With Pete Carroll and John Spytek now installed atop the organization, the Raiders can switch their focus to finding a starting quarterback. Armed with the sixth-overall pick, there’s been some belief that the organization could position themselves to take one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. However, the front office could also look to free agency to solve their QB woes.
At least one rival executive believes Sam Darnold could be an option for the Raiders, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After reviving his career with the Vikings, Darnold could find himself priced out of Minnesota (especially with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings). The Raiders are armed with close to $100MM in cap space, so the front office could be a strong suitor in any bidding war.
Darnold had a breakout season during the 2024 campaign, tossing 35 touchdowns while guiding the Vikings to a 14-3 record. The veteran struggled a bit at the end of the season, leading to some natural questions about his long-term starting candidacy. Kevin O’Connell and his offensive staff obviously deserve a ton of credit for Darnold’s turnaround, but perhaps the QB could bring some of those lessons to his next stop.
Interestingly, Russell Wilson is another name to watch for the Raiders, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic. Carroll and Wilson are obviously more than familiar with each other, although the QB’s stint in Seattle didn’t end on the best of terms. According to Howe, the two have “mended fences,” and that means a reunion in Las Vegas isn’t out of the picture. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network subsequently confirmed as much (video link).
After the Broncos booted him out of Denver, Wilson showed that he can still be a competent game manager with the Steelers. While his one-year deal with Pittsburgh was partly connected to his impending payments from Denver, Wilson may have to settle for a similar contract in 2025.
While neither Darnold nor Wilson are all that inspiring (at least from a long-term perspective), the duo will likely represent the top of the free agent QBs class. A free agent acquisition wouldn’t necessarily preclude the Raiders from selecting a quarterback in the draft, but the team’s draft strategy could determine whether they’re seeking a long-term answer like Darnold or a one-year stopgap like Wilson. The Raiders could also look to stay with their current options, as Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew remain under contract. But with a new regime running the show, there’s a good chance the team looks to retool their personnel.
Either of them would be a huge upgrade over what they rolled out this past season and a fine placeholder until they draft someone……..
No Rodgers? The raiders seem like the only good fit for him. Let the old man have one more shot!
He had shot last year. He would be expensive stop gap, certainly not long term answer. A rebuilding team doesn’t need his drama either.
Rodgers didn’t play badly overall, especially considering the circumstances. However, I don’t really like the fit. There’s not much more that Vegas can really offer him more than New York talent-wise, even though they’ll almost certainly be more stable as an organization. We’d just watch Rodgers trudge through another year with a mediocre offense until Vegas can add some more pieces-though Meyers and Bowers (and even Mayer) are intriguing targets for a QB who hasn’t really had a consistent tight end since Jermichael Finley (minus a year each of Jared Cook and Robert Tonyan). It’d be better QB play for the Raiders, but I don’t think that it’s enough to overcome a daunting defensive division.
I don’t know if Wilson could be anything other than a placeholder right now, and probably not THAT much better than what Vegas had, but I do have some intrigue in watching the Broncos pay Wilson to play against them.
I agree the fit is horrible. He would be a distraction in a rebuild. Rodgers just doesn’t seem to have the personality for that. Wilson would definitely be a placeholder. That would a hugecsting to the Broncos.
Davante traded back to raiders to join aaron
For less than what they traded him for would be awesome.
I loved Rodgers the QB, and hate to say it, but he’s washed up. Mobility was an important part of his game and he’s lost that, period. He seems to overvalue his current worth and vocalizes his opinions on everything. Not worth it … I’ll definitely listen to his podcast and follow whatever he does next.
How can we be certain Pete isn’t still interested in giving Colin Kaepernick another chance? 🙂
Why do people forget that Colin Kaepernick wasn’t that good and now you’re talking about trying them out as a starting quarterback 5-6 years later? Nah
A QB competition between Kaepernick and JaMarcus Russell would be perfect for Hard Knocks…lol.
Lemon-Throw in Chad Kelly and Vince Young and I would watch every episode.
