ESPN NFL

The word is Oakland may be closing in on hiring Johnny Holland as linebackers coach. He was fired last year as the linebackers coach in Houston. He worked with Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie in Green Bay and he played at Texas A&M prior to new Oakland coach Dennis Allen playing there.

Former Kansas City defensive line coach Tim Krumrie is a candidate for the same job in Oakland.

UPDATE: The Raiders announced the hiring of Holland and announced former Ole Miss secondary coach Keith Burns will be the assistant special teams coach.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin spoke glowingly of Todd Haley when he introduced him as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator Thursday. There had been speculation Tomlin was forced by ownership to hire Haley.

Haley grew up in Pittsburgh and he is the son of legendary former Pittsburgh personnel man Dick Haley. The Chiefs fired Haley as their head coach in December.

The Oakland Raiders continue to go back to their recent -- and unsuccessful -- past to fill out their offensive coaching staff all the while keeping an experienced hand.

NFL.com is reporting that 2011 Oakland offensive coordinator Al Saunders is staying with the team as a senior assistant. The report said Saunders had a year added to his contract that will run through 2013. Saunders won’t be offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach, two roles he covered last year. His specific role is unknown.

Still, I think it is good that he is being retained in some role. This is a young staff. Saunders is an NFL veteran. His experience will help even if it is not in a major role.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the team has hired John Defilippo as its quarterbacks coach. He was Oakland’s quarterback coach in 2007-08, which were JaMarcus Russell’s first two seasons. Defilippo has been the quarterbacks coach at San Jose State the past two years.

He reunites with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. He was the offensive coordinator in Oakland in 2007-08. Yes, Oakland’s offense was anemic those years, but the talent was depleted. The two coaches are inheriting much better talent now.

New Oakland coach Dennis Allen (who worked with Knapp in Atlanta) is clearly comfortable with Knapp and Knapp is comfortable with Defilippo.

Meanwhile, the Raiders reportedly hired USC receivers coach Ted Gilmore for the same position. He worked for former Oakland coach Lane Kiffin at USC.

UPDATE: Ole Miss secondary coach Keith Burns has reportedly been added to Oakland’s staff. He has a long history with Allen. His role has been specified, but it could be as an assistant secondary coach. The word is former Kansas City assistant Tim Krumrie is a candidate to be Oakland’s defensive line coach.

UPDATE: The Raiders just formally announced Saunders will be retained as a senior offensive assistant.

Thanks to ESPN Stats and Information’s Russell S. Baxter, here is a look at the complete coaching staffs of each AFC West team:

Denver: John Fox

Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator

Mike McCoy, offensive coordinator

Jeff Rodgers, special teams coordinator

Clancy Barone, tight ends

Keith Burns, assistant special teams

Brian Callahan, quality control/offense

Adam Gase, quarterbacks

Sam Garnes, assistant secondary

Justin Lovett, strength and conditioning assistant

Dave Magazu, offensive line

Ron Milus, secondary

Wayne Nunnely, defensive line

Jay Rodgers, quality control/defense

Greg Saporta, strength and conditioning assistant

Richard Smith, linebackers

Eric Studesville, running backs

Tyke Tolbert, wide receivers

Rich Tuten, strength and conditioning

Kansas City: Todd Haley

Romeo Crennel, defensive coordinator

Bill Muir, offensive coordinator/offensive line

Maurice Carthon, assistant head coach

Richie Anderson, wide receivers

Mike Clark, strength and conditioning

Gary Gibbs, linebackers

Steve Hoffman, special teams

Bernie Parmalee, tight ends

Pat Perles, assistant offensiveBe Line

Anthony Pleasant, defensive Line

Brent Salazar, assistant strength and conditioning

Nick Sirianni, offensive quality control

Otis Smith, defensive quality control

Emmitt Thomas, defensive backs

Adam Zimmer, defensive assistant/assistant linebackers

Jim Zorn, quarterbacks

Oakland: Hue Jackson

Al Saunders, offensive coordinator

Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coordinator

John Fassel, special teams coordinator

Greg Biekert, linebackers

Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coach

Willie Brown, squad development

Adam Henry, tight ends

Sanjay Lal, wide receivers

Brad Roll, strength and conditioning

Kevin Ross, assistant coach, safeties

Kelly Skipper, running backs

Mike Waufle, defensive line

Steve Wisniewski, assistant offensive line

Rod Woodson, assistant coach, cornerbacks

Bob Wylie, offensive line

San Diego: Norv Turner

Clarence Shelmon, offensive coordinator

Greg Manusky, defensive coordinator

Rich Bisaccia, special teams

Cris Dishman, assistant secondary

Steve Gera, coaches assistant

Hal Hunter, offensive line

Jeff Hurd, strength and conditioning

Don Johnson, defensive line

Charlie Joiner, wide receivers

Jason Michael, tight ends

John Pagano, linebackers

John Ramsdell, quarterbacks

Vernon Stephens, assistant strength and conditioning

Mike Sullivan, offensive line

Steve Wilks, assistant head coach-secondary

Greg Williams, assistant linebackers

Ollie Wilson, running backs

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

The Broncos have added another piece of the Patriots to their mix. Former New England linebacker Roman Phifer was added an assistant linebackers coach.

He was on New England's three Super Bowl-winning teams earlier this decade. New Denver coach Josh McDaniels came from New England where he was the offensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, assistant special teams coach Keith Burns was retained as special teams coach.

Also in the AFC West, the Raiders completed their staff by adding Jim Michalczik, who was recently hired as offensive coordinator at the University of Washington. He had worked at Cal for the past several years. Michalczik returns to the Bay Area to coach the offensive line. He is close friends with Raiders coach Tom Cable.

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

• The Oakland Tribune figures that the only reason interim coach Tom Cable hasn't been named the permanent head coach in Oakland is because he hasn't signed a contract. Still, as ESPN.com reported earlier Wednesday, Cable is expected to become the coach.

The Oakland Tribune also reported that Paul Hackett will be the team's quarterbacks coach. Hackett joined the team last summer so he knows Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell's tendencies. Hackett has a good history of working with quarterbacks and he should be able to help Russell develop.

• The Kansas City Star takes a look at the Larry Johnson situation. I still believe this thing ends with Johnson leaving town. I get the feeling not only does Johnson want out of Kansas City but the Chiefs are not in disagreement with him on that. That situation should come to a head in the next month or so.

• The Denver Post is reporting assistant special teams coach and former Denver player Keith Burns is being retained by new coach Josh McDaniels.