It looked as though Kliff Kingsbury was on a fast track to be named the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders. Due to a breakdown in the negotiations, however, the former NFL head coach has shifted his focus to another team, and it appears that the Washington Commanders have made Kingsbury their leading candidate for their coordinator job.
Could the decision have something to do with Caleb Williams?
NFL: Commanders Could Have Interest In Trading Up
Former Cardinals’ HC Kliff Kingsbury, who was close to becoming the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, is a leading candidate to become the Commanders’ offensive coordinator, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2024
The lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft promises to be one filled with intrigue and potential blockbuster trades. The Chicago Bears hold the rights to the #1 overall pick, and which direction they choose to go is still up in the air. Will they trade current quarterback Justin Fields away and use the top pick on the top prospect out of USC? There have been rumors that Williams prefers to play somewhere other than Chicago, which could force the team’s hand in their decision.
That would potentially force them to keep Fields for at least another season, which would give them the added bonus of reaping the rewards of a trade from a team that potentially wants to move up to the #1 spot.
Could that be the Commanders?
A Potential Reunion Of Williams And Kingsbury In The Works?
REPORT:
USC Caleb Williams reportedly does not want the Chicago Bears to pick him.
Williams would like to play with the Commanders or Raiders. pic.twitter.com/6QlcNIMDC5
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) February 2, 2024
While Sam Howell showed some flashes during the 2023 NFL season, it is safe to assume that Washington is on the hunt for their quarterback of the future. They currently hold the rights to the #2 pick in the upcoming draft, which means that a trade-up would cost them less capital than what other teams would have to offer.
Williams is from the DC area, and it is thought that he would like to play his professional ball close to home.
Kingsbury could be seeing the writing on the wall when it comes to what the Commanders choose to do. He worked with Williams during his most recent coaching stop, which was as a senior offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for USC. The Commanders may have enticed Kingsbury with the notion that they are going to do what they can to move up and draft Williams, which could be the reasoning behind the breakdown in talks with the Raiders.
Kliff Kingsbury has spent most of his time in the coaching ranks in the college game. He was the head coach at Texas Tech from 2013 until 2018, after which he got his NFL job, which was three seasons as the lead man for the Arizona Cardinals.
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