Head coach Hue Jackson may not have made the playoffs with the Oakland Raiders this past season, but he had the team competitive throughout, even with the numerous injuries they sustained down the stretch. One would think his job would be safe as new general manager Reggie McKenzie takes over control of the franchise, but that may not be true, if a recent report from Chris Mortensen is accurate.
Here is that report, along with a little analysis from Bill Williamson of ESPN:
Mortensen reported (on Saturday morning NFL Countdown) that new Raiders' general manager Reggie McKenzie may consider replacing coach Hue Jackson.
Williamson's take: Jackson's possible firing has been the elephant in the room for days. There have been rumblings of it and Mortensen's report brings light to the situation. There has been talk that Jackson took too much power after owner Al Davis died in October, that he gave up too much to get quarterback Carson Palmer and that he rubbed players the wrong way. The fact that the Raiders lost four of their final five games including a Week 17 home loss to San Diego with the AFC West on the line could go against Jackson. There is no doubt Jackson is a talented coach, but perhaps McKenzie will want to start fresh and bring in his own coach. Schefter said Green Bay assistant Winston Moss could be a target. Moss was a candidate in Oakland in the past and he was a favorite of Davis. Like McKenzie, Moss is a former Raiders' linebacker. Is Jackson definitely on the chopping block? I wouldn't say it's definite, but it is a situation to watch in the coming days.
That would be quiet the shakeup in Oakland if this were to happen. For an organization that has gone through so much in the last few months, the hiring of yet another head coach could potentially become a strenuous situation for all parties involved.
Again, as the report suggests, absolutely nothing is imminent at this point and no final decision will be made for at least a few weeks, but this is something to keep an eye on. The Raiders have never been a conventional team; why stop now that Al Davis isn't running the show?
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