The Las Vegas Raiders still have an opportunity to earn a playoff spot under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. A win Sunday night at home against the Los Angeles Chargers would push Vegas to 10-7 and lead to a postseason appearance.
Even then, there’s strong rumors coming out of the desert that Bisaccia will not be given the full-time job to replace disgraced recently-departed head man Jon Gruden. One specific big name has been bandied about as a potential candidate to in Las Vegas.
Hours before their regular-season finale at Allegiant Stadium, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to go after a “rock star” head coach and could look to trade for one.
At this point, we wouldn’t put it past owner Mark Davis. He wants to make that big splash as the Raiders finish up their second season in Sin City after relocating from Oakland. Off the field, this season has brought a ton of drama the Raiders’ way.
That includes Gruden’s resignation and the tragic events surrounding former first-round pick Henry Ruggs. Changing the narrative to an extent would be big for this organization. Below, we look at three options for the Raiders should they look to pull off a trade for a head coach.
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Las Vegas Raiders land Mike Tomlin
Glazer pointed to Tomlin specifically when talking about a potential blockbuster trade for a head coach. Wrapping up his 15th season as the Steelers’ head coach, there were previously rumors about Tomlin heading to USC. He shot those down in emphatic fashion.
This hypothetical still remains highly unlikely. Continuity has been the name of the game for Pittsburgh over the decades. Here’s an organization that has had a total of three head coaches since the start of the 1969 season. Tomlin himself has yet to post a losing record in the Steel City.
With that said, recent news that longtime general manager Kevin Colbert will step down could lead to a complete rebuild in Pittsburgh. With Ben Roethlisberger also set to retire, the Steelers might opt to start anew. Acquiring multiple first-round picks for Tomlin would make somse sense. In turn, Las Vegas gets one of the best coaches of the modern era.
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Las Vegas Raiders land Pete Carroll
There’s a growing belief that the Seattle Seahawks’ brass is going to choose between Carroll and franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. Rumors dating back to last off-season have suggested a split between the two. Meanwhile, Wilson would not commit to returning to the Seahawks ahead of their season finale on Sunday.
Vegas fancies itself as being in win-now mode. The team might run it back with Derek Carr depending on the general manager situation. If so, acquiring a 70-year-old head coach with a ton of experience and wins under his belt would make a ton of sense. It also likely wouldn’t cost a lot given the aforementioned rumors regarding Carroll’s demise in the Pacific Northwest.
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Las Vegas Raiders trade for Sean Payton
Despite manning the sidelines in New Orleans over the past 16 seasons, there continues to be suggestions that Payton may look to bolt. Most recently, that included a return to the Dallas Cowboys prior to them hiring Mike McCarthy ahead of the 2020 season.
We’re still not sure where these rumors are coming from. But given the fact that they continue to make waves, there might be some truth to them. Boasting a 151-89 record in the Bayou, Payton would be an absolute coup for the Raiders. Much like Tomlin, he’s among the most-accomplished coaches of the modern era.