Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders helmets on the sidelines at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why the Raiders' Coaching Vacancy is Appealing

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 6:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are searching for their next head coach.

A few vacancies have been filled, with John Harbaugh on his way to the New York Giants and Kevin Stefanski being hired by the Atlanta Falcons. The Raiders’ path to their next head coach is becoming clearer.

Las Vegas has not held onto coaches for very long in the last few years, so General Manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady must find the right leader to turn the franchise around.

Some coaches may be wary of taking the job because of the lack of job security, but there are plenty of reasons someone should want to lead the Silver and Black. What are they? Let’s break down the most appealing elements of the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy.

No. 1 overall pick

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It doesn’t hurt to have the first pick in the draft and a chance at a potential franchise quarterback. It's likely the Raiders will eventually draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the top selection. The Cal transfer has a chance to lead the Hoosiers to a national championship victory tonight.

Getting to work with a bright young quarterback like Mendoza should be an attractive reason for a coach to take the Raiders’ job. It may also give them more than one year, as the Raiders would be resetting the clock with a rookie at the most important position in football.

Cap space

According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders enter the offseason with the second-most cap space in the league at over $82 million.

That number is likely to change with restructures and potential contract extensions, but Spytek and his new head coach will have financial flexibility to add immediate-impact talent at key positions during free agency. The chance to offer contracts to virtually as many players as the Raiders desire should be a reason why a coach could see immediate improvement on both sides of the ball.

Young offensive talent

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Going into the season with presumably Mendoza, running back Ashton Jeanty , and tight end Brock Bowers is a tremendous foundation for a new coach.

The Raiders saw great seasons from Jeanty and Bowers; providing them with a quarterback who can get them the ball accurately should be paramount for this Raiders’ front office. It would change the offense’s entire dynamic. There are worse young cores that head coaching candidates could end up with, so getting to work with a rookie QB, Jeanty, and Bowers should be appealing to several of the Raiders’ top candidates.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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