Special teams coach Fassel leaves Raiders for Rams

John Fassel, who has overseen the Raiders' record-setting special teams unit as its coordinator the past three years, is leaving Oakland for a similar position with St. Louis under new Rams coach Jeff Fisher, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.Fassel is the third member of last year's staff to depart the Raiders, joining defensive line coach Mike Waufle in St. Louis and receivers coach Sanjay Lal, who accepted the same position with the New York Jets.Offensive coordinator Al Saunders is the lone holdover from former coach Hue Jackson's staff still under contract, though new coach Dennis Allen was non-committal on Monday about Saunders' future with the team.

In fact, general manager Reggie McKenzie said Monday that Allen was "close" to having his staff ready, which could include some holdovers."There's a couple of guys he wants to keep, yes," McKenzie said. "But a wholesale of them? He's going to work through that. He's going to see who he can get and who he can't."Raiders assistants still unaccounted for: defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan, linebackers coach Greg Biekert, tight ends coach Adam Henry, assistant linebackers coach Ricky Hunley, safeties coach Kevin Ross, running backs coach Kelly Skipper, assistant offensive line coach Steve Wisniewski, cornerbacks coach Rod Woodson and offensive line coach Bob Wylie."Here's what I want," Allen said, "I want a group of guys who are obviously smart and intelligent, great communicators. But more than anything else, I wants guys who are going to be loyal, committed guys to the cause. I think honesty and integrity go a long way."Fassel, known as "Bones" for his skinny frame, initially came to the Raiders in 2008 in a special teams quality control role in 2008 from Baltimore. And this past weekend three of his charges in placekicker Sebastian Janikowski, who tied the NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in the season opener at Denver, punter Shane Lechler, who had a franchise-record 80-yard punt against Chicago, and long-snapper Jon Condo all played in the Pro Bowl.