As soon as Reggie McKenzie was named General Manager of the Oakland Raiders, he informed head coach Hue Jackson that his services were no longer needed. It marked a new era in the Raiders organization, and notified everyone that there was a new sheriff in town.

The list of candidates to replace Jackson is now coming to light, but a decision on who will lead the Silver and Black on the field next season isn't expected until after the postseason—when McKenzie can legally interview Green Bay's personnel.

The candidate list is primarily made up of Packers assistants, which makes sense due to McKenzie's history with that organization.

The short list of candidates comes with plenty of pros and cons, so without speculating on the odds of each candidate being hired, here they are.

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It's not that I didn't think that he would improve, but after his first two years, I didn't see it happening this much, this fast. For the 2011 season, Heyward-Bey ended up with 64 catches for 975 yards and four touchdowns.

His breakout season removed him from the bust list and led me to hop on his bandwagon. The improvement he made without an offseason leads me to believe he'll be scary next year with a full offseason, leading to his first Pro Bowl.

Turn the page to see why.

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On Wednesday, McKenzie stated that the 3-4 is what he's familiar with. Sure, we could just manipulate any of his words into an article, but this is the man who wants to fire a pretty good coach to bring in guys he's "familiar" with, a la Winston Moss and Darren Perry.  

The 3-4 defense for the Raiders can either kill or save their defense for years to come. The thing with the 3-4 is that the linebackers have to be better than the linemen. In the Raiders' case, the combination of Kelly, Seymour, and Houston, is much better than the likes of McClain, Wimbley, and Curry. However, the 3-4 has a tendency to save some putrid defenses.  

In 2008, the Green Bay Packers had the 20th ranked defense, giving up 5,349 total yards. One major improvement was their run defense, going from giving up 131.6 yards a game to 83.3 in 2009, which was one year after changing to the 3-4. The Packers ended their 2009 season second in total ranked defenses.

Another example of how the 3-4 has helped team's defenses go from awful to awesome are the Houston Texans. The Texans went from 30th in 2010, to second after signing Wade Phillips to become their defensive coordinator. Houston had the worst pass defense in 2010, giving up 4,280 yards. The new and improved 3-4, one that causes a lot of pressure and wreaks havoc on quarterbacks, helped Houston to the third best pass defense, allowing only 3,035 yards.  

It's tough for teams to just change, but with a full offseason the Raiders should have no problem making a change like this. With our personnel, the Raiders change should be even smoother. 

Let's start up front, shall we? Team leader Richard Seymour won three Super Bowls playing for New England in the 3-4 defense. He has the skills and leadership to play defensive end in our new defense.

Opposite Seymour can be the awfully energetic Lamarr Houston, who is a rock in run defense. Houston was a 4-3 defensive tackle in college, then moved to a 4-3 defensive end with his versatility, and has the skill to play as a 3-4 end.

Unfortunately, with only two end spots and a ton of end players, not everyone can get playing time. Tommy Kelly and Desmond Bryant can come in and bring pressure on passing downs. The Raiders will have to look during the offseason for a nose tackle.

Linebackers are going to take a while to group together, however. Rolando McClain excelled in the 3-4 defense at Alabama, winning a National Championship. He has taken a step backwards this season, but we just have to hope that he, too, will experience the third-season spark Heyward-Bey and McFadden both experienced.  

As for Wimbley, I could see him excelling in the Sam linebacker position. He will do some rushing, but will be required to drop back into coverage some. The Jack position is one that will be very interesting. Personally, the Raiders have many options.

I believe the smartest decision would be to convert Trevor Scott to play Jack, the main pass rushing backer. Scott is a defensive end with versatility, much like Demarcus Ware and Mario Williams. Much like the nose tackle position on the front line, the Raiders will have to do extensive research to find someone to play next to Rolando.  

Unfortunately, there are some odd players out if the Raiders do switch to the 3-4. Matt Shaughnessy, an obvious fan favorite, is too small to play 3-4 defensive end, yet a little too big to play the Jack position. He showed some versatility in the preseason when he picked off Alex Smith in the 49ers game, but we cannot expect him to do that all the time. And to put him in coverage would be a liability.

