The Raiders made some wholesale changes a few weeks ago, including firing Josh McDaniels and benching Jimmy Garoppolo. They also moved on from offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi as they completely revamped the entire offense.
But one move that didn’t get enough attention was the firing of Dave Ziegler. We are used to coaches getting fired pretty frequently in the NFL, but rarely do you see an in-season firing at general manger. But considering how the last two years have gone, it shouldn’t have been a surprise.
Not only will the Raiders have a head coach search in 2024, but they will also be interviewing general manager candidates. Right now, that belongs to Champ Kelly, who deserves a long look. Here is what Pro Football Focus had to say about Kelly and why he might be the right man for the job:
Now serving as the Raiders’ interim general manager, Kelly has worked on the pro personnel side for the majority of his NFL career with a background as a player, coach, contract advisor and general manager of a United Indoor Football team.
While the Raiders’ 2023 draft class is off to a slow start, the team added contributors in wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, linebacker Robert Spillane, safety Marcus Epps, tight end Austin Hooper and cornerback Marcus Peters, among others, in free agency.
Kelly has been working in the NFL since 2007, when he was the assistant director of pro personnel with the Dolphins. He knows this job and what it entails. It’ll be fascinating to see what moves he makes the rest of the season because he should be the odds-on favorite to earn the job this offseason.