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The NFL made a change this season in the timeline for teams interviewing head coach candidates. The new rule states teams with a vacancy can begin the interview process during the final two weeks of the regular season. Previously, teams could not begin the interview process until the day after the regular season ended.
Tuesday, December 28 is the two week mark and the Las Vegas Raiders are one of the first teams teams looking for a new head coach. Jon Gruden resigned as the Raiders’ head coach in October after emails were released with Gruden using racist and homophobic language. The 58-year-old Gruden was in the fourth-year of a 10-year/$100M contract and had a record of 22-31.
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia took over for Gruden in Week 6 and has led the Raiders to a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. Las Vegas is currently sitting in 10th place in the AFC playoff picture and needs a lot of things to happen for them to get the 7th seed. If Bisaccia can lead Las Vegas to two more wins over the Colts and Chargers to end the year, it could leave a lasting impression on owner Mark Davis.
Below we’ll take a look at some favorites and sleepers for the Raiders’ head coaching job, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. These odds are available in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Favorites
Rich Bisaccia (+300) — The 61-year-old has done an adequate job in his first stint as an NFL head coach. The Raiders have had their fair share of on- and off-field issues this season, but he still has this team in contention for a playoff spot. Bisaccia isn’t the hottest name on the list, but he knows this team more than any other candidate.
Eric Bieniemy (+500) — If the Raiders want to compete with the Chiefs, the best way to do that is to take offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy has positioned the Chiefs as one of the best offenses in the NFL over the last few seasons. The Chiefs OC interviewed for five head coaching vacancies last year and will be a frontrunner this offseason.
Brian Daboll (+500) — The 46-year-old Daboll could be another nice fit in Las Vegas as he builds the offense around Derek Carr or whoever would be the quarterback. Daboll has had the Bills as a top-three offense over the last two seasons.
Sleepers
Todd Bowles (+800) — In a pass-heavy league, it’s surprising we do not hear Bowles’ name mentioned more for head coaching opportunities. After his four-year stint as a head coach with the New York Jets, Bowles has done a great job as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator over the last three seasons. The Bucs have one of the more feared run defenses, ranking within the top-three each year.
Gus Bradley (+1000) — Bradley is currently the Raiders’ defensive coordinator and was a head coach for four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Las Vegas decides to keep it in house, then he’ll likely receive some consideration. The Raiders’ defense hasn’t been great in Bradley’s tenure, but they’ve put together a special pass rush.
Matt Eberflus (+1200) — Sticking with the theme of defense, Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will likely be on teams radars’ after interviewing for three head coaching vacancies last season. The 51-year-old coordinator has helped the Colts to be ranked within the top-10 for takeaways over the last four seasons.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat. (CT). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/ TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.