HENDERSON, Nev. — The dry-erase boards inside the Intermountain Health Performance Center are filling up fast. Just days after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with the Seattle Seahawks, new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is wasting zero time building his brain trust. The latest piece to the puzzle? Veteran wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni.
Azzanni heads to the desert after spending the last two seasons sharpening the receiver room for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Raiders front office—led by general manager John Spytek—prepares for a monumental 2026 NFL Draft, bringing in a proven developer of pass-catching talent was an absolute necessity for an offense desperate for an identity.
Chemistry Over Splash
Kubiak does not just want good coaches; he wants his guys. Azzanni and Kubiak crossed paths in Denver during the 2022 season. Kubiak operated as the passing game coordinator while Azzanni handled the receivers. That familiarity breeds speed, something the Raiders need in spades as they install a completely new offensive scheme.
Entering his 10th NFL season, Azzanni brings a hard-nosed, disciplined style. He survived the intense pressure cooker of Mike Tomlin’s staff in Pittsburgh, helping explosive athletes like George Pickens refine their route-running. Now, his job is to maximize whatever weapons the Raiders deploy this September. He will be tasked with elevating a relatively thin perimeter group to match the production of standout tight end Brock Bowers.
The move clearly fits a pattern. Spytek and Kubiak are building a staff rooted in shared history and mutual trust. Earlier this week, the Raiders officially tapped Joe DeCamillis as special teams coordinator. DeCamillis is yet another former Broncos coach who previously shared a building with Kubiak, signaling that Las Vegas values tight-knit communication over flashy external hires.
“We’re trying to assemble a great team of teachers. We’ve got to get some really good teachers and coaches here, and get us all on the same page, and get our players going in the same direction. That communication is really important.”
— Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach
Draft Implications / What’s Next
The Raiders currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kubiak’s hiring of Azzanni signals a heavy emphasis on developing youth on the outside. If Las Vegas selects a franchise quarterback next month, that rookie will need a reliable group of receivers running crisp, predictable routes to build early confidence.
Azzanni is the exact type of technician required to build that foundation from the ground up. Expect Las Vegas to aggressively target speed and separation specialists in the middle rounds of the draft to stock Azzanni’s classroom.
