Second, the Raiders are poised to land a starting-caliber quarterback. It was quickly concluded that moving the team in 2023, Jimmy Garoppolo, was not a viable solution. The new Raiders mode is back in action.The Raiders are ready to sign a quarterback, according to Antonio Pierce, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
You might expect the team to target Aidan O’Connell up top, but Pearce said the team’s starter will have a chance to compete for a starting spot in the second half. After nine seasons without needing to commit to a QB, the Raiders cut Derek Carr and changed the equation. They signed Garoppolo, a former student of Josh McDaniels, to a three-year, $72.75 million contract.
Injuries and poor performances saw Garoppolo benched after six games, and O’Connell, drafted in the late fourth round, was brought into the lineup. O’Connell has five wins in 10 starts. The Purdue product may be considered more of a backup, but he remains in the Raiders’ plans for the Pierce-Tom Telesco regime. Given Brian Hoyer’s relationship with McDaniels, this would be a normal surprise.
However, the 38-year-old veteran is still under contract until 2024 thanks to a two-year deal he signed after considering retirement. O’Connell’s rookie contract runs through 2026, but the Raiders have been linked with another investment at the position.Pierce was on Arizona State’s staff when they drafted and signed Jayden Daniels. The 2023 Heisman winner moved on in 2022, the same year Pierce resigned amid a recruiting scandal.
Pierce discussed the possibility of trading Daniels to the Raiders HC position during the team’s OC search. The Raiders are 13th overall. Daniels’ price has not been confirmed, but he is expected to step down from the board in the near future. Unlike the Vikings or Buccaneers, the Raiders don’t have special bargaining rights with their veteran starters. Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield cannot talk to other teams until the March 11 grace period.
Russell Wilson is expected to be released by the Broncos soon, and the smaller his 2024 contract, the bigger the bill for Denver, depending on the compensation language. Options like Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, Jacoby Brissett and Sam Darnold are also expected to hit the market. The most intriguing name for the Raiders is Justin Fields. Fields worked under new Raiders OC Luke Getsey for two years and experienced some good and some bad during their partnership.
However, the Bears are expected to find a trade partner for the 2021 first-round pick, who they control through a fifth-year option through 2025. Fields is not expected to be a first-round pick, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Chicago did. Many teams will likely pursue Fields. I’d be surprised if the Raiders weren’t one of them.
