The Raiders fire their defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli will take over.
The Raiders fired defensive coordinator Paul Guenther on Sunday after their 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli will take over as the interim defensive coordinator for the last three games of the season.
Guenther was the handpicked coordinator for coach Jon Gruden when he was hired in 2018, and in all three seasons has presided over one of the NFL’s worst defenses. Gruden hires and fires his coaches, although it’s conceivable owner Mark Davis made his feelings known about the way the Raiders were playing on defense.
Sunday, in Guenther’s final act, the Raiders gave up 212 yards rushing and 244 yards passing as the Colts had 25 first downs, were 8 of 11 on third down conversions, averaged 7.7 yards per play and scored four touchdowns and three field goals in eight possessions not including kneeling on the ball at the end of the game. Indianapolis had 456 yards of total offense. Of the 25 first downs, five came by defensive penalty.
The previous week, the Raiders gave up 206 yards rushing to the winless New York Jets and needed a 46yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Henry Ruggs III with five seconds left to pull out a victory.
The Raiders have shuffled personnel in and out of the defense since Gruden and Guenther arrived to the point where not a single starter remains from their first season in 2018.
This past offseason, the Raiders made key free agent signings in linebacker Cory Littleton, defensive end Carl Nassib, inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and defensive tackle Malik Collins, all projected starters. The Raiders also made Damon Arnette a first-round draft pick at cornerback and last season added defensive end Clelin Ferrell and safety Johnathan Abram in the first round of the draft and cornerback Trayvon Mullen in the second round.
Because of injury or ineffectiveness, none have worked out as planned.
Earlier this sea son, Gruden said had faith in Guenther, and there were brief moments when the Raiders appeared to be making progress. The Raiders shut down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half of a 40-32 win at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 5 and beat the Cleveland Browns 17-7 in the wind and rain in Week 8.
Marinelli, who arrived this season to replace Brentson Buckner, was a defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears from 201012 and and replaced Monte Kiffin as DC for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.
Depending on how the Raiders finish the season, the Raiders could keep Marinelli as defensive cooridnator in 2021 or look outside the organization. Secondary coach Jim O’Neal has also been a coordinator with the Browns and 49ers.
Outside candidates could include Atlanta’s Raheem Morris, who is currently the interim head coach and was hired by Gruden in Tampa Bay. Morris could be in line for a head coaching job in Atlanta or elsewhere. If Gruden wants to go with someone he knows, another possibility is Derrick Ansley, a defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee.