Rob Leonard is bringing a new energy to the Las Vegas Raiders defense. The first-time defensive coordinator, who was promoted from defensive line coach after Klint Kubiak took over as head coach, wants his unit to play fast and aggressive — even if it means occasional mistakes.
“I’m a little crazy,” Leonard said after Wednesday’s OTA practice in Henderson. “I would like them to play fast, even at the cost of a mental error. I don’t like to see hesitation on the field.”
Leonard’s promotion came after general manager John Spytek encouraged Kubiak to interview him. Kubiak, an offensive-minded first-time head coach, was impressed by Leonard’s plan. “He had a plan. He knew what he wanted to do and what type of players he needed to do it with,” Kubiak said. “It just revealed itself to me that he was the right guy for the job.”
Leonard, 38, has worked under coordinators like Steve Spagnuolo, Brian Flores, and Mike Macdonald. Now he’s building his own scheme from the ground up. Defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Joe Woods, who was retained, said the defense will be unique. “He had a vision of how he wanted this defense to go,” Woods said. “You can see it slowly building, so I’m excited to see what we can do with him.”
Leonard is still deciding whether to call plays from the field or the press box. He also has to adjust to overseeing the entire defense rather than just the defensive line. But his players appreciate his mindset. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce believes Leonard would still suit up if he could. “I don’t care about a bust over that,” Leonard said. “That’s not the difference between winning and losing to me.”
