Now that the Las Vegas Raiders have officially brought in Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, the focus shifts to what comes next: building out his coaching staff. And while there are several key hires still to be made, none are bigger than naming his offensive and defensive coordinators. Given that Kubiak is expected to call plays himself, the defensive coordinator role might carry more weight-but the offensive coordinator spot still matters, especially in shaping the identity of this new-look Raiders offense.
The name generating the most buzz for that OC job? Andrew Janocko, the current Seahawks quarterbacks coach and a longtime Kubiak collaborator.
According to reports, Janocko is widely viewed as the frontrunner to join Kubiak in Las Vegas. The two have worked closely together at multiple stops-Minnesota, New Orleans, and most recently Seattle-so the familiarity is there.
And in a league where continuity and trust are currency, that connection could go a long way.
But there’s a twist. Seattle may have designs of its own.
If the Seahawks decide to promote Janocko to their own offensive coordinator role, that could keep him in the Pacific Northwest. And that’s not just a lateral move-it would give Janocko the opportunity to call plays, something he wouldn’t be doing in Vegas with Kubiak handling those duties himself.
For a coach on the rise, the chance to run his own offense is a big deal.
So if Janocko stays in Seattle, who could be Plan B for the Raiders? One name to keep an eye on is John Benton, the Seahawks’ offensive line coach.
Benton has a long résumé that stretches back to the late 1980s, including stints with multiple NFL teams and a run-game coordinator role with the Jets. He hasn’t called plays before, but his experience in building ground games and working in zone-blocking schemes could align well with Kubiak’s system.
If Janocko stays put, Benton could be the one packing his bags for Vegas.
Janocko, for his part, has been around the NFL coaching ranks since 2012, when he broke in as an offensive quality control coach with the Buccaneers. Since then, he's earned quarterback coaching gigs with four different teams, sharpening his craft and building a strong reputation along the way. While he hasn’t held a coordinator title yet, the trajectory is there-and this offseason could be the moment he takes that next step.
As for the Raiders, the clock is ticking. With Kubiak now officially at the helm, the staff-building process is in full swing.
And while some dominoes still need to fall-especially in Seattle-the picture should become clearer soon. A decision on the offensive coordinator could come within the next week, and that hire will go a long way in shaping how this new era of Raiders football takes form.