Raiders hire Gus Bradley as new defensive coordinator

Many have tried and failed, but it’s up to Gus Bradley to fix the Raiders’ long-standing defensive problems.

Bradley was hired by coach Jon Gruden on Tuesday as the Raiders’ new defensive coordinator, the Bay Area News Group has learned. The Raiders have confirmed Bradley’s addition to the staff.

Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator for three years, Bradley succeeds interim coordinator Rod Marinelli, who took over when Paul Guenther was sacked three games in the 2020 season.

Guenther was Gruden’s pick as the defensive coordinator when he returned to training in 2018. The Raiders were at the bottom of the NFL defensive standings all season, Gruden shooting Guenther after a 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts when both teams were in the playoffs. contenders.

Bradley and former Seattle defensive coordinator Kris Richard were the only known candidates to be interviewed.

It’s up to Bradley to upgrade a Raiders defense that has been mediocre for most of the last quarter century with a few exceptions. Marinelli is expected to remain in the staff as a defensive line coach.

Bradley, 50, got his first NFL job on Jon Gruden’s staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006 as a quality control coach under Monte Kiffin. Bradley had been the defensive coordinator for the state of North Dakota.

He became a linebacker coach but lost his job when Gruden and the staff were swept away a month after a 31-24 loss to the Raiders to close the 2008 season.

On Kiffin’s recommendation, Bradley had an interview with Seattle first-year coach Jim Mora, who was impressed enough to hire him as a defensive coordinator.

“Monte says,“ JL, listen to me, I have a guy here in Tampa who is one of the best football coaches I’ve ever worked with, ”Mora told the Seattle Post-Ingelligencer. is an A-plus He’s a once in a lifetime trainer You need to talk to him.

Although Bradley had no experience as an NFL coordinator, Mora hired him. When he was fired after one season, Bradley retained the post under Pete Carroll.

With the Seahawks from 2009-2012, Bradley, under Carroll’s leadership, shaped a defense that included young talents such as Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner. Seattle led the NFL in defense (15.3 points per game) in 2012 and went from 7-9 to 11-5.

Bradley then spent four seasons as a head coach with Jacksonville, going 14-48, before being sacked. He then joined Anthony Lynn as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator.

Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward told USA Today at the 2017 Pro Bowl that Bradley came with a big thumbs up from Sherman.

“He just said, ‘Dude, you’re gonna love this guy! You’re going to be willing to go through a wall for him because that’s the kind of person he is, ”said Hayward. “It got me excited. He said he was a great mix for a cornerback because he was going to mix things up. He will play a few (times) three, he will play a man. He said Gus was going to mix things up and bring different pressures.

There are a myriad of ways to statistically rank a defense, with two of the most basic runs allowed and yards allowed.

The Raiders were 30th in points allowed in 2020 and haven’t been under No.20 since 2006, when they were No.18 under John Marshall in 2010.

The year 2006 was a statistical fluke as the Raiders, in addition to being 18th in points allowed, placed No. 3 in footage. This season, under Art Shell, the Raiders were so poor on offense that opponents realized that once the lead hit 10 points the game was essentially over and they spent more on killing the watch than try to score.

Only twice in the past 30 years have the Raiders had a top 10 defense in terms of yardage and points. They were ninth on points and eighth on yards in 1996 under fire from Fred Whittingham, but were 7-9 in large part due to injuries sustained by quarterback Jeff Hostetler.

The other time was in 1990, when under Dave Adolph, the Raiders were No.7 in points and No.4 in yardage. They were 12-4 this season and the defensive staff included Greg Townsend, Howie Long, Jerry Robinson and Terry McDaniel.

Bradley has the following players under contract for 2021, listed by salary number: linebacker Cory Littleton ($ 13.7 million), slots corner Lamarcus Joyner ($ 11.2 million), winger defensive end Carl Nassib ($ 9.5 million), defensive end Clelin Ferrell ($ 8.5 million), linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski ($ 7 million).