In a wild turn of events, the New York Giants will lose defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to the Las Vegas Raiders, who are hiring him to do the exact same job.
With the Raiders bringing on Josh McDaniels as their new head coach, his connection with Graham became a catalyst for his departure.
The #Raiders are hiring Patrick Graham as their defensive coordinator, per sources.
A huge get for Josh McDaniels, who lures Graham away from the #Giants and brings one of the NFL’s top assistants to Las Vegas.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 5, 2022
After the Giants provided permission for Graham to interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers several days ago, they by default also gave him the ability to interview for other defensive coordinator positions, making the jump to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday.
The Giants now have a major hole of fill on the defensive staff, but there are several quality options they can choose from on the market, including former Baltimore Ravens DC Wink Martindale. Denver Broncos ex-head coach Vic Fangio also stands out.
The Giants’ defense over the past few seasons has had its fair share of ups and downs, ranking in the top 10 in 2020 but dropping to 23rd in points allowed per game last year.
Graham was well-liked within the Giants brass, especially by ownership, who interviewed him for the vacant head-coaching job before selecting Brian Daboll.
Clearly, Graham’s relationship with McDaniels was far more potent, leaving Daboll with a tough situation to maneuver around. The hope was that Brian would be able to focus on the offense solely, but Graham leaving will drag his attention elsewhere for the time being.