It was a busy week for the Las Vegas Raiders and head coach Klint Kubiak, as Kubiak made several hires to fill out his first coaching staff with the Raiders. Also, the franchise tag window opened, bringing us one step closer to the start of free agency, and the 2026 NFL draft talk is heating up with the NFL Combine next week. With that, let’s get to this week’s mailbag!
A: I’m not going to tell anyone how to feel, but I will say that I was hoping the Raiders were going to bring in an outside hire
at defensive coordinator. It seems that when it was announced Karl Scott was staying in Seattle, Kubiak pivoted to Rob Leonard to get someone who is a well-respected position coach and already has a pulse on the lockerroom. Plus, his relationship with Maxx Crosby doesn’t hurt, either.
To Leonard’s credit, I think he did a good job as the run game coordinator last year. The Raiders’ defense was pretty good at creating negative plays in the run game with some well-timed run blitzes and stunts. That’s a big reason why Devin White had 11 TFLs, the second-most of his career and the most he’s had since 2020.
So, on top of what he’s done with the defensive line, it’s not unreasonable that Leonard got a promotion. He just wouldn’t have been my first or even second choice.
Q: What coverages do you think Rob Leonard will run? He’s worked under multiple solid defensive coordinators. More zones or an aggressive man-to-man?
A: This is the big question with the new defensive coordinator, and if anyone tells you they know what types of coverages he’s going to run, they’re lying. Leonard’s entire career has been coaching the front seven and primarily the defensive line, so it’s a mystery when it comes to what he’ll do on the backend of the defense.
Circling back to the last question, I think that’s where some of the skepticism comes in because Leonard has primarily worked under Patrick Graham to this point, and a large portion of the fanbase grew frustrated with Graham’s soft zone coverages. Leonard did work for Mike Macdonald in Baltimore, but that was just for a year, and he was the outside linebackers coach.
So, unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer for you. But I think Leonard will lean toward zone coverage since Graham and Macdonald are both zone-heavy. That being said, the latter does a lot more pattern matching and safety rotation to run a more aggressive style of zone coverage.
Q: What do you think of Leonard’s defensive coaching staff?
A: Building on the previous question, there’s a reason Joe Woods was kept as the defensive pass game coordinator, and I like that Kubiak is giving a first-year defensive coordinator someone who has experience in that role. Plus, Woods’ background is in the secondary to help balance the defensive coaching staff out, and of course, it helps that he was the defensive coordinator in New Orleans when Kubiak was in charge of the other side of the ball for the Saints.
Leonard/the Raiders took a similar approach at linebacker, hiring Ronnell Williams, who is a young up-and-comer, to be the position coach, while adding Al Holcomb as the senior defensive assistant. Holcomb has been coaching in the league since 2009, including several stops as a linebackers coach. I like the balance of giving young coaches an opportunity to prove themselves while pairing them with counterparts who have been around the block to provide wisdom and experience.
I don’t know much about safeties coach Matt Robinson, but I like that he spent a couple of years working under Macdonald in Baltimore to potentially bring over some of that scheme.
In the trenches, defensive line coach Travis Smith has a good track record of getting production out of his pass-rushers, which the Raiders could certainly use. Also, it’s nice that Smith has worked in the NFL for nearly 15 years and under several head coaches and defensive coordinators, adding experience and a variety of schematic philosophies.
Q: With the defensive staff filled out mostly. Do you have a better idea or changes to upcoming free agent fits?
A: I don’t think much changes, and I still get the sense that Las Vegas is going to lean more heavily on the draft for defensive players than free agency. The defense needs to get younger, and this year’s rookie class seems to have more talent on that side of the ball.
Q: What was your favorite and least favorite hire?
A: My favorite is getting Rick Dennison as the offensive line coach. Adding someone with over 30 years of experience to develop guys like Jackson Powers-Johnson, Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant will be a big breath of fresh air compared to last year.
Least favorite is Mike McCoy as assistant head coach. I get it from the standpoint of giving Kubiak someone to lean on as a first-year head coach, especially someone he respects and has worked with in the past. But McCoy doen’t move the needle much for me given his 29-46 record as a head coach. Also, in 11 seasons as either a head coach or offensive coordinator, his teams have ranked in the top half of the league for points scored just three times.
Q: Where does Kubiak look for a quarterback coach now?
A: It looks like Vikings’ assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Traylor is the favorite. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders requested to interview Traylor for the job, and the 33-year-old worked for Kubiak in New Orleans. Traylor has also worked for Kevin O’Connell and Sean Payton, so he should know a thing or two about coaching and developing quarterbacks.
Granted, Kubiak and new offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko have been quarterbacks coaches in the past, so I don’t think who the Raiders have at QB coach will be that big of a deal. Kubiak and Janocko are going to be the ones who are primarily responsible for developing Fernando Mendoza.
A: According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there’s still an avanue that Jim Schwartz winds up in Vegas. Florio does thrive by drumming up consisperacy theory stories like this, but apparently, the door is still open for this to happen.
Q: Is Rashid Shaheed or Alec Pierce more realistic in free agency?
