Raiders rumor pinpoints possible favorite for defensive coordinator but there's a catch

It appears the Las Vegas Raiders might have a favorite for their defensive coordinator job, but landing said favorite could be complicated.

According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom, the Raiders and former Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could join forces.

La Canfora says Schwartz is open to joining the Raiders, and minority owner Tom Brady is a fan of the veteran play-caller, as is new head coach Klint Kubiak.

"Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, a future Hall of Fame quarterback who also studies the league closely as a broadcaster for FOX, is also a strong supporter of Schwartz," La Canfora reported.

"Sources have told SportsBoom that Schwartz is more than open to helping Brady and Kubiak rebuild that unit after Pete Carroll failed in one year there as head coach (and defensive mastermind)," he added.

La Canfora goes on to add that the belief in league circles is Schwartz will end up in Las Vegas.

"Multiple NFL executives whose teams have been engaged in hiring new coaching staffs indicated that Schwartz is thought of very highly by the Raiders and rookie head coach Klint Kubiak, and they expect that's where the well-regarded defensive play caller will land," La Canfora wrote.

"Schwartz wants to be in Vegas. That's where he's going to end up," a source told the NFL insider.

But there is a very important hurdle to clear first before the Raiders can hire Schwartz.

Schwartz resigned from the Browns after he became disgruntled over being passed over for the head-coach job, which went to Todd Monken. Initially, the reported expectation is Schwartz won't coach in 2026.

But, as Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio points out, things can change very quickly and it isn't out of the realm of possibility that Schwartz does coach in 2026.

However, he is still technically under contract with the Browns and can't just up and go to Las Vegas unless the two sides negotiated a separation agreement upon Schwartz's resignation. It remains unclear if that happened.

Assistant coaches cannot be traded, but Florio does note that it is possible the two sides could work out something informally to allow Schwartz to go to the Raiders.

While this could be a complicated situation, this is definitely an avenue the Raiders should pursue.

Not only is Schwartz one of the best defensive play-callers in the NFL, he also brings a wealth of experience, including as a head coach, and that will be invaluable for a first-time head coach like Kubiak.

We would definitely keep an eye on Schwartz for Las Vegas' defensive coordinator role, and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde is another viable option.

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