Klint Kubiak is starting to shape his vision for the Las Vegas Raiders, and his first major move as head coach signals a clear preference for continuity over familiarity. Rather than pulling from Mike Macdonald’s Super Bowl-winning Seattle staff, Kubiak is promoting from within - elevating Rob Leonard to defensive coordinator.
Leonard, who served as the Raiders’ run game coordinator and defensive line coach in 2023, is stepping into the DC role following Patrick Graham’s departure to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s a big promotion, but one that makes a lot of sense when you look at what Leonard helped build in a trying season.
Even amid the chaos of coaching changes and a turbulent 2024 campaign, the Raiders’ run defense held up as one of the team’s few consistent bright spots. Leonard’s fingerprints were all over that.
Originally brought in under Josh McDaniels, Leonard was among the few assistants retained by Pete Carroll after Antonio Pierce’s exit. That in itself says something - Carroll, a defensive-minded coach with a long track record of success, saw enough in Leonard to keep him on board. Now, Kubiak is doubling down, handing him the keys to the defense.
The Raiders did explore outside options. Seahawks safeties coach Jeff Howard was interviewed, but ultimately, the decision stayed in-house. And any chatter about Karl Scott - Seattle’s defensive backs coach - jumping ship for a coordinator role elsewhere has quieted down.
Alongside Leonard, the Raiders are also bringing in Joe Woods as pass game coordinator. Woods and Kubiak have history, having worked together in New Orleans. That familiarity could help streamline the defensive transition, especially with Woods’ experience managing secondaries and coordinating defenses at the NFL level.
The bigger picture here? Kubiak is building his staff with a clear intent: blend internal continuity with selective, strategic hires.
And for Seahawks fans, there’s a silver lining - it looks increasingly likely that Seattle won’t lose many, if any, of Macdonald’s assistants to Vegas. That’s a win for a staff that just helped hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
For the Raiders, this is a foundational step. Promoting Leonard signals trust in the defensive identity that started to form last season. Now it’s up to him - and Woods - to take that next step, turning flashes of promise into consistent production.