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          Rod Marinelli replaces Brentson Buckner as Raiders' defensive line coach, source says

          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterJan 15, 2020, 02:05 AM
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          ALAMEDA, Calif -- Former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will replace Brentson Buckner as the Oakland Raiders' defensive line coach, a source told ESPN, confirming an NFL Network report.

          The Raiders had no official comment; coach Jon Gruden was with general manager Mike Mayock scouting the East-West Shrine Game in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday.

          Buckner, who oversaw a unit that helped improve the team's sack total from 13 to 32 in his lone year on staff, posted to Twitter that he was "blessed to coach a great group of Raiders."

          At his season-ending news conference, Gruden was asked if he planned on keeping his staff intact.

          "Yeah, that's the plan," he said on Dec. 30. "You know, there's a lot of things that come up. Some of these guys are going to be offered jobs. I'm going to treat it all today just by saying that we'll see what happens and we'll do what's right and what we feel is best for our team."

          Buckner, 48, came to the Raiders from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, all as a defensive line coach. The Raiders also improved against the run, going from No. 30 in 2018 to No. 8 last season.

          Marinelli, 70, was Gruden's assistant head coach/defensive line coach at Tampa Bay from 2002 to 2005 (beating the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII) before he compiled a record of 10-38 in three seasons as the Detroit Lions' head coach, including going 0-16 in 2008.

          He had been the Cowboys' defensive coordinator/defensive line coach since 2014. Dallas ranked No. 9 in total defense in 2019 (Oakland was No. 19), No. 10 against the pass (Oakland was No. 25) and No. 11 against the run. The Cowboys compiled 39 sacks.

          The Raiders, who will officially become the Las Vegas Raiders at the start of the new league year on March 18, will hold their offseason training program in Alameda and training camp in Napa, California, before moving to Las Vegas upon breaking camp in mid-August.