The other player that would have difficulty in the 3-4 is Aaron Curry. Curry, who started out hot with the Raiders, sizzled out by the end of the year. He had trouble in pass coverage and did not make the play often enough. It'll be interesting to see how McKenzie deals with these two men. 

With McKenzie as our new GM, don't expect the Raiders to fill their nose tackle and inside linebacker positions through free agency. The Packers have done exceptionally well drafting their players in recent years. Many of their players from their Super Bowl team were hand picked through the draft, and I expect McKenzie to find some gems this year. 

It's too bad the Raiders lack a first-round pick this year, as they could really use a guy like Dont'a Hightower, Vontaze Burfict, or Luke Kuechly. Instead, they will have to find someone in the middle rounds, which is where the Raiders have excelled. Some prospects to look out for are North Carolina's Kevin Reddick and North Carolina State's Audie Cole.  

For defensive tackle, the 2012 Draft offers quite a lot of options. Dontari Poe of Memphis is an absolute rock. The junior stands at 6' 5" and weighs in at 350 lbs. Poe can easily require two blockers opening up holes for the linebackers to run through. The thing with Poe is, he has so much talent and is going to be a hot product come draft day.

But, fear not. I have found some other draft prospects at the coveted nose tackle position. T.J. Barnes of Georgia Tech is, too, a rock. Barnes has not decided whether or not he will enter the 2012 Draft, but he comes in at 6' 7" and weighs roughly about 350 lbs. If I remember correctly, Big John Henderson was only around 340 lbs.  

Lastly, Hebron Fangupo of BYU, former USC Trojan, has a lot of potential. Fangupo is 6' 1" and weighs 330 lbs, but has a lot of talent. The man helped BYU earn the 19th best run defense in the entire nation, something the Raiders will really look at. 

Obviously, the Raiders have a lot of things to consider this offseason. It will be very interesting to see how everything works out, whether it's Winston Moss, Darren Perry, or some dark horse candidate like Jon Gruden, which I heavily doubt.  

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Bowles was the interim coach for the Dolphins after they fired Tony Sparano. Bowles led the Dolphins to a 2-1 record.

The interview is not being met with open arms by all Raiders fans.

No, this is not the sexiest name out there. There's no real way around that. But the Raiders don't need the sexy name right now. What the Raiders do need is a defensive guy. That's what Bowles is.

No matter what numbers you look at, they were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year. They were terrible against the run, against the pass and allowed a lot of points. If the Raiders could play four good quarters of defense, they would be a 10-6 team, and even that's a conservative guess. As it is, they're 8-8 and watching the playoffs. 

The Dolphins became a better team when Bowles was the head coach. The only game they lost was a close game against the Patriots in New England. Miami actually led for most of that game. 

The Raiders have gotten into trouble in recent years because their defense couldn't get off of the field. They have offensive talent in place, but they don't get to spend enough time on the field. 

For as bad as Carson Palmer was at times in turning the ball over, the defense is what let the team down. The Raiders are well served to bring in a coach with a defensive mindset and a little less star appeal. 

The offensive guys on the coaching staff can work with the talent in place. But they need a guy to come in and bring a blue collar mindset to the defensive side of the ball. Bowles will do just that. As a result, the team will be better. 

If the Raiders van find a good defense, they are a viable AFC West favorite heading into the 2012 season.

Follow @mdixon1985

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It didn’t take long for the Raiders to change their identity, however.

On Tuesday, Oakland formally announced the hiring of the first general manager not named Al Davis in team history—Reggie McKenzie. And within hours at the helm, McKenzie made his first decision, one that ushers in a new era in the Oakland Raiders’ lore. McKenzie quickly fired coach Hue Jackson, a move that is paradoxically reminiscent of Davis, a tendency of his throughout his reign.

The decision comes as somewhat of a shock to the Raiders organization, players and fan base, as Jackson was considered to be a likable coach with a fiery passion for the team. Furthermore, his confidence in the ball club was something many felt the team could build upon—after all, 2011 was his rookie season as a head coach, and he persevered through tremendous tumult, notably numerous player injuries and, of course, the death of Mr. Davis.

