6 candidates who could replace Gruden as Raiders head coach

The Raiders’ next full-time head coach, who will succeed interim coach Rich Bisaccia, will take over the franchise at a pivotal moment in its history.

There is a lot at stake, with the upheaval created by Jon Gruden’s resignation, making the hiring of the right head coach more important than ever.

The Raiders present an attractive job, with a brand-new stadium, a state-of-the-art practice facility, a young team and an emerging new market in Las Vegas. So there’s no reason why Raiders owner Mark Davis can’t hit a home run with his next hire.

Here are some early names to consider:

Gus Bradley

A Gruden disciple and the former head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bradley, the team’s first-year defensive coordinator, brings experience and a contagious personality that would serve the Raiders well as they navigate the choppy waters created by Gruden’s email controversy.

Bradley spent four seasons as the head coach of the Jaguars spanning 2013-2016. While his 14-48 record is dismal at best, he helped build a Jacksonville roster that would eventually reach the AFC championship game in 2017.

As an assistant, Bradley was the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Chargers and got high marks in both jobs.

David Shaw

The Stanford coach has resisted overtures from the NFL over the years, but at 49 years old, he might be looking for his next big challenge and coaching the Raiders would certainly scratch that itch.

Shaw brings leadership, integrity, respect and success. And with the Raiders trying to secure the leader of their future, he checks off all sorts of attractive boxes.

Joe Brady

The recent trend of NFL teams hiring hotshot offensive coordinators will likely mean the Raiders taking a look at Brady, who is in that role with the Carolina Panthers. His respected work with the New Orleans Saints, Louisiana State and now the Panthers makes him an ideal candidate.

Brady was an offensive assistant with the Saints under Sean Payton in 2017 and 2018 before taking over as the passing-game coordinator at LSU. With the Tigers, he helped groom Joe Burrow into a Heisman Trophy winner and LSU into a national champion.

The Panthers hired him as offensive coordinator in 2020.

Brady is a 2013 graduate of William & Mary with a double major in process management and consulting and kinesiology

and health sciences. He later earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Penn State. The heavy emphasis on teaching could be a big bonus to a young team.

Eric Bieniemy

In spite of his impressive resume and numerous interviews for head coaching jobs, Bieniemy, the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, has not yet been given a chance to lead his own team.

His work under Andy Reid in Kansas City is indisputable, though, and his time clearly is coming.

Brian Daboll

The work Daboll has done as the Buffalo offensive coordinator, specifically with Josh Allen, has put him on NFL radars as a head-coaching candidate. It is only a matter of time before it happens. His long and impressive resume, and a wide range of coaching stops, leave him well prepared to take over his own team.

Darrell Bevell

Much like Bieniemy, Bevell is overdue to get a shot. His work as an offensive coordinator in Minnesota, Detroit, Seattle and now Jacksonville make him more than qualified.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.