This summer, general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders must make a significant choice about the quarterback position.
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo was signed by the team’s previous management in the offseason. After Pierce replaced Josh McDaniels as head coach, he made just six starts before being benched in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell, a fifth-round selection.
With 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, O’Connell completed 62.1% of his throws while playing rather well. However, it doesn’t appear like he showed enough to be regarded as the Raiders’ quarterback of the future.
As Las Vegas’ new power couple, Pierce and Telesco, prepare for their first offseason together, speculation has been swirling about a possible trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft for a certain quarterback prospect.
It is logical. Since former franchise quarterback Derek Carr was selected to his final actual Pro Bowl in 2017, the Raiders have been all but stuck in quarterback purgatory. Some didn’t think Carr was the organization’s long-term answer even at that point.
In light of everything mentioned above, Pierce gave the Raiders’ quarterback strategy a new dimension when he spoke with the media from Las Vegas during Super Bowl week.
Las Vegas Raiders could go in surprising direction at quarterback
The Raiders will add a quarterback to challenge O’Connell for the starting job, according to Pierce, who made this announcement to reporters this week, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
This is undoubtedly fresh information, although there had been indications that the Raiders planned to add a respectable veteran starting quarterback through trade or free agency. Additionally, they’ve been connected to first-round NFL Draft prospects. The plan is to bring in a quarterback of the future and add a stopgap option.
Quarterback Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos has recently grown fond of the Raiders. After being benched at the end of the 2023 season, he will be dismissed next month. It’s reasonable to assume that Wilson would prefer to join a team that assures him of a starting position given his background and personal achievements over the previous season.
Pierce’s position appears to imply that the Raiders are ranked higher on O’Connell than most people outside the organization initially believed.
The fact that Las Vegas chose to assign former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to the same position under Pierce complicates everything. After failing to help young quarterback Justin Fields improve over the previous two seasons, he was fired by Chicago.
