In the NFL, there are certain benefits to hiring a new head coach who spent the previous few seasons as a coordinator for one of the strongest teams in the league.
For the Oakland Raiders - who hired Jack Del Rio away from the AFC West champion Denver Broncos this offseason, where he had spent the past three years as defensive coordinator - nabbing Del Rio comes with the added benefit of an inside information track on the defensive free agents set to hit the market for Denver.
One player the Raiders are already rumored to have interest in once free agency comes is defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.
"If Knighton reaches the open market next month, the Broncos will be hard-pressed to match a team offering, say, $30 million over five years," writes Troy Renck of The Denver Post. "The Oakland Raiders are expected to pursue Knighton, and the Detroit Lions could have interest if Ndamukong Suh signs elsewhere. "
Knighton, who played nose tackle in the Broncos' base 3-4 last season under Del Rio, finished the year ranked ninth against the run amongst defensive tackles and nose tackles per Pro Football Focus. The 28-year-old Knighton has proven durable, having failed to start 16 games only once in his six-year NFL career, strong and versatile.
Though he has stated his interest in remaining with the Broncos, there have been no contract talks this point, per Renck.
"A team captain and locker room leader, Knighton is a free agent. He said he will take less to remain in Denver, but there have been no contract talks this offseason."
While it's unknown what defense the Raiders will employ, a 3-4 seems to best fit the personnel already in place and thus the most likely, though Del Rio, a former NFL linebacker, has long been a proponent of multiple fronts.
Adding a player like Knighton - and let's face it, Suh as well, if possible - would bring significantly talented, versatile pieces to the defensive front and allow Del Rio and new defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to show a variety of looks and attack the opposition in myriad ways.