GOOD NEWS: Raiders are bringing back former Defensive Coordinator following…..

Defensive coordinator coming back for 4th season in Las Vegas

In what would be a major move, the Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly working on bringing back defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

The news was reported by longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson on Wednesday.

Breaking: I’m told the #Raiders and Patrick Graham are working on a deal to bring him back as defensive coordinator, per league source.@BovadaOfficial pic.twitter.com/N8yG8uIh8E

— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 30, 2025

Wednesday night, multiple outlets reported it was a done deal that Graham is returning to Las Vegas.

An NFL source told Silver and Black Pride on Friday, shortly after Pete Carroll was hired as the Raiders’ head coach that Graham would likely be a target for Carrol. He reportedly was one of three candidates Carroll wanted to interview along with Raiders’ defensive line coach Rob Leonard and Seattle Seahawks’ defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Karl Scott, who was on Carroll’s staff there.

Graham, whose contract with the Raiders has expired after a three-season stint there, interviewed Monday to be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator.

Graham was hired as Josh McDaniels’ defensive coordinator in Las Vegas in 2022. He was retained by Antonio Pierce in 2024 and has officially re-signed to join Carroll’s staff.

Monday, at his introductory press conference, Carroll said he plans to bring some coaches from his Seattle days to Las Vegas, along with adding some coaches he’s never worked with and keeping some of the members from Antonio Pierce’s staff.

Earlier Wednesday, it was reported that Carroll is retaining special teams coach Tom McMahon. Cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning, who coached for Carroll in Seattle, could be retained as well.

Pete Carroll Tabs a Familiar Face As Raiders Defensive Coordinator for 2025

Patrick Graham is returning to the Las Vegas Raiders as defensive coordinator, teaming up with newly hired head coach Pete Carroll. Graham became the Raiders’ DC before the 2022 season. He initially worked under Josh McDaniels, then stayed on with Antonio Pierce, who was fired after the Raiders finished 4–13 last season.

Graham’s return is a big win for Carroll and his new staff as he takes the reigns in Las Vegas. Graham interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for their head coaching vacancy, which was later filled by Liam Coen. With Carroll’s arrival, Graham could have left for other DC openings.

Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane told Carpenter about Graham’s importance to the staff during a recent exclusive interview.

“He is not a faker,” Spillane said via Raiders on SI. “When he puts in the work, he is a Yale-educated, very bright, smart young man who works 18 hours a day. I know that’s not even physically possible, but when he says he’s putting in the work, he puts in the work. Which obviously garners respect from me and every teammate we have.”

Before joining the Raiders, Graham was the DC for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and then the New York Giants’ assistant head coach and DC from 2020 to ’21.

Raiders New General Manager John Spytek Sends Clear Message to Maxx Crosby Amid Contract Concerns

The Las Vegas Raiders officially have their new head coach and general manager with Pete Carroll and John Spytek being introduced by the team. While there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the duo right now, they have a lot of things to figure out.

Finding the next starting quarterback will be at the top of the agenda but figuring out Maxx Crosby’s contract situation should also be a priority. The star defensive end has been vocal about the fact that his contract doesn’t have any more guaranteed money on it.

He’s been the Raiders’ best player for a few seasons now but is the ninth highest-paid defensive end in the NFL. There’s been speculation that Crosby could get traded this offseason but that seems unlikely due to some comments from Spytek.

Crosby was in attendance for Spytek and Carroll’s introductory press conference and the general manager gave him a shoutout.

“I’ve gotten to see what greatness looks like, what competitiveness looks like. I see Maxx standing back there; he embodies all that stuff that we’re talking about and I just love watching players compete and perform,” Spytek said in his Jan. 27 press conference.

Based on those comments, it certainly doesn’t sound like Spytek is eager to trade Crosby. Things could always change but it seems like the Raiders will be inclined to fix Crosby’s contract than move on from this offseason.

Pete Carroll Not Taking Things Slow

Another big reason why Crosby likely isn’t going anywhere is the fact that Carroll sounds eager to build a winner quickly.

