Inglewood, CA, Thursday, December 16, 2021 - Chargers safety Derwin James hugs Lucius Jordan, assistant strength coach, as coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco look on hours before taking on the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium. James is recovering from a hamstring injury and was a game time decision. He had just worked out and received the go ahead to play,. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Raiders are poised to employ Tom Telesco as their new general manager.
The Chargers sacked head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Telesco the day after their 63-21 loss to Antonio Pierce and the Raiders on December 14. Telesco wasn’t out of job for long.
The Raiders named Pierce as their full-time head coach last week.
After Pierce’s hiring was announced, they resumed their search for a new general manager.
The Raiders also considered their own interim general manager, Champ Kelly, and Colts deputy general manager Ed Dodds for the position. According to Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com, owner Mark Davis “expressed hesitation” about teaming a rookie general manager with a rookie head coach.
Pierce has no head coaching experience prior to his appointment as interim coach.
Telesco was the Chargers’ general manager for 11 seasons, during which time he hired three head coaches and won two playoff games. The Chargers finished 84-95 under his leadership.
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The Raiders Must Find A Way To Keep Patrick Graham.
Antonio Pierce has been named the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders indefinitely. With the locker room leader confirmed, the Raiders now need to find a way to keep another coach.
The only problem is that the coach performed such an excellent job this season that he has piqued the interest of practically every National Football League team looking for a head coach.
Defensive Patrick Graham took a retooled defense and transformed it into one of the best in the NFL. Not only that, but even with the defensive signings, the Raiders’ defensive roster remained one of the lowest-paid in the NFL.
Graham took a team with no recognizable names other than Maxx Crosby and turned it into a solid defense that finished as one of the best in the league after dramatically improving in many areas from the previous season.
Even more impressive than exploiting the talent of unknown players was Graham’s defense’s success against an offense that could barely move the ball at times and frequently score points, routinely placing Las Vegas’ defense in adverse circumstances.
The Raiders had one of the lowest-paid defenses in the league, yet they could single-handedly keep the club in games when one of the highest-paid offenses struggled. Graham’s defense also won some games on their own.
This season, Graham’s presence was felt in a variety of ways throughout games. He was also able to help find a way to get the best out of rookie defensive tackle Tyree Wilson, who had a poor start to the season. He accomplished an excellent job despite numerous obstacles, and his defense has earned him consideration for head coaching roles elsewhere.
While Graham deserves all of the acclaim and interviews for head coaching positions he’s received, the Raiders must find a way to maintain Graham, who has demonstrated that his importance to the players and the organization is difficult to replace.
From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be hosted in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The NFL Draft will take place in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders presently have the 13th overall pick.
