The Las Vegas Raiders seemingly narrowed their head coaching options to Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The latter seems to have pulled away, but the Raiders can’t actually hire him until after the Super Bowl.
The best the team can get is a verbal or handshake agreement, but he can’t actually sign a contract. The Raiders were keeping Webb in their back pocket in case Kubiak took another job or got cold feet, but he’ll no longer be an option.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Webb has decided to withdraw his name from the Raiders’ search and appears set to take an offensive coordinator job. It remains to be seen why he’s removing his name, but it could be because he saw the writing on the wall that Kubiak was the favorite.
The leap from quarterbacks coach to head coach was always going to be a big one. Webb has a lot of potential, but he’s never even called plays before. It makes sense for him to take an offensive coordinator job and then try again next year. The Raiders likely could’ve had him if they were willing to pounce, but they wanted to speak with Kubiak first. Time will tell if that ends up being the right decision.
Kubiak’s Job to Lose?
Now that Webb is out of the running, the Raiders have to be all in on Kubiak. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the job is likely Kubiak’s if he wants it.
“The Raiders plan to interview Seattle OC Klint Kubiak over the weekend and then make a decision on their head coach, per sources,” Fowler wrote on X.
“As one candidate predicted, ‘it’s probably (Kubiak’s) job to lose.’”
The Arizona Cardinals are also expected to interview Kubiak, but the Raiders have a more appealing opening thanks to the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Though Las Vegas has to feel good about their chances, they’re going to be very anxious until they are able to make things official.
What if Kubiak Turns Raiders Down?
The Raiders are playing a risky game. They have to feel somewhat confident that Kubiak will accept their job to be willing to wait this long, but it’s a huge risk.
If Kubiak decides to turn down the Raiders, they are in big trouble. They could go back to Webb and try to convince him to change his mind the same way the Jacksonville Jaguars did with Liam Coen last year. That’s far from a guarantee.
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has been considered a real candidate for the job. Perhaps the Raiders would have to settle with him. That’s not an ideal situation with a rookie quarterback coming in.
In the end, it looks like there’s a very strong chance that Kubiak is the next head coach of the Raiders. He’s proven to be one of the best young playcallers in the NFL, which will be perfect to pair with a rookie quarterback. It’s taking a while, but landing the top offensive mind on the market would be a huge deal for Las Vegas.
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