Three offensive coordinator candidates for the Raiders in 2025

In 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders must get their offensive coordinator hire correct.

On November 3rd, the Raiders made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg, and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello. The move is the fourth time in the last five years that the Raiders have changed either their head coach or a coordinator mid-season. Interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner, for example, is the fourth offensive coordinator the Raiders have had in the last two seasons. General manager Tom Telesco’s mindset into this pressing issue must be to establish some form of continuity, if only to keep the team stable.

This upcoming off-season is now more crucial than ever before. The Raiders will not only need to decide who can help the team succeed on the field, but they now must face a choice on the best candidate to tie it all together. While it is possible that Turner and/or interim offensive line coach Joe Philbin turn things around and use a strong second half to lock down the full-time job, the Raiders will cast a wide net when it comes to who should be running the offense next season.

Here are three possible options for the Raiders to explore:

Josh McCown, Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach

With the Raiders likely looking at a rookie quarterback in 2025, why not put them in the hands of one?

A longtime journeyman backup, McCown transitioned to the coaching ranks quickly. Despite landing as the Carolina Panthers’ quarterback coach in 2023, he did not last a full season. This season, he was much more tactical in his decision to join the Minnesota Vikings in the same position, presumably to help rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. While McCarthy would lose his rookie year due to a torn meniscus, McCown has instead helped Sam Darnold turn into a respectable starter. Under McCown’s tutelage, Darnold has thrown for 2,141 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing a career-high 68.6% percent of his passes. Despite McCown’s relative coaching inexperience, he has already been interviewed twice by the Houston Texans for their head-coaching vacancies in 2021 and 2022, suggesting the NFL rates him highly as an offensive mind.

Current Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales ascended to the job with his work in reigniting the careers of stagnant quarterbacks. McCown could very well be on a similar trajectory, and the Raiders would be smart to bring him in.

Marcus Brady, Los Angeles Chargers passing game coordinator

Another Brady in Las Vegas? While having no relation to future Hall of Fame quarterback and Raiders owner Tom, Marcus is a sound football mind in his own right.

A former quarterback in the Canadian Football League, Brady broke into the NFL coaching ranks in 2018 with the Indianapolis Colts, working with quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers. His work would lead to a quick rise to offensive coordinator in 2021, where he helped commandeer the second-ranked rushing offense in the league in his first year. After being released midway through the 2022 season, Brady would work with the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Chargers this season. Under Brady, quarterback Justin Herbert has been the most efficient quarterback in the league with only one interception thrown, while wide receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston are developing nicely. That level of success in both the passing and rushing attacks is exactly what the Raiders need right now, not to mention it comes with the added benefit of weakening an AFC West rival.

Brady is far from the splashiest hire the Raiders can make, but he provides more than enough substance to make up for it.

Brian Daboll, New York Giants head coach

While it is easy for Raiders fans to scoff at the idea of Daboll now, there is plenty of reason to believe he is on the board.

With the Giants likely looking to clean house this off-season, if not earlier, it is easy to forget that Daboll was once considered a savior of the franchise. In his first season with the team in 2022, Daboll took the Giants all the way to the Divisional Round, headlined by running back Saquon Barkley and a career year from quarterback Daniel Jones. He even was named Coach of the Year for his efforts. Before that, Daboll guided the Buffalo Bills to prominence as offensive coordinator, orchestrating quarterback Josh Allen’s meteoric rise. While there is no question Daboll has the necessary credentials, what is also important to note is his connection to the Raiders through Telesco. Daboll and Telesco went to the same high school in western New York, played on the same football team, and even share an agent. It was a major reason why Daboll was heavily linked to the Chargers’ head coaching vacancy in 2021 while Telesco was their general manager before the team ultimately settled on then-Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

If the Giants do decide to move on from Daboll, his services as an offensive mind will still be in considerable demand. Telesco should be in position to be one of the first people to call his old friend.