As PFR’s offensive/defensive coordinator search tracker shows, there aren’t many coordinator positions around the league that still need to be filled. Outside of the Falcons and Seahawks, who will have some upheaval when Dan Quinn officially becomes Atlanta’s head coach next week, only the Rams, Cardinals, and Raiders are still expected to announce new coordinators. St. Louis is expected to promote an internal candidate for their offensive coordinator position, while the Cardinals have already decided on an in-house coach for their DC job, and will announce the hire next week.
That leaves Oakland, where new head coach Jack Del Rio is still looking to name a new defensive coordinator. According to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links), no resolution is imminent on that front — Tafur expects the team to wait until after the Super Bowl to make a decision and an announcement, as Del Rio still has a couple more targets he wants to interview.
So far, the Raiders’ defensive coordinator search doesn’t seem to have gone as planned. Multiple reports suggested that former Falcons head coach Mike Smith was the club’s top choice, but Smith hasn’t seemed to reciprocate that interest. Wade Phillips and Mel Tucker were among the potential options mentioned, but both coaches have since landed other jobs. Most recently, Oakland reportedly offered the DC job to Louisville’s Todd Grantham, but Grantham elected to remain in his current position.
Still, striking out on a candidate or two may not be of great concern to Del Rio, who prioritized constructing his offensive staff, given his defensive background, tweets Tafur. The former Jaguars head coach figures to do some or all of the defensive play-calling himself, which is one reason why the DC job may not be generating a ton of interest.
By waiting until after the Super Bowl to make a decision, the Raiders should be able to talk to Seahawks linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr., whom Tafur identified earlier this week as a coach who may be next on Del Rio’s list.