A: Shaheed. Not that the Raiders need to go bargain hunting, but Pierce will likely be more expensive and have more suitors. For reference, he’s the second wide receiver and 10th player overall on Pro Football Focus’s Free Agent rankings, while Shaheed is sixth and 26th. Plus, there’s the Kubiak connection with the former Saint/Seahawk.
Q: What do you think of the idea of pairing Kenneth Walker III and Ashton Jeanty? The Raiders have the cap space, the running back room would be solid for years and there would always be a fresh. A top back with less wear and tear on both of them, kind of like the two-headed monster in Detroit.
A: After using a premium draft pick on Jeanty last year, a lot of the fanbase would lose their minds because Walker is widely considered the top running back on the market and will likely get a lot of money this offseason. But, to be honest, I don’t hate the idea of pairing those two. Walker has experience and success in Kubiak’s offense, and the Raiders could use another running back to split carries and create the two-headed monster you referenced.
However, I think it’s more relastic that they go after a lower-profile running back with Jeanty serving as the lead rusher. Guys like Rachaad White, Kenneth Gainwell or Brian Robinson are who I’d have my eye on in free agency.
Q: Do you think Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant are suited for a zone scheme? Same with Laki Tasi, and could Tasi play right tackle?
A: I think Grant will be a great fit with Kubiak. Grant’s ability to execute reach blocks was what stoodout to me the most about his film coming out of college, which is perfect for a wide zone-heavy rushing attack. Kubiak’s scheme should be good for Rogers too, as below is an excerpt from Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn’s scouting report on the Texas Tech product.
Rogers is a sturdy, effective run-blocker with enough quickness to hit landmarks in the zone run game, cut-off the backside and connect on backers when climbing with the size and grip strength to overrun and steer second-level targets once latched. Rogers is best on angle-drive, base and kick-out blocks where he uses his size, length and heavy, strong hands to clench and widen/secure his target to solidify rush lanes.
As for Tasi, he’s a wild card. Tasi is athletic enough to fit into Kubiak’s offense and potentially protect the edge, but the sample size is way too small to definitively say the former rugby player is well-suited for any type of system.
A: That was one of Dylan Parham’s strengths coming out of college, but he’s put on a considerable amount of weight since then. Memphis had him listed at 285 pounds during his senior season, and the Raiders’ roster had him at 332 last year. Ultimately, I’d be surprised if the Raiders re-sign Parham this offseason.
Q: How would you feel about Aidan O’Connell as the bridge/back-up QB to Fernando Mendoza? Doesn’t O’Connell’s skill set roughly mirror Mendoza’s? Wouldn’t he potentially blossom under an actual competent coaching staff for the first time in his career?
A: I’m in favor of having O’Connell begin the season as the starter until Mendoza is ready, rather than throwing the rookie into the fire. Plus, that gives the offensive line more time to gel before putting the future of the franchise behind a unit that struggled last year and might take some time to get comfortable playing with each other this fall.
As far as O’Connell’s and Mendoza’s skillsets, I don’t think they are that similar. Mendoza has a better arm, is accuarte to all levels of the field and is a better athlete, whereas O’Connell’s intermediate accuracy is bad and he’s a statue in the pocket who doesn’t make plays with his legs. I also think Mendoza is more poised under pressure.
I listed AOC as a bad fit in Kubiak’s offense, so I can’t say I’d agree with the thought that he’ll blossom under the new coaching staff in Vegas.
Q: How would you feel about drafting Drew Allar with a fifth-round pick?
A: I’m not against the idea of double-dipping at quarterback in the draft. However, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes.
The Raiders have so many needs that I think it’d be better to take fliers on guys who could become starters rather than someone whose ideal ceiling is as a backup. Plus, they have a backup quarterback option in O’Connell for next year, and it would probably be more valuable to get a veteran to serve as a mentor in the meeting room rather than adding another young guy.
Q: If the Raiders traded the No. 1 draft pick for numerous picks, what do you think the organization will do at the QB position, and who could fill that void?
A: Just. Draft. Mendoza.
If the Raiders end up trading out of No. 1 or those rumors pick up more steam closer to the draft, then we’ll pick these conversations up and go from there.
A: If Reuben Bain’s short arms are really that big of a deal, and he falls into the mid-teens or early 20s (changing the range a bit), then Bain. But I have a hard time seeing that happen.
Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods appears to be losing steam recently, so if he slides, I’d be interested in trading up to get Woods. Along similar lines, if Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy falls after missing all of last season, McCoy is another guy to keep tabs on depending on how the medicals check out at the combine.
A couple of other prospects who I wouldn’t consider to be “falling”, in that they’re projected to be taken in the back end of round one, but might be worth trading up for are Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen. I’m a fan of both of their games and they would fit what the Raiders need on defense; a run-stuffing interior defender with potential as a pass-rusher and a coverage linebacker who has the traits to become a well-rounded defender.
A: Reports were that Pete Carroll and John Spytek butted heads over playing the young guys, and the head coach has final say on who is on the field. I also think Carroll had a good amount of influence on the draft, but I can’t say for certain how much pull he had.
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to SBPQuestions1@gmail.com or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays.