“It took us a few years to get to the very top of the last couple programs I was with,” Carroll said, referring to USC and the Seattle Seahawks. “We’re starting right now and going for it immediately. … We’re going to start right now, (we’re) going to go after it and build this team as quickly as we can.”

After those comments, Carroll turned to Crosby and had a message for him.

“Maxx, send the message, man. We’re coming after you,” Carroll said. “We’re going to come find you guys and get this thing rolling as soon as possible.”

At 73, it’s easy to understand why Carroll doesn’t want to waste a year or two rebuilding. Now, it’s easier said than done to build a quick winner but it’s worth noting that Carroll got the Seahawks to the playoffs in his first season as head coach.

Raiders Need to Take Care of Crosby Quickly

Now that it’s clear that Carroll and Spytek want Crosby around, they need to take care of him. Re-working his contract would send a message to the whole team that the new brass will take care of great homegrown talent.

One of the first major moves former general manager Tom Telesco made was to let star running back Josh Jacobs walk in free agency. He went to the Green Bay Packers where he rushed for 1,329 yards in his first season. Spytek can’t make the same mistake and let elite homegrown talent leave. Crosby will almost certainly get a better contract but it’s unclear when exactly that might happen.

Raiders New HC Pete Carroll makes promises to fans as he Hopes to hit the ground running with the team ‘immediately’

The next chapter of the Las Vegas Raiders began on Monday and Pete Carroll does not want to waste a second of it.

Carroll, 73, was introduced as the next head coach in Las Vegas alongside new general manager John Spytek. A coach with a long track record in the NFL, Carroll set the bar high for himself right out of the gate.

While some might think it could take some time to turn the Raiders’ fortunes around, Carroll is not among them. In one of his first statements in his new job, Carroll said he wants to hit the ground running and win right away.

“It took us a few years to get to the very top of the last couple programs I was with,” Carroll said. “We’re starting right now and going for it immediately.”

As a Super Bowl winning coach, Carroll has hit work cut out for him but clearly he’s confident.

Carroll’s efforts will go hand-in-hand with Spytek. The 44-year-old former assistant general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will not bring the same amount of experience with him to Las Vegas like Carroll will… even so, Spytek will certainly bring a passion to turn around the Raiders like Carroll has. He made that clear during their introductory press conference.

“When I dreamt about having one of these jobs, I always wanted it to be with an iconic franchise like the Raiders,” Spytek said. “There’s just some teams where it means a little bit more. There’s just some teams where–the NFL is better when they’re crushing it”

RAIDERS ON FIRE:Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams’ growing tensions with Raiders Reach Breaking Point, Fueling Concerns both are Actively Sabotaging Team’s Success and………..

Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams, two of the most talented players on the Las Vegas Raiders roster, are at the center of a growing tension that’s begun to threaten not only the team’s success this season but also its long-term future. Their clashes, both on and off the field, have become impossible to ignore, with reports suggesting that both stars are engaged in a subtle yet destabilizing power struggle within the team.

Crosby, the team’s star defensive end, has long been viewed as the emotional leader of the Raiders, pouring his heart and soul into every game. However, as the team’s performance falters and the frustrations mount, his leadership style seems to be clashing with Adams, a top-tier wide receiver who demands the same level of respect and control. Adams, having arrived in Las Vegas as one of the NFL’s most dominant pass-catchers, expects his voice to carry significant weight in shaping the team’s offensive strategies. But his desire to exert
influence has reportedly created tension with Crosby, who has expressed dissatisfaction with how the team is being managed.

Behind closed doors, sources close to the team suggest that both Crosby and Adams have begun actively undermining each other’s efforts, whether it’s questioning the other’s role in team meetings or making subtle digs during interviews. The lack of cohesion between the two superstars is raising concerns that their personal grievances are seeping into the team’s performance on the field.

As the Raiders’ season hangs in the balance, this internal struggle for control could spell disaster, not just for this year’s campaign, but for the franchise’s long-term prospects. If the feud between Crosby and Adams continues unchecked, the team’s ability to achieve sustained success may be in jeopardy, further complicating an already turbulent rebuilding process.