LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The NFL Scouting Combine has kicked off in Indianapolis, teams beginning to meet with draft prospects before positional drills and testing start on Thursday.
It's the first combine for the Las Vegas Raiders' new leadership of head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. The Chargers GM for the last 11 seasons, Telesco offered important details of the team's plans on Tuesday.
The Raiders do not anticipate trading away star wide receiver Davante Adams. Furthermore, the team doesn't expect to use the franchise tag on any of their impending free agents, including 2022 league rushing champion Josh Jacobs. Telesco also hinted at the Raiders using a running-back-by-committee approach going forward.
Fired by the Chargers this past December after the Raiders' blowout 63-21 win over L.A., Telesco shared how he factors in combine player meetings in making draft decisions.
"I'm not one who needs to sit down and go eye to eye and walk away in 15 minutes and say I know if he can play or not," Telesco said. "I'm not that good. But what I really get from right now is talking with all of our scouts who have really spent a lot of time watching these players."
"As we move into the next month," Telesco continues. "Talking to our coaches as they evaluate these players and I'll have my own opinions as well, we'll take all that information in and try to make a decision on whatever position it is."
The quarterback position will reportedly be of "hyperfocus" in the Raiders' offseason plans. Having selected Pro Bowl signal caller Justin Herbert for the Chargers, Telesco is looking for certain traits in Las Vegas' potential QB of the future.
"The two for me are either leadership and toughness," Telesco said. "I think you have to start with that. He's got to be somebody where when you're in the huddle, and the 10 other players are looking at you in the eyes, that you can lead that group. Then you get to physical abilities, then you have sliding scales for different things because there’s no perfect players.”
Many in Raider Nation are wondering if the Raiders, who sit at the 13th overall pick in the 1st round, could pull off a trade up the board to leapfrog other QB-needy teams. The team's GM isn't counting out the possibility if the opportunity presents itself.
“Since we’re in late February, I wouldn’t take anything off the table as far as going up or back," Telesco said.
