The Las Vegas Raiders and their quest to find a franchise quarterback is a tale as old as time.
However, with a new head coach and general manager tandem in Pete Carroll and John Spytek, there is a glimmer of hope that the team can figure out the position this offseason. Minority owner Tom Brady’s opinion should loom large in quarterback conversations as well because his presence alone is an incredible bargaining chip for the organization.
While there are a handful of solid prospects set to be available in the NFL Draft, Las Vegas may miss out on the top two signal-callers because they are not on the clock until pick No. 6. If the front office feels like they are out of range for a top quarterback, they may pull the trigger on a veteran player instead.
Several veteran quarterbacks are expected to hit the open market, like Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins, but Broncos Reporter Benjamin Allbright thinks that the Raiders may land a Super Bowl-winning quarterback via trade.
“Well, if the Rams do move (Matthew) Stafford, I think that’s the landing spot,” said Allbright on X in response to a question about the Raiders’ quarterback situation. “Still not 100 (percent) convinced they do. Darnold would be another option there.”
Landing a player of Matthew Stafford’s caliber would do wonders for Las Vegas and their future. Not only does the 16-year veteran still have a few good years left in him, but he would be the ideal person for a young quarterback to learn the game under. There are several project-type prospects in the next two drafts that could benefit from Stafford’s guidance.
Allbright was one of the only reporters who went against the grain last month by saying that Ben Johnson would not be hired by Las Vegas, and he turned out to be correct. Several other legitimate sources have also said that Stafford is a realistic option for the Raiders.
Las Vegas may not be in a prime position to draft a young quarterback or feel the need to pay a veteran journeyman top dollar on the free agent market. But if Stafford could be in the cards for the Raiders, the organization must go all-in.
