The Las Vegas Raiders continue to embark on a search for their next general manager. Mike Mayock was relieved of his duties earlier this week at the conclusion of Vegas' postseason exit suffered at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals. The team has yet to officially announce the departure of interim head coach Rich Bisaccia, who will receive an opportunity to interview for the role in a full-time capacity on Wednesday afternoon. A new general manager however will have input on that impending decision, and Bisaccia's chances of remaining in Vegas currently appear slim given the incoming regime change.
BetOnline recently released their updated odds in relation to Vegas' head coaching search, and our own Jaime Eisner spotted a pair of extremely intriguing names.
https://twitter.com/JaimeEisner/status/1483844457627799557
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and Saints head coach Sean Payton have shockingly catapulted to No. 2 and 5, respectively, on the list, indicating the oddsmakers potentially foresee the Raiders exploring trade possibilities for either of these two decorated head honchos.
Payton and Tomlin are two of the longest-tenured coaches in leadership positions in the league, and with good reason. Nearly every NFL franchise would jump at the opportunity to have either one lead their team into 2022 and beyond, as both coaches bring the ideal and rare type of stability that's unfortunately not often found at the position. With that said, the Raiders would be silly to execute a trade for either coach, given what the high-price compensation would surely look like.
Trades involving head coaches are extremely rare. The move that sent Jon Gruden from the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers immediately comes to mind as a worthy reference point. The Buccaneers paid handsomely to secure Gruden's services, sending 2002 and 2003 first-round draft picks, 2002 and 2004 second-round draft picks, and $8 million in cash in the unprecedented deal. It's difficult to predict what a trade for Payton or Tomlin would look like today, but the Gruden deal seems like an excellent starting point. Now factor in that both Payton and Tomlin have already won Super Bowls, something Gruden hadn't yet achieved at the time of his move from Oakland to Tampa Bay, and the general cost of inflation, and it's certain that a deal for Tomlin for Payton would include multiple high-end draft picks and a boatload of cash.
It represents an extremely heavy price to pay for a franchise that must improve its roster throughout the upcoming offseason. The drafting misfires of Damon Arnette, Henry Ruggs III, and Clelin Ferrell among others have left the Raiders with plenty of holes to address in the draft and free agency. Having Tomlin or Payton as your head coach sounds incredibly intriguing, but the Raiders must use their draft selections in order to upgrade a roster that will find life difficult in the AFC West alongside the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos.
The Raiders should ultimately hold onto their draft picks (and money) while conducting a proper and thorough head coaching search. There are various worthy candidates on the market. Luring Jim Harbaugh away from the Michigan Wolverines would qualify as a massive victory while maintaining your draft selections. Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is viewed as an ascending candidate, whereas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is a veteran leader. Former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is a proven winner that's looking for a new venture. The Raiders must focus on conducting the best search imaginable without foolishly entering into the high-stakes, metaphorical trade market.
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