NFL Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders’ Mark Davis Must Not Force DC Jason Tarver On Next HC

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By @Kevin_Saito

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

As the Oakland Raiders‘ seemingly annual coaching search has labored on ever since their season ended, team owner Mark Davis has had to field a number of questions about the process. Davis has made himself very clear that he “isn’t an X’s and O’s guy,” that he “knows his limitations,” and “knows what he doesn’t know.” So knowing that he’s not a football savant like his late father Al Davis was, and doesn’t know much about the game itself, it makes no sense that he would then turn around and try to impose defensive coordinator Jason Tarver upon his next head coach – whoever it may be.

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently sent out a couple of Tweets that may have the blood of some of the Raider faithful running cold:

“The status of #Raiders DC Jason Tarver is noteworthy. Contract expires in less than 2 weeks & he’s on the short list for some HC candidates.”

Rapoport followed that up by saying:

“Yes. But Raiders wanna keep Tarver RT @grmraider @Raiders42025 @RapSheet I think rap means that new Hcs want him as defensive coordinator”

Tarver has been with the Raiders for three seasons now, and in that time, his defensive units have shown the occasional flash now and then, but by and large, Oakland’s defenses have been terrible. They rank at or near the bottom of most major statistical categories, have at times looked ill-prepared, overwhelmed and overmatched – such as their 52-0 beatdown at the hands of the ever fearsome Shaun Hill and the St. Louis Rams – and despite some momentary flashes, Oakland’s defense has not improved one iota in Tarver’s three seasons calling the shots.

Some point to the fact that Tarver’s units have dealt with injury issues, declining veterans and raw rookies. While that’s true, it’s still not an excuse. Every team battles injuries, every team has raw rookies on their roster, and every team has players who are not living up to their ability. Opposing running backs routinely gashed the Raiders, and the fact that QB’s like Geno Smith, Ryan Tannehill and the aforementioned Hill were able to gut the Oakland defense and lead their teams to convincing wins doesn’t speak well of Tarver’s skills as a coach.

Tarvers defenses have not shown any improvement since he was installed as the defensive coordinator by the already fired Dennis Allen. And in several important categories, Oakland’s defensive units have actually gotten worse over the course of his tenure.

A porous defense that gets gashed by opposing running backs as well as second tier quarterbacks is not exactly a recipe for success. Neither is a defensive coordinator who doesn’t seem capable of constructing a coherent game plan or making smart in-game adjustments.

Yet, according to Rapoport, this is who Davis and McKenzie want to let continue running the defense. This is who Davis and McKenzie want to force on their next head coach, be it Tony Sparano, Jack Del Rio, Pat Shurmur or even Eric Mangini.

To do that, to force Tarver on the next head coach, would be cutting him off at the knees. To force the next HC to take Tarver rather than let them put together their own staff – preferably one with smart, strong, capable coordinators – would be creating a potentially toxic environment in which the front office is intruding on the football side of things. And we’ve seen that said strategy hasn’t exactly worked out too well for the Cleveland Browns recently.

If the next HC wants to retain Tarver, so be it. But Davis and McKenzie absolutely cannot arbitrarily install him on the next HC’s staff – not if they truly want to do what’s in the best interest of the team. Coach and coordinator must share a vision and philosophy for the team.

If Davis and McKenzie truly want what’s in the best interest of the team, they will not force their next HC to retain Tarver if they don’t want him. The next Raiders HC must be allowed to assemble his own team.

Kevin Saito is a fiction writer, sports junkie, history nerd, and NFL contributor to www.RantSports.com Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or on Google.

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