Raiders expected to hire Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler

After months of speculation over who would get the Raiders’ head coaching job, it is now expected that Josh McDaniels will become the team’s next head coach, and Dave Ziegler will be the team’s next general manager. McDaniels has been regarded as one of the most impressive offensive minds in the league while Ziegler is credited with playing a major part in the New England Patriots’ fast rebuild.

The hires are earning praise from analysts around the NFL.

“This is a great hire for the Las Vegas Raiders, an amazing hire. A home run,” said ESPN’s Rex Ryan.

McDaniels’ Resume

McDaniels, 45, has been a member of the league since 2001. He began his career as a personnel assistant for the New England Patriots the same year as the infamous “Tuck Rule Game.” Between 2002 and 2008, McDaniels jumped around in various roles for the Patriots, including defensive assistant and quarterbacks coach.

He left New England in 2009 to take his first head coaching position with the Denver Broncos. The 2009 season started hot for McDaniels and the Broncos, but then something changed. McDaniels and the Broncos then lost five in a row, eventually ending their season at 8-8. His second season in Denver ended prematurely after he was fired following Week 13. The Broncos sat at 3-9 at the time of his termination.

Following his time in Denver, McDaniels spent one season as the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. After Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo was fired, McDaniels found his way back to New England. Since 2011, McDaniels has served as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. He has played a part in all six of the franchise’s Super Bowl titles.

Despite his tremendous success, McDaniels has raised a few flags during his time in the league, most notably in 2018. After the 2017 season, McDaniels accepted a head coaching position with the Indianapolis Colts. He nearly assembled a staff and had already agreed to terms with the Indianapolis front office. Later that day, McDaniels resigned from the position, leaving the Colts out in the cold.

Ziegler’s Resume

Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels connect all the way back to the days of the Denver Broncos. Ziegler started his career in the NFL as a player personnel assistant during the 2010 season after being hired by McDaniels.

2013 brought a relocation for Ziegler as he was hired by the New England Patriots to become their assistant director of pro scouting. Since 2013, Ziegler has worked for the Patriots in many roles, including assistant director of player personnel, and director of player personnel.

Ziegler and McDaniels are rumored to have had the eye of Mark Davis and the Raiders since the beginning of their search. Both are regarded as having a major role in the quick rebuild of the Patriots, driving them to the playoffs after just one season of rebuilding.

Ziegler, McDaniels and the Raiders

It has been rumored for weeks that McDaniels may become the next head coach of the Raiders because his brilliant offensive mind may be just what Las Vegas needs. The Raiders were notorious this season for their red-zone struggles, scoring touchdowns just 49% of the time (29th in the league).

McDaniels’ 2021 offense, however, performed much better in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 63% of red-zone trips (6th in the league). If McDaniels can help the Raiders offense play to their strengths, it might be just the thing the Silver and Black need to get to the next level.

Ziegler has worked in scouting for over a decade. His talent in vetting rookies is sure to be a much-needed step in the right direction for the Raiders, who have struggled in the draft for years.

The details of both contracts are still being worked out, but with free agency and the draft quickly approaching, Davis is sure to want his new tandem and their team to get to work as quickly as possible.

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