The Las Vegas Raiders have officially moved on from Antonio Pierce, bringing in two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll to lead the franchise forward.
With Carroll‘s arrival, all eyes are on one major question… who will be the Raiders‘ quarterback in 2025?
Raiders face urgent battle to secure ideal QB
On Tuesday, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. delivered a clear warning to the Raiders: they must address the quarterback position this offseason or risk falling further behind in a highly competitive AFC West.
“They didn’t get the quarterback last year, Michael Penix Jr., right? Because they sat where they were,” Kiper said on SportsCenter Special.
This referenced the team’s decision to draft tight end Brock Bowers instead.
While Kiper acknowledged Bowers as a “phenomenal” talent, he stressed that Las Vegas can’t afford to overlook the quarterback position again, especially when all the teams in their division have exceptional players at the position.
Shedeur Sanders has emerged as perhaps the most gifted quarterback in the upcoming draft class, although there are doubts about his ability to step up to the NFL level.
Holding the No.6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders have a prime opportunity to select Sanders if he’s available.
But, Kiper also suggested a different approach, signing a veteran like Sam Darnold in free agency to provide immediate stability.
“We’re in a division now with Mahomes, Herbert, and Nix. We can’t be fourth,” Kiper warned.
“They’ve got to figure it out. Is it Darnold? Is it Shedeur?”
Darnold enjoyed a resurgent season with the Minnesota Vikings, playing a starting role in place of the injury-hit J.J. McCarthy.
However, his flat display in the playoffs saw the Vikings eliminated way earlier than expected, and confidence in the former New York Jets QB has waned since then.
He will not be given an extension to the one-year deal he signed in Minnesota, meaning he will hit free agency and get the chance to be a starter elsewhere in 2025.
That’s where the Raiders can offer him a spot, given they have upwards of 92 million dollars in cap space.
With Carroll now in charge, the Raiders face a critical decision. Whether they draft a young quarterback or bring in a proven veteran, one thing is certain, standing still is not an option in a division loaded with elite signal-callers.
Read the full article here
