LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On the heels of a 4-13 season remembered for poor play under center, many in Raider Nation have their eyes on the quarterback position this offseason.
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Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell still being under contract with the team hasn't stopped public belief that the Raiders' next starting quarterback may not be in the building yet.
Buzz built in New Orleans through Super Bowl weekend as quarterback news began to break. On Sunday morning, football fans learned that a future Hall of Famer will likely soon change teams.
"Aaron Rodgers flew back to New Jersey this week to meet with the Jets about his future only to be told that they want to move on," NFL insider Jay Glazer said as he broke the news in FOX's pregame coverage.
All signs point to the 4-time NFL MVP and former Raiders star wideout Davante Adams being on the outs in the Big Apple. With a pressing need at quarterback, Pete Carroll's Raiders immediately joined a shortlist of teams that media members believe could be a fit for the Packers great.
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Furthermore, Rodgers grew up in northern California somewhat near Oakland (albeit as a 49ers fan) and has visited Las Vegas often to golf.
National radio host Colin Cowherd took to his podcast on Sunday to share why he thinks Rodgers could end up in Vegas for his age 41 season.
“I just ran into [Raiders offensive coordinator] Chip Kelly Saturday and we were talking about the Raiders at quarterback before either one of us had this information," said Cowherd, who used to live in Las Vegas. "I think the Raiders and the Colts are the two places, if Aaron wants to play, that would be good fits… Las Vegas has Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, I think that’s a very promising landing spot if Aaron wants to play.”
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Newly-hired Raiders general manager John Spytek has experience bringing in a quarterback thought to be past his prime.
In Tampa, Spytek helped lure Tom Brady away from the Patriots to eventually help the Bucs win the Super Bowl. While Brady is an anomaly of father time, the same practice could be in play for Rodgers.
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Or the Raiders could go in a younger route and bring in 27-year-old impending free agent Sam Darnold. Thrust into the starting role after rookie JJ McCarthy's preseason ACL tear, the Vikings quarterback enjoyed a breakout season after being Brock Purdy's backup on the 49ers the season prior.
Reporting from the Superdome on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter told viewers to keep their eyes on Darnold landing with the Raiders.
“Maybe the marquee quarterback of this offseason is Sam Darnold," Schefter said. "One team I would watch with Sam Darnold moving forward would be the Las Vegas Raiders. I think at some point in time, they’re likely to have some interest.”
When Carroll was named the Raiders' new head coach in January, many immediately connected the dots and named Russell Wilson as a candidate to be under center in Las Vegas.
Carroll and Wilson enjoyed many seasons together in Seattle, winning a Super Bowl with the Seahawks. But the two saw a tumultuous end to their run in the pacific northwest before Wilson left for the Broncos.
FOX insider Jay Glazer told an NBC crew at Radio Row that he doesn't believe the Steelers impending free agent is an option for the Raiders.
"That ain’t gonna happen," Glazer said. "That’s not gonna happen… I think you’ll see a new start for Russell."
Other options being thrown around in the media to be the Raiders' next starter include Steelers QB Justin Fields, who played alongside Wilson in Pittsburgh last season.
The team is also considered contenders to trade for Rams QB Matthew Stafford, Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, or Seahawks QB Geno Smith, who Carroll coached in the end of his 14-season tenure in Seattle.
As for options in the upcoming NFL Draft with the Raiders sitting at 6th overall, this quarterback class is considered relatively weak. However, two college signal callers are expected atop the order: Miami QB Cam Ward and Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
Shedeur, the son of NFL great Deion 'Primetime' Sanders, has been consistently linked to the Raiders and grew up with Tom Brady as a mentor.
“I have had three different people tell me Shedeur Sanders is gaining steam," Cowherd said. "Shedeur Sanders could possibly drop to the Raiders. I think that would be my hunch."
Shedeur has hinted on multiple occasions that he would like to play for the Raiders, most recently at the Super Bowl's Radio Row in an interview with CBS Sports.
In a challenge where he chooses an emoji to react to logos of NFL teams he could be selected by, all teams got an 'eyeballs' emoji except for the Raiders. The Silver and Black got a 'thinking' emoji.
"They’re going to trade up... I know it can happen," Sheduer said. "That’s why I put this. I’m thinking like, 'What are they going to do?”'
"They’re not missing a ton, they’re really not," Cowherd continued. "They need a quarterback, a running back, and another weapon. There’s a lot the Raiders have. I know that division is tough but if you’re Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly and let’s say Aaron Rodgers you’re going to have to face Mahomes and Justin Herbert and Sean Payton and Bo Nix.”
It's all merely speculation at this early point in the Raiders offseason. We should start to get answers once free agency begins in March and when the draft arrives in late April.
