosby is an elite pass rusher on defense. Outside of these two, Carroll does not have a lot to work with on this Raiders roster.
How the roster can improve
With Tom Brady now being part minority owner of the Raiders, losing will not be tolerated. The Raiders have the sixth pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and this is a great opportunity for the franchise to build. Free agency is also a place to watch for the Raiders. Quarterback Sam Darnold has been connected to the Raiders since the start of the offseason, and this could be a nice addition for Carroll and the Raiders offense.
What might happen in year one
In Carroll’s first year with Las Vegas, there might be some growing pains. There are still a lot of question marks surrounding this team and the roster. It will likely take Carroll a couple of years to build and establish his culture. However, if the Raiders are patient and address the holes on the roster, hiring Carroll could be a great investment.
Main Photo: Michael Chow – USA Today Sports
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