LAS VEGAS -- It is fair to argue the Las Vegas Raiders have already come out of the chaos that was this offseason’s coaching cycle as the big winners.
For some, obtaining Klint Kubiak felt like a pipe dream a month ago. Surely, the offensive coordinator of the soon-to-be Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks could wait for a better opportunity to come his way was the prevailing sentiment from the football world at large.
Lo and behold, less than 24 hours after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara, Kubiak and his family touched down in Las Vegas to begin a new chapter with the Silver and Black.
"There’s a history of Hall of Fame players here. There’s a history of Super Bowls," Kubiak said during his introductory presser on Tuesday. "And that’s what the ultimate goal is.“
With Kubiak now leading the charge, the future for the Raiders already looks brighter than it has in years past.
However, the Raiders are rumored to be on the verge of a move that could push them over the top.
Enter Jim Schwartz.
The Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator has reportedly left the team after being passed over for Todd Monken in their coaching search, and the Raiders appear poised to take full advantage of their misfortune.
"We hear he's wants Vegas and they want him,” said an anonymous high-ranking official from another team, per SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora.
“The Browns don't want to let him go, but how can you force him to work for Monken after they passed him over for the job? They've let guys leave for a lateral move before. I think he gets out."
With Kubiak lacking expertise as a head coach and on the defensive side of the ball, adding a top lieutenant to his staff with knowledge on both fronts could be seen as beneficial in the eyes of general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady.
Schwartz would be yet another home run hire for the Raiders, as his defense was the main component to the Browns staying in most games last season.
In Schwartz’s three years with the Browns, he coached the top-ranked defense in the NFL in 2023, as well as the fourth-ranked defense in 2025. Under his leadership, edge rusher Myles Garrett broke the single-season NFL sack record with 23 sacks en route to winning his second Defensive Player of the Year award, while also developing linebacker and Defensive Rookie of the Year winner Carson Schwesinger.
The former should be music to the ears of fellow edge rusher and Raiders franchise stalwart Maxx Crosby, who could be swayed away from the idea of a trade should Schwartz enter the picture.
"We want him to be a part of our success going forward. There's no doubt about that," Kubiak said when asked about Crosby. "He's one of the best players in the NFL, so that's a no-brainer to get to work with Maxx and see him continue to have success with his organization."
All in all, Schwartz checks off every box the Raiders should be looking to fill when rounding out Kubiak’s coaching staff.
He would help Kubiak in his development as a head coach, on top of turning a middle-of-the-road defense over the past few seasons into a legitimately fearsome unit. Should Crosby be willing to stay, it would make Schwartz’s hire all the better.
Kubiak has the Raiders out in front as offseason winners. Schwartz is the move that would only extend the lead further.
