Patriots’ Jerod Mayo, Dave Ziegler receive interview requests from the Raiders

Related: Patriots’ Jerod Mayo, Eliot Wolf to interview for job openings this week

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for a new head coach and, apparently, general manager, and they have their eyes on two members of the New England Patriots. As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team has requested interviews with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and director of player personnel Dave Ziegler.

For Mayo, the Raiders’ request is the second he received so far this year. The 35-year-old is already scheduled to interview with the Denver Broncos later this week.

New England’s inside linebackers coach of the last three seasons, Mayo continues to be one of the hottest names on the coaching market despite his relative lack of experience. Obviously, though, he has plenty of football on his résumé from his time as a player: the former first-round draft choice appeared in 111 combined regular season and playoff games for the Patriots between 2008 and 2015.

If Mayo leaves the team to take on a head coaching job elsewhere, the Patriots will receive two third-round draft picks as compensation. The NFL introduced this stipulation as an extension to the so-called “Rooney Rule” in 2021 to help minority coaches get better opportunities.

As far as Ziegler is concerned, his request is a curious one. The Raiders, after all, have not yet parted ways with their current general manager, Mike Mayock.

Ziegler himself would be qualified to take over in case Mayock does indeed get fired. First arriving in New England in 2012, he worked three years as assistant director of pro scouting, four as director of pro personnel, and was promoted to assistant director of player personnel under Nick Caserio in 2020.

When Caserio joined the Houston Texans and the Broncos expressed interest in bringing him aboard to fill their vacant general manager position, the Patriots promoted Ziegler to his current role as director of player personnel. He is serving as New England’s de facto GM and Bill Belichick’s right-hand man.