But according to CSNBayArea.com, McKenzie wanted a fresh new start. "The decision to move forward and where we are going into this new era, it's going to be a time for change,” stated McKenzie, at his introductory news conference. “I felt there was a need for change at the head coaching position, from the top. We're moving into a new era. No disrespect to coach Jackson but this was something I wanted to do, start anew."

It appears that McKenzie wants to bring in his own personnel, people who he trusts and knows well. Jackson alluded to McKenzie wanting to “gut this place,” ridding the old leadership group and marshaling a brand new one. It’s a bold pronouncement, one that ironically would fall in line with the many forthright vows that Jackson made in his short stint as Raiders head coach.

After all, it was Jackson who affirmed Oakland’s defense would improve this past season. That proved false, as the Raiders gave up the fourth-most points in the league (433), setting franchise records for most touchdowns passes allowed in a season (31), passing yards allowed (4,262) and total allowed (6,201).

Jackson also promised that the Raiders would return to the playoffs. Throughout the season, his staunch belief that his team would win the AFC West, in honor of their departed owner, Davis, was their driving force. The Raiders crumpled down the stretch, ultimately losing a spot in the postseason altogether by doing so. Win one game. That’s all they had to do. But they didn’t.

Of course, the big, bad, brash statement was made when Jackson traded for former Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Carson Palmer. Yes, Campbell sustained a would-be season-ending collarbone fracture; yes, Kyle Boller was a terrible back up at best; yes, Terrelle Pryor was only a rookie. But Jackson averred that acquiring Palmer was the “trade of the century,” believing it would lead to the Raiders’ first playoff berth since the 2002 season. Instead, Palmer’s sweaty hand threw 16 interceptions (and 13 touchdowns) in 10 games. That type of production was certainly not what fans had in mind knowing the team sacrificed a first-round draft pick and a conditional second-round draft pick (would become another first-round pick if Oakland advanced to AFC Championship in 2011 or 2012 seasons.)

Obviously, Jackson was married to the idea of winning the AFC West with Palmer in the driver’s seat. Palmer had a very hand-in-hand relationship with Jackson’s offense. However, now that Jackson is out as head coach, and given the inconsistent play of Palmer in his short time with the Raiders, the next decision is whether Palmer will be kept on the team for next season.

But would that result in getting rid of Palmer? After all, Campbell performed decently in his six games as the starting quarterback, guiding the team to a 4-2 record. Should the Raiders trade Palmer? Retain Campbell? Keep both?

As part of the trade to bring him over, Palmer has three years remaining on his contract, with $12.5 due to him in 2012, $13 million in 2013 and $15 million in 2014. He will turn 35 during the very end of the 2014 campaign. That’s a lot of money for a quarterback who some feel played as though he is on the downhill of his football career.

Meanwhile, Campbell becomes an unrestricted free agent following the end of NFL season. So keeping him would be a difficult option, especially given the lack of loyalty and confidence that both Jackson and previous head coach Tom Cable had in him. Financially, it’d be impossible to hold onto both Campbell and Palmer. One of them is definitely not returning. The bigger question is, Will both of them?

Certainly, since McKenzie is truly going to bring in his “own man” as head coach, it’s likely that Palmer will be let go as a result. Palmer was Jackson’s guy—but with Jackson out, it might not make sense to hang onto Palmer.

If McKenzie decides to empty the coaching staff of Jackson’s corps, it might behoove the Raiders to ship Palmer out as well. It looks like it was a short term for Jackson as head coach; and it could be a shorter one as the Raiders’ starting quarterback for Palmer.

Such is the result of rapid decision-making by the new Oakland Raiders. It didn’t take long for things to change.

Follow me on Twitter: @nathanieljue

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This Oakland Raiders franchise, despite playing the last 17 years in Oakland, may be on its way out shortly and on it's way back to Los Angeles.

According to CBS Sports, Mark Davis is contemplating the idea of moving the Raiders franchise back to L.A.  where the team played from 1982-1994. Davis said that no stadium and a competitive market are some of the driving forces.

"It's such a competitive business," Davis said. "It really is competitive. We can't compete for a lot of the players that other teams can, at times."

On one end, it would seem the perfect move for a franchise that has brought in new general management, has to bring in a new head coach and needs to play in a new stadium regardless.

