National Football League

Can Josh McDaniels build Raiders into perennial playoff contender?

Updated Mar. 6, 2022 7:36 p.m. ET

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By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports NFL Writer

Owners of three Super Bowl titles, the Las Vegas Raiders have not won a playoff game since 2003.

In late January, the Raiders hired longtime New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach to change the fortunes of this once-proud franchise.

Josh McDaniels on his readiness for Raiders' job

Shortly after being hired by Las Vegas, Josh McDaniels talked with Colin Cowherd about his new position, what he gained from his head-coaching stint with the Broncos and the lessons he learned from Tom Brady that he'll bring to his relationship with Raiders QB Derek Carr.

In 2021, the Raiders experienced a turmoil-filled season that included the resignation of coach Jon Gruden after an email scandal; the release of former first-round pick Henry Ruggs III after a high-speed car accident that killed the other driver; and the release of former first-round selection Damon Arnette after a video emerged of him brandishing a gun while making death threats.

Little more than a month into his job, McDaniels is taking a long-term view on retooling the Raiders. At this point, he's still learning the personnel.

"You need to be able to look at the whole year as an opportunity to build your team," he told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. "It’s not just small windows in March or April. There’s opportunities in pro free agency. There’s opportunities in the draft. There’s opportunities after the draft for players that didn’t get drafted.

"Being patient and trying to develop your roster over time, taking a longer-term approach to it is something we’re going to try and do. We know we have areas we have to address at some point, whether that’s frontline players or depth."

McDaniels' first order of business was to settle the quarterback situation. He told the NFL Network that Derek Carr would "absolutely" be the team’s starting QB for the upcoming season. The 30-year-old Carr has one year left on his five-year, $125 million deal that’s scheduled to pay him nearly $20 million in non-guaranteed salary for the 2023 season. He would like a contract extension this offseason. 

"I’ve met and spoken with Derek a number of times now, just trying to begin our relationship," McDaniels said. "I think it’s a really important one — the head coach, the play-caller and the quarterback — getting to know one another as people, how we think and how we work.

"The football part of that will come later, which I think is also an important part of the puzzle. I’m really happy with the opportunity I’ve had to get to know him. He’s there in Nevada, stays in Nevada. I’m really looking forward to working with him. He’s won a lot of games. I feel good with what we can do with Derek as our quarterback."

McDaniels is taking a more measured approach in his second stint as a head coach. He, of course, flamed out in his first attempt, compiling an 11-17 record with the Denver Broncos in 2009-10. He was fired 12 games into his second season.

McDaniels’ reputation took another hit when he accepted and then stepped away from the head-coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts four seasons ago. The Colts hired Frank Reich instead.

Now 45 years old, McDaniels has said those experiences prepared him for this opportunity. He also points to a big difference this time of having good friend Dave Ziegler as the general manager of the Raiders. Ziegler has final say on all personnel decisions, including the 53-man roster.

"I don’t think there’s been many days where I’ve been shocked or surprised at this point," McDaniels told reporters this week. "Learning brand-new things, at this point, to me, is a little different compared to where I was 13 years ago.

"I’m at peace with the things we do each day. I know what my plan is when I wake up each morning. I really trust the people in [executive] positions to do their jobs really well, and I try to be the best support system that I can for them while I’m trying to do my job."

Ziegler and McDaniels played on the same football team at Division III John Carroll University. In addition to them, the small college in Cleveland has an impressive lineage of alumni and former coaches who have worked in some capacity in the NFL, including retired linebacker London Fletcher, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco and Jacksonville Jaguars GM David Caldwell.

And the school's stadium is named after Don Shula, who played halfback at John Carroll.

"I wasn’t in school the same time as them, so we didn’t cross over," Telesco said of McDaniels and Ziegler. "But I know them from being in the NFL. Dave Ziegler is a really good guy, and he’s going to be an excellent GM. And we’ve seen what Josh can do.

"It’s great for the John Carroll alumni association. It’s not great for the Los Angeles Chargers to have more people from John Carroll associated with the Raiders because they have talent there. We can see that. But I’m proud of those guys and looking forward to competing with them."

McDaniels and Ziegler have a lot of work to do in the months ahead, leading up to the Raiders’ first preseason game, the Hall of Fame Game against the Jaguars on Aug. 4 in Canton, Ohio.

Top unrestricted free agents for the Raiders include running back Jalen Richard, linebacker K.J. Wright, quarterback Marcus Mariota and cornerback Casey Hayward Jr. Las Vegas has about $21 million in cap space to work with in free agency.

It doesn't make it any easier that the Raiders play in the same division as Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won six straight AFC West titles. The Raiders are 5-15 against the Chiefs in the past 10 seasons.

If McDaniels expects to reach the postseason and eventually the Super Bowl, he must figure out a way to consistently beat Kansas City.

He has already won five Super Bowls with the Patriots, and Raiders owner Mark Davis is looking to infuse his franchise with a culture that created sustainable success in New England.

However, Bill Belichick’s coaching tree has not been especially successful outside New England. Patriot assistants such as Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, Matt Patricia, Joe Judge and Eric Mangini have struggled as head coaches, while Bill O'Brien, Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have had some success.

For McDaniels and Ziegler, establishing the Patriots Way in Las Vegas starts with developing a deeper, more talented roster.

"Really, for the entire team, I would say what we’re looking to do is build up the competition," Ziegler said. "That’s really an important part of team-building. When you have competition through the top of your roster and the bottom of your roster and people are being pushed, that’s really the focus."

For the tandem of McDaniels and Ziegler, simply returning the focus to the field is a good start for the Raiders.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @eric_d_williams.

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