Raiders Rumors: Interim GM Champ Kelly Has 'Legitimate' Chance to Retain Role

The Las Vegas Raiders may choose to remove the interim tag from general manager Champ Kelly when it comes time to hire a permanent replacement for Dave Ziegler, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"There's a belief in some league circles that Kelly's chances to retain the job permanently are legitimate," Fowler reported Wednesday. "He was a finalist for the same job two years ago and has served as assistant GM there since 2022."

Because he took over in the middle of the year, Kelly can't point to much in the way moves he has made to improve the roster. Waiving Marcus Peters was probably the most notable transaction of his tenure to date.

But Fowler laid out what's working in Kelly's favor. Nobody will be shocked if the GM search ends in his promotion.

Whoever is hired will have a busy offseason ahead.

The Raiders are 2-3 with Antonio Pierce as the interim head coach. He unquestionably provided a breath of fresh air as Las Vegas won its first two games after Josh McDaniels' firing. A subsequent three-game losing streak has done Pierce few favors in terms of him remaining the coach beyond this year.

So the new general manager will in all likelihood have to hire a head coach along with perhaps identifying a different solution at quarterback.

Jimmy Garoppolo hasn't even been a viable stopgap, getting benched after six starts. In his place, fourth-round draft pick Aidan O'Connell has thrown for 1,365 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions. Neither looks like a strong starting candidate in 2024.

And quarterback is one of just a few positions where Las Vegas could use some upgrades. The franchise is more than just an elite passer away from getting back to the playoffs.

Then there's a potential Davante Adams trade. As good as Adams is, dealing him for draft compensation would help accelerate a rebuild. His production certainly isn't having a meaningful impact on the Raiders' record at the moment.

Kelly must love a challenge if he's willing to stay aboard.