It would also mean that the team goes back to L.A., the place where this team was able to play over a decade of football before moving over to Oakland.

Yet when it's all said and done, this is a move that would destroy a fanbase that the organization has built in Oakland. Inevitably, the team would develop a new fanbase in L.A. yet at the expense of each Oakland Raiders fan in the city of Oakland.

From a business perspective, it may or may not be the correct decision to make financially.

However, looking at the move from an NFL follower's perspective, it is a move that destroys the fanbase that has developed in Oakland. 

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"The search will begin immediately," McKenzie said in his introductory media conference Tuesday. "We would start the interview process. I have my short list. The criteria is it doesn't matter offense or defense of my coaches. We just want a winner, a guy we feel can lead this team and move it forward as we embark here on this new era."

That being said, not too many names have been tossed around; however, the sooner the Raiders replace Hue Jackson the better, as the offseason isn't going to wait around.

Winston Moss

Getting back to Paul Gutierrez's article, Winston Moss has been mentioned:

The obvious name to come about is that of Winston Moss, Green Bay's Winston Moss, the Packers' assistant head coach/inside linebackers and a former Raiders linebacker.

A defensive coach, Moss would be a good fit as the Raiders desperately need to improve their dark side. The Raiders allowed almost 390 total yards per game and ranked No. 27 against the pass and rush, respectively.

Plus with Moss being a former Raider, how could Oakland go wrong?

The offense isn't the problem as their rushing attack is among the best in the league. As long as they can get a solid offensive coach, the ground game will easily help setup the pass with their speedy receivers.

Moss has been an NFL coach since 1998 and has been with the Packers since 2006. Needless to say he has the postseason experience applicable to quickly turn the Raiders around.

Darren Perry

According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, another Packers coach may be of interest to Oakland:

There is no guarantee that McKenzie will hire someone from the Packers organization, but he spent the past 17 years in Green Bay and established some deep relationships as a matter of course. The Packers have two assistants with ties to the Raiders -- assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry.

In already having mentioned Winston Moss, let's take a gander at Darren Perry.

Perry played in the NFL from 1992-2000 mainly with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-98) and earned an All-Pro selection after the 1994 NFL season.

Since his retirement, he began coaching in 2002 with Cincinnati, went back to the Steelers from 2003-2006 (Super Bowl XL winner) and was with the Raiders in 2007 and 2008 before joining Green Bay in 2009.

Obviously a defensive-minded coach, Perry isn't a bad choice but he doesn't appear to be the ideal candidate like Winston Moss. That being said, if Oakland really wants to make strides in 2012, they will hire Moss as the head coach and make Perry the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach.

Either way though, with Moss and/or Perry coming from Titletown, the Raiders would be making a good decision to address their weak defense that performed in 2011.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter

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"Yeah, Los Angeles is a possibility," owner Mark Davis said Tuesday. "Wherever's a possibility. We need a stadium."

The Raiders have had discussions with groups in Los Angeles, as well as with the 49ers about the possibility of sharing a Santa Clara stadium. The Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982 to '94. Davis hasn't liked any of the offers to return. Yet.

There is no NFL fanbase more iconic than Raider Nation. It wouldn't be the same watching a Raiders game on television without frequent cutaway shots of the “Black Hole” and its rowdy fans with their faces painted and spiked shoulder pads.

A move to Los Angeles would be tailored to a different style of fan. It's a phenomena witnessed at Lakers games for many seasons. The prime seating locations would be for high-profile celebrities or white-collar workers with big bucks to spend.

That would be a stark contrast to the blue-collar attitude the Raiders assumed under Al Davis.

Even in recent seasons when the Raiders were struggling to win games on a consistent basis there was a no-quit attitude that endeared them to fans. Oakland and the surrounding communities continued to support the team through thick and thin.

So picking up the franchise and moving it six hours south would be a tough pill to swallow for those people who have stood by the team. Especially since the two cities are so different in terms of their attitude toward sports.

Raiders fans would love for their team to have a bigger revenue stream in order to help attract more marquee players, there's no doubt about that. But giving the team to Los Angeles in order to make it happen probably isn't worth it.

Unfortunately, sports are driven by the almighty buck and L.A. has more of them readily available to pour into a stadium than Oakland.

