Raiders reach out to 3 potential GMs after 1st set of coaching interviews

The team submitted a request to interview Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan on Tuesday, according to NFL sources. The Raiders also plan to talk to Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek and have asked for permission to speak with Steelers director of pro scouting Sheldon White.

Sullivan, 47, has worked his way up from an area scout to his current role since joining Green Bay in 2004. The Packers have been one of the NFL’s model franchises when it comes to drafting and developing players the last two decades.

Sullivan has already interviewed with the Jets and Titans, the other two teams seeking a general manager.

Spytek, 44, has been with the Buccaneers since 2016. He played linebacker at Michigan and was a college teammate of Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion turned Raiders minority owner.

Brady, who is helping lead the team’s search for a new coach and general manager, also worked with Spytek when he played in Tampa Bay from 2020-22. Spytek has interviewed with the Titans.

White, 59, has been with the Steelers since 2022. Prior to that he spent one year with the Commanders, five years at Michigan State and 18 seasons with the Lions, including as their interim general manager in 2015.

Coaching candidates’ role

The Raiders wiped the slate clean last week by firing coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco after their first full seasons at the helm.

The team did so in the hopes of having better alignment between its football leadership. Pierce and Telesco were hired four days apart and were never considered a package deal. Owner Mark Davis said at the NFL owners meetings in December that he would evaluate Pierce and Telesco separately after the season.

“They didn’t come in as a team, so they are individuals,” Davis said.

This time, it’s no coincidence the Raiders began reaching out to general manager candidates after their first wave of coaching interviews.

The team had virtual meetings with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on Friday and talked to former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in person Monday.

The Raiders also plan to interview former Jets coach Robert Saleh on Thursday, as well as Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken at times to be determined.

Johnson and Carroll are considered favorites to land the job.

Carroll, after being hired in Seattle in 2010, was the one who picked John Schneider to be his general manager. The two had a successful partnership for 14 seasons, winning Super Bowl 48 and reaching Super Bowl 49, with Carroll having a significant voice in roster decisions.

Carroll, 73, would likely look for a similar arrangement in his next job. It’s unclear if Johnson, 38, is seeking the same kind of say in personnel, but he has other suitors in the Bears and Jaguars.

Giving him a general manager he’s comfortable with could give the Raiders a leg up on Chicago and Jacksonville, who have general managers in place in Ryan Poles and Trent Baalke, respectively.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com . Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.