The Oakland Raiders have fired defensive line coach Brentson Buckner and are expected to replace him with Rod Marinelli, according to Jim Trotter of NFL Network.
Buckner spent just one season with the Raiders, but during his lone year at the helm, Oakland's defensive line showed major improvement, going from 13 total sacks to 32 and going from 30th to eighth in the NFL in run defense.
For that reason, the Raiders' decision to part ways with Buckner is surprising, even it means bringing in an established name like Marinelli.
Marinelli had spent the last seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, serving as defensive line coach in 2013 before being elevated to the role of defensive coordinator in 2014.
The 70-year-old landed his first NFL job back in 1996, taking over as defensive line coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a position he held for 10 seasons. He was also named an assistant head coach for the club under Jon Gruden in 2002, so Gruden, who is now head coach of the Raiders, has a history with Marinelli.
After his lengthy stint with the Buccaneers, Marinelli was hired as head coach of the Detroit Lions and had a wildly unsuccessful term from 2006 through 2008, which included a winless campaign during his final year with the club.
Marinelli then moved on to the Chicago Bears, as he was hired as defensive line coach in 2009 and was promptly promoted to defensive coordinator the following season.
He resided in the Windy City through 2012 before joining the Cowboys' staff.
The Raiders went 7-9 this past season and are preparing to move to Las Vegas in 2020.
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