Pete Carroll Firing Sets Stage for Franchise-Defining Las Vegas Raiders Offseason

The Las Vegas Raiders' Silver and Black reset is upon us, and it could usher in the commitment to excellence that would make the late Al Davis proud. 

Under owner Mark Davis, son of Al, the Raiders have been a directionless franchise, cycling through four full-time head coaches over the last five years. After their Super Bowl 37 loss in the 2002 campaign, they've had two winning seasons and zero playoff wins.

At some point, this franchise must get its act together, right? The Raiders have the pieces in place for an offseason that will finally set them up for short-term progress and sustainable success.

The Raiders knew they locked up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft before their final regular-season game with the Kansas City Chiefs. On Monday, they fired head coach Pete Carroll, and Davis released a statement outlining a clear chain of command.

Davis' direct comments about the leadership structure suggest a disconnect between Carroll, an experienced head coach who has had personnel power in the past, and first-year general manager John Spytek.

Regardless of what happened previously, Spytek, in collaboration with minority owner and former Michigan teammate Tom Brady, will be empowered to build the Raiders with his vision, and it'll start with a head-coaching search.

Who Will Be Pete Carroll's Successor?

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Davis fell for nostalgia, bringing in Jon Gruden, tried to copy the New England Patriots' dynasty by handing the team over to Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels, listened to the players' choice in Antonio Pierce and hoped Carroll would recreate past success.

This team needs its own 21st-century identity–not the old Raiders from the 1970s, Patriots West or a spin-off of a team that once had success decades ago.

Just like the NFL evolves quickly, the Raiders must change with it. 

This offseason, the HC candidate pool will feature a mix of young offensive and defensive play-callers, some from the respected coaching trees of Sean McVay and Jim Harbaugh. Las Vegas should cast a wide net with a focus on those individuals.

If Spytek and Brady are looking toward the future, they need to find the next up-and-coming lead skipper. 

Among the offensive candidates, Klint Kubiak, Joe Brady and Mike LaFleur stand out because they call plays for high-scoring offenses or hold a position under one of the league's best play-callers (McVay). 

If the Raiders are looking for a defensive-minded head coach, Los Angeles Chargers play-caller Jesse Minter has an impressive pro resume, having led a top-nine scoring unit for two years, and he's coming from Harbaugh's coaching tree. Also, keep in mind that Minter was a defensive coordinator at Michigan, the alma mater of Spytek and Brady. 

With an innovative head coach who has the contacts to build a strong staff, the Raiders can optimize talent on the roster and incoming acquisitions, which leads us to free agency.

John Spytek Must Explore Free Agents Beyond the Clearance Aisle

AP Photo/John Locher

This past offseason, Spytek earned the nickname "Coupon John." He didn't adequately address clear roster needs across the offensive line and signed lesser talent than the veterans who were allowed to walk in free agency. 

Spytek's key signings were safety Jeremy Chinn, a versatile defender who's limited in coverage, Alex Cappa, coming off arguably his worst season as a pass-blocker and Malcolm Koonce after he sat out the 2024 term with a torn ACL. 

Chinn and Cappa signed two-year contracts, and Koonce inked a one-year prove-it deal. None of them made a significant impact this past season. 

Chinn allowed a 124.8 (out of a possible 158.3) passer rating and four touchdowns in coverage. Koonce recorded 13 pressures, 4.5 sacks and six tackles for loss while playing 45 percent of the defensive snaps. Cappa served as a better fill-in center than a natural guard.

Even if the Raiders hire the best possible coaching candidate with a great vision, Spytek needs to supply him with the players to execute weekly game plans. Currently, Las Vegas lacks talent or needs development on both sides of the trenches, at wide receiver, linebacker and in the secondary.

Equipped with over $100 million in cap space, Spytek must be aggressive in the pursuit of free agents to fill roster voids. Keep an eye on names like Tyler Linderbaum, Braden Smith, Devin Lloyd, Leo Chenal and Alec Pierce. All of them can be starters on Las Vegas' roster at the peak of their prime.

Reversing the JaMarcus Russell Disaster

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Raider fans don't need a reminder that the last time their team had the No. 1 overall pick, it selected JaMarcus Russell, who became a bust. They still agonize over it, and for good reason. It's a setback that left the franchise reeling for years.

This offseason, the Raiders have a chance to cure the ill feelings about botching the No. 1 overall selection by taking a franchise quarterback at the top of the order.

Assuming 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza declares for the draft, he'll be the favorite to be the first pick, though some may argue Oregon's Dante Moore deserves consideration after his standout redshirt sophomore year, throwing for 3,280 yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions. 

Whether it's Mendoza or Moore, the Raiders must take a quarterback to kick off the draft, not just to right the wrongs of an awful choice from 19 years ago, but to replace Geno Smith, who has ties to Carroll.

Smith led the league with 17 interceptions this season, and he'll turn 36 during the 2026 campaign. The Raiders can designate him as a post-June 1 cut and save $8 million, per Over the Cap. They would hold $18.5 million in dead cap, which would come off the books in 2027.

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Las Vegas needs to overhaul the quarterback room. Ideally, it would draft the top prospect and pair him with a veteran signal-caller like Marcus Mariota, who was one of the premier prospects in his class, understands the transition from the collegiate level to the pros and had productive years in the NFL.

Smith may be looking for another chance to start and rebound from a down year. Along with a competitor to push them, Mendoza and Moore will need a mentor to aid their development as they become professionals expected to lead a franchise.

The Raiders checked off the first box in the Silver and Black reset, firing Carroll. But before they get to one of the final steps in drafting a potential franchise quarterback, Spytek and Brady must create an environment for a young signal-caller to succeed. 

Look at Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and Bo Nix right now. They have offensive-minded head coaches who are aligned with general managers building balanced rosters around them. 

The Raiders' next step is to hire the right head coach to replace Carroll, which should be an extensive process over the next few weeks.

Team salary cap and player contract details are provided by Over the Cap.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.