Why Cardinals and Raiders Both Make Sense for Klint Kubiak — and Which Is Better

From roster talent to draft picks and cap space, see how the Cardinals and Raiders stack up as landing spots for Klint Kubiak.

Sep 8, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak reacts against the Carolina Panthers during the pregame at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

It's down to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders for the final two head coach openings in the NFL.

There are still several top candidates available for hire, and none more so than Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The 38-year-old has NFL roots, with his father Gary Kubiak serving as one of the league's most iconic offensive minds for several years. He's also learned a lot under offensive minds like Kyle Shanahan and Kellen Moore.

This adds up to the perfect formula for what NFL teams want in head coaches: a young, innovative, offensive-minded coach. It's what makes Kubiak such an attractive option for the Cardinals and Raiders. Of course, only one will secure his services, should he choose to leave Seattle for one of these two openings. Both teams have sales pitches to make, and they'll need to present the best cases that they can.

Allow me to present the case for Kubiak to choose either of these franchises to lead in what will be his first stint as a head coach. To be sure, neither team has great ownership worth mentioning, but both have plenty to work with and can give Kubiak the tools he needs to succeed.

We'll start with the home team, which could get Kubiak off to a much quicker start than in Las Vegas.

A Case for the Cardinals

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) runs after the catch against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

To be clear, the Cardinals' resources are not nearly as good as what the Raiders have to offer. The third overall pick is a bit of an awkward spot to pick for Arizona. Their needs don't align well with the "value" of the spot, but finding a partner to trade down with may not be as easy as fans want to believe.

This could force the Cardinals to "reach" on a player, which won't matter if they hit on the player they draft. Their track record has turned around quite a bit with Monti Ossenfort in charge and three solid drafts to back him up.

Still, Kubiak will have no shortage of players to draft for a roster that needs depth everywhere and upgrades at several positions. A bad offensive line can quickly be fixed and injected with youth, and offensive playmakers can be found in every round as well.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals don't have a long-term solution at quarterback, and it'll be a task to find that guy in this year's draft considering the substantial drop-off by the time they pick again in round two. That said, the infrastructure of this offense is quite strong.

The offense hosts arguably the league's best tight end in Trey McBride and long-term starters at wide receiver in Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., both of whom have shown some awesome upside. With a franchise left tackle secured in Paris Johnson Jr., Kubiak just needs to find his quarterback and build a run game to get things on track; that could be done much sooner than with the Raiders.

And although the Cardinals only have the 11th most cap space in the league with around $36 million, it's still plenty to play with barring some extensions to keep good players in-house. A stronger foundation to build on could get Kubiak's tenure off to a hot start, making the Cardinals job his top choice.

A Case for the Raiders

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

It really starts with everything that Kubiak will have at his disposal. First of all, they have the top overall pick with a need at quarterback and a really good prospect in Fernando Mendoza. The Indiana superstar is a perfect piece to start building a team around with his leadership skills, athleticism, and quick development.

The Raiders also possess the second-most cap space in the league with nearly $89 million to work with. The roster needs upgrades at practically every position, meaning they can spend on whoever they like the most. Whether it's a receiver, defensive lineman, or even a quarterback, Las Vegas has the freedom to pursue any of the top players on the market.

That means Kubiak has the freedom to build this roster however he wants to.

Expectations in year one will also be low, and with a roster as bad as this one, that's something any coach will be grateful for. The Raiders are in the midst of a complete rebuild, and having substantial expectations is how they are set up to fail.

Another losing season, or even a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, isn't necessarily a deal-breaker short of an 0-17 season.

With presumably a longer leash, a top quarterback available to restart the franchise, and no shortage of assets to spend, the Raiders job is quite enticing and should be Kubiak's top choice.