Raiders Hope Rick Dennison Has Goods in 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders' struggles along their offensive line were on full display for 17 games last season. Last season, Las Vegas' inability to block whatsoever was put on film against the New England Patriots in Week 1, and was made worse by the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.
Then, the entire league got the memo that the Raiders could not protect their quarterback or give the running back they used the No. 6 overall pick in last year's draft enough room to work. The majority of Ashton Jeanty's scrimmage yards came after defenders made contact with him at or behind the line.
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Raiders' Line Fix
After hiring Pete Carroll as their head coach last offseason, the Raiders made his son, Brennan Carroll, the team's offensive line coach. It was evident early on that things were not working out, but the Raiders pushed along, nonetheless. After a dismal season, both Carrolls were relieved.
Following their release, reports detailing just how bad things had become for the offense under Carroll's leadership were made public. The situation for Las Vegas' offense and offensive line was just as bad behind closed doors as it looked on the field every Sunday, which helped explain the 3-14 campaign.
Las Vegas subsequently hired Klint Kubiak as its next head coach, who then hired the experienced Rick Dennison as the team's new offensive line coach. Dennison has about 30 years of coaching experience in the National Football League. That alone is more than the Raiders had previously.
Dennison's decades in the league are set to make an impact on a coaching staff with many young faces rising through the ranks. As much as Las Vegas needed a young head coach to lead the way in Kubiak, they needed an experienced offensive line coach like Dennison.
In fact, among all of the coaches, Kubiak quickly filled his staff with, Dennison was the one he gave the most resounding public support to. Games are won and lost in the trenches. Las Vegas' nearly 30 losses over the past two seasons confirm that the Raiders have rarely won that battle.
"I told Rick [Dennison], ‘I'm not going to Vegas without you,' initially. I told him that in New Orleans, I told him that in Seattle. I've been really fortunate to get to work with Rick" Kubiak said.
"He was the offensive coordinator when I worked with Denver, and he teaches me way more than I've ever told him. His experience in this scheme, his ability as a coach to get the best out of his players, his ability to scheme offensively. He's as good as it gets."
Many of Las Vegas' recent struggles have stemmed from its inability to stop the pass or the run. Opposing defenses have quickly eliminated the Raiders' ground game, forced them to throw too much, and then brought more pressure than the Raiders' line can handle.
That is how simple it has been to beat the Raiders recently. Opposing coaches and players get paid millions of dollars to find more intricate ways to beat teams. Beating the Raiders has been simple because of their inability to field a competent offensive line, let alone coach it.
Las Vegas hopes that an improved offensive line, now featuring two of the league's best at their respective positions, will make things easier. However, the importance of proper, high-quality coaching is undeniable. Dennison will be vital to their chances of success in 2026.
After a productive start in free agency and adding a solid draft haul, Las Vegas has made many more notable additions this offseason. However, few may be as impactful as the addition of Dennison.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Raiders Hope Rick Dennison Has Goods in 2026.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 8:15 PM.