Raiders' immediate head-coaching candidate hot board

Ben Johnson may be the hottest name in football right now outside of any of the players. He is the next best thing in the coaching world, as he has seemingly turned the Detroit Lions into one of the best offenses in the league in the last two years. The best part is he has done it with a very young team and centered it all around a quarterback in Jared Goff, who has been very good but certainly is not elite.

Johnson would be perfect for the job because of his offensive ability. This roster is an offensive roster, and getting an offensive mind at the helm may be the best idea. Then again, we did just see what happened with Josh McDaniels. Johnson loves using an elite wide receiver and a great versatile running back, which the Raiders have both of. He will even throw in a dose of the tight end in the passing game, too, which we have seen the potential Michael Mayer has. Johnson will have a decision to make this offseason; let's just hope it's to coach in silver and black.

Another name that is scorching hot in the coaching conversation is Mike MacDonald, who has the Baltimore Ravens looking like one of the best three defenses in the league, with far less star power than teams like the Cleveland Browns or the San Francisco 49ers. MacDonald has only been the defensive coordinator for one year in Baltimore, so that's the only issue with this one. However, from what we have seen, he may be a great fit.

MacDonald is 36 years old, and it seems like the new trend in the NFL is to go after those young guys who seem to have that it factor about them when it comes to coaching. While the defensive roster isn't great for the Raiders, they used to be known for their defense back in the day. What if Mark Davis wants to bring that identity back? If so, he may go for a guy like MacDonald.

Now, this one is a bit different for a few reasons. I tried to go with one coaching candidate at every phase, and Bisaccia falls in the special teams category. Do I think Bisaccia would be the third-best guy the Raiders could hire? No. However, I do think he could have the third-best odds of getting the job. First, he already coached for the team, coaching under Mark Davis, and led the team to the playoffs with a 7-5 record as the interim head coach.

Secondly, Bisaccia is a Raider guy. He is a tough, hard-nosed football guy that will have guys wanting to play for him. He will bring energy, and he will damn sure bring back Raiders football, no matter if they are winning or losing, and that right there is appealing to Mark Davis.

Choosing Lincoln Riley was a different experience than I thought it would be. I chose him for a few reasons. One, he is that young guy who coaches in college and at the college level that everyone talks about going to the NFL. He has rumors swirling about him leaving USC to go to the NFL. He is a bright mind on the offensive side of the ball and can get guys to play for him. Oh, and he coaches Caleb Williams, who looks like the Raiders will have a shot at getting in the 2024 NFL Draft.

But there are a few things that say no about this pick. The college-to-NFL coaching transition doesn't usually work well, especially not recently. Look at Urban Meyer, Matt Rhule, and so many others that have failed. Oh, and he wears a visor, and for some reason that I cannot point out, that just gives bad vibes. But he certainly has the potential to be a great head coach, and we know Mark Davis loves the flashy name that will sell.

This Harbaugh brother has had rumors of him leaving the college scene for years now, and the latest scandal, or accused scandal, certainly doesn't help his future in the college coaching world. But that scandal doesn't mean he can't coach because he certainly can, at the college and professional levels.

Not only has he been very successful in college, but he has also been very successful coaching in the NFL before. Don't forget that he once took the San Francisco 49ers, with Colin Kaepernick as the quarterback, to a Super Bowl. He was a legit elite coach in the NFL. Let's see if he would bite on the Raiders.