Like the report states, no agreement is in place quite yet, so there is still time for things to be resolved in Oakland. Fans should continue to fight to keep the team because if it ever leaves, the chances of getting another one in the foreseeable future are slim to none.

The Raiders should be associated with hard work and the average Joe, not Kim Kardashian and the why-are-we-famous clan.

Oakland, not Los Angeles, is the place where the common man can remain the main focus of a storied franchise.

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He was asked many questions about his plans to improve the Raiders at the press conference in which he was introduced.

But to me, the first place McKenzie needs to start with is the defensive side of the ball. As an inside linebacker for the Raiders in the '80s, defense is something McKenzie knows quite a bit about.

But as I always do, I have to put my two cents in on what the Raiders need to do to improve the defense. I believe that McKenzie will do a lot of what I say should be done with the team on defense.

Turn the page to get a look.   

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But was he a bad head coach?

Reggie McKenzie seems to think so.

The newly-appointed Raiders general manager—the first man not named Al Davis to ever have that title—decided to fire his inherited rookie head coach today.

It’s not unusual for a general manager to replace a coach he didn’t hire; after all, McKenzie’s success will largely be measured by the performance of his coach. But this move was ill-timed and foolish. For a team desperately lacking consistency this century, why would you dismiss a man who was present for the first non-losing seasons since 2002?

Was this team perfect? Far from it. A 7-4 start was marred by a 1-4 finish, and the Raiders fell just one win short of the postseason.

But Jackson had done some great things with this team. He transformed a moribund offense (31st in 2009) into one of the league’s most potent (ninth in 2011). He brought back some of the organization’s swagger with his bravado. He engaged the fans constantly, and we responded by selling out every home game for the first time since the Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995. And despite losing his starting quarterback, a Pro-Bowl-caliber running back and dealing with the 29th-ranked defense in the NFL, he still managed an 8-8 record.

Jackson deserved another year to see if he could deliver on his promise to take this team to the playoffs. With a talented general manager in place, Jackson would have been free to leave personnel matters in his hands while concentrating on the team and scheme. Imagine what this team could have accomplished with a full offseason for Carson Palmer and a capable defensive coordinator on the sideline.

But now, we’ll never know if Jackson could have delivered a 10- or 11-win season. As for Palmer, his future as a Raider is very uncertain. Palmer was Jackson’s guy all the way, and the coach was going to do anything in his power to see the veteran quarterback succeed.

The brief and tumultuous tenure of Jackson is over: Here are some things to consider as we head into an uncertain time in Raider Nation.

Don’t look for a big name coach to come to Oakland

Raiders fans are already throwing out famous names as possible replacements for Jackson—guys like Bill Cowher or Jeff Fisher. Don’t count on it. The Raiders are in a strange new world under Mark Davis, and no one (including Mark Davis himself), knows how it will compare to the reign of King Davis I. After all, the younger Davis just OK’d a decision that was trademark Al Davis: firing a first-year head coach.

No one is sure how the Raider organization will be run now, so look for the team to hire a promising assistant coach. Winston Moss has been a popular rumored candidate. A former Raider, Moss has been linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers since 2006 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2007.

Expect to be waiting a while for a replacement

Despite what McKenzie said during today’s press conference, the coaching search will take a little time. With guys like Moss busy with the playoffs, we may be waiting until after Super Bowl Sunday for a new coach to be named.

McKenzie also has a lot of decisions to make in terms of the direction of the franchise: Does he keep Carson Palmer? Bring back Michael Bush? Who goes and who stays on the defense? How will he manage the cap? All of these things will have to be considered as a part of the coaching search, because different coaches will be better suited to different situations.

Be ready to see heavy influence from the Raider “family”

Mark Davis has made no secret about the strong connection he feels to the extended Raider “family,” and he has regularly sought advice from past Raiders like John Madden. McKenzie himself is a former Raider, after all, and will probably welcome advice from former Raider greats. But make no mistake: They won’t be calling the shots. Their input will be considered, but it’s obvious from Jackson’s firing that the buck stops with McKenzie.

For more foolish analysis, along with the occasional witty comment, Follow @FernandoRGallo

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