The Oakland Raiders have already jettisoned Dennis Allen as head coach and replaced him with interim coach Tony Sparano. However, it appears their long-term choice is San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, according to Mike Silver.

Harbaugh has one year remaining on his contract with the 49ers after this season, but it is widely expected he will either be fired or traded. San Francisco has gone to the playoffs three straight years under Harbaugh, reaching the NFC Championship Game each time. However, Harbaugh's 49ers are 7-6 this season and would need a miracle to reach the postseason, likely ending his tumultuous tenure with the franchise.

Should San Francisco pursue a trade, it will likely be able to receive a substantial haul for Harbaugh's services. When Jon Gruden was traded in 2002 by Oakland to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it received a pair of first-round picks and two second-round selections. It was rumored the 49ers explored trading Harbaugh to the Cleveland Browns last offseason, before ultimately hanging onto him.

Harbaugh will have his choice of suitors at both the collegiate and pro levels, and the University of Michigan, Harbaugh's alma mater, is pushing hard to make that happen. Given the drama in Harbaugh's tenure with the Niners, however, it will be interesting to see how other teams gauge his success with his approach.

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