Raiders promote Todd Downing to offensive coordinator

The Oakland Raiders played solid offensive football all season en route to their first playoff appearance in 14 years, but despite that, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave will not return to Jack Del Rio’s staff in 2017.

Musgrave, who finished with the sixth-best offense in the NFL, was operating as a lame duck in 2016. His contract officially expired at the conclusion of their season and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports there were no efforts made to retain him.

Sources: The #Raiders need a new offensive coordinator. Bill Musgrave not expected to return to the team for 2017. Had 6th ranked offense.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 10, 2017

With Musgrave out, the Raiders had an obvious vacancy they needed to fill. But rather than out-sourcing the position, they opted to hire from within.

Multiple reports, including that of ESPN’s Adam Caplan, state Oakland has promoted quarterbacks coach Todd Downing to fill the briefly vacant position.

On QBs coach Todd Downing, coaches were told within last hour or so that he was being promoted to OC.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) January 10, 2017

Downing, who joined the Raiders in 2015, has also spent time as a quarterbacks coach for the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. He initially broke into the NFL in 2003 with the Minnesota Vikings as a football systems analyst.

Although he’s done well with tutoring quarterbacks, Downing has never before run an offense himself. But at 36 years old and with 14 years of NFL experience, the Raiders feel comfortable enough to give him that responsibility.