Raiders coach Pete Carroll wants a mix of familiar faces and new ideas as he starts to put together his first staff in Las Vegas.
There is one trait each of his hires is likely to share.
“We want ball people,” Carroll said. “We want guys that love the game.”
New general manager John Spytek, who will also have a voice in the process, echoed the same sentiment. The Raiders are likely to move fast.
“We’re in the midst of getting started,” Carroll said. “Like John and I, we’re just getting started at it. However, we have been talking to some people and we’re trying to put this thing together.”
This will be Spytek’s first time hiring a coaching staff as a general manager. It’s old hat for Carroll, who has also coached the Seahawks, Jets and Patriots.
“I’m following Pete’s lead,” Spytek said. “He’s got guys he knows that he has a lot of respect for and they know the program. But one of the things I’ve liked about Pete so far is how open-minded he is. To be a part of those interviews is something I’m excited about.”
Possible candidates
Spytek’s opinion should carry weight, especially when it comes to picking an offensive coordinator.
He’s been the Buccaneers assistant general manager the last two years and helped identify Dave Canales and Liam Coen as the team’s last two offensive coordinators. They’re now the coaches of the Panthers and Jaguars, respectively.
“We killed the last two OC hires in Tampa and now they’re trying to find another one, which is a good problem to have,” Spytek said.
The Raiders could try to find a young, sharp offensive mind like Canales or Coen to revive their pedestrian offense. Carroll could also go the more conservative route and reunite with someone like Darrell Bevell, his offensive coordinator in Seattle from 2011-17. Bevell interviewed for the job Tuesday.
Carroll, a former defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, figures to have even more influence on the other side of the ball. He has several proteges who have gone on to become defensive coordinators with other teams.
One such name is former Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who worked under Carroll from 2009-12. Bradley’s son Carter is a quarterback on the Raiders roster.
Staff makeup
Carroll said he expects to hire some people he has worked with in the past, but he also wants some fresh blood to breathe new life into his program.
He wants to retain some of the staff already in place as well to take advantage of their institutional knowledge of the organization, division and city.
“It’s important to find people that can help us grow and challenge us,” Carroll said. “Also, I know in my history, I need people to keep me on track. As you can tell, I get pretty juiced up and I’m going to get going so I need people to keep me balanced.”
Carroll expects plenty of interest from people who want to be part of what he is trying to build. He and Spytek know they need to chose wisely, as getting their hires right can make all the difference as they try to turn around the Raiders’ fortunes.
“It’s about the people you surround yourself with,” Spytek said. “When you’re dealing with an organization like this, it’s literally the entire organization. I think people focus on the players all the time, and I’ve already told you guys how much I value and respect and honor the players. It’s what they’re all about. But we’ll only be as good as the people that we bring into this organization or keep in this organization.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.