Kelly is still taking victory laps after the Argos CFL Grey Cup win so he may not be available.
Get over it all ready
I just hope they don’t blow their cap on a QB instead of addressing the many different holes the team has. I’d be fine with upgrading the entire team around AOC until the next QB draft class.
Brady will keep the Raiders under the salary cap by scouting blackjack dealers who can replace AOC.
That’s a long commute from New York…
Carrol wants Wilson for cheap after his rebound season. He’d be a better option than paying more for potential fools gold in Darnold.
I was initially impressed by Russ here in Pittsburgh. Give him a strong offensive line and I think he can still do some damage
But the Steelers don’t have a strong line and let’s face it, he does hold onto the ball too long and tends to settle in on one route with his reads
He’s saying all the right things here and says he wants to come back. But for that price, let him walk. While they’re at it, maybe the Raiders would like a couple overpriced vets to go along with him
Pittsburgh only had one read, George Pickens.
They had Austin at times. Freiermuth. And why they traded for Mike Williams is still a great mystery
Pittsburgh wasn’t a rebound season. He sunk compared to his last season in Denver. Just look at the yards and TD/INT numbers his last season in Denver.
It’s an absolute myth that Wilson played himself out of Denver when you check his stats vs other QBs in 2023. Denver just didn’t want to pay him.
Wilson got off to a decent start in Pittsburgh but zero mobility and holds onto the ball taking unnecessary sacks. He would make a solid backup or a bridge but don’t expect him to do anything in that division
You’re right but the problem is Wilson is 36 and still wants to get paid. I’d be ok with a one year 7.5 million deal with him but not the $ he wants. I’d rather roll with Aidan and put that $ elsewhere.
Wilson was not good in Denver. Do not look at box scores.. if you actually had watched games then you’d know it was like watching paint dry of him trying to get the offense moving. He also killed drives by running into sacks because he held the ball too long or wouldn’t throw over the middle of the field.
Sounds like you wouldn’t want him either as your QB. I’d roll with Aidan for now personally. And I’m not one of those raiders fans who sees Aidan as the franchise. I feel he’s a really good backup but too inconsistent week to week to be the guy.
It wasn’t a myth, really. Wilson improved from his horrendous year in his poorly fit West Coast Hackett offense (how could he not, after that year), but he still held the Payton offense back by having many of the same weaknesses that he displayed towards the end of his Pittsburgh year. He could not throw across the middle, held the ball too long at times, and tried for big plays instead of methodical progressions and taking what the defense gives him.
Wilson can still offer some strengths to a team, certainly (he’s experienced, his arm is still fantastic, for instance, and he does occasionally still flash his magic in pieces at times); at this point, however, he can only really play one style of ball, and that limits him in how he can adapt to different offenses and different styles. Williams actually plays like a good jump ball receiver that could high point a Wilson moon ball…at least, in his heyday he was. That’s probably what Pittsburgh was hoping for, in addition to him just available at the right time. Unfortunately neither he nor Wilson are the same kind of player that each one used to be at his height. The current production falls short of the mold that they play in.
Well stated
I tend to think the Steelers have no choice but to bring one and most likely, both back. And I don’t know that either will get them more than just a playoff appearance. Problem is, there are no real alternatives unless they decide to pull some incredible trade that nets them a high first round pick. Even then, is the QB talent pool such that it’s going to change anything? And who’s out there in terms of trades or free agents? Not much better than what they have
There are so many problems here that it’s hard to see how it gets remediated quickly. QB is just one element. O-line. Receivers. Running backs. Unimaginative play calling
I agree entirely with that.
What about Kirk Cousins?
Not a horrible option for a season or two as a bridge qb
Cousins was throwing wounded ducks before he got benched. There’s a reason most players don’t last two years after their Achilles tear at this age. He needs to stop stealing money and go home.
hope carrol knows that the “sons” aren’t included when they overpay darnold
“sons”?
OP is talking about Vikings top 3 receivers: Justin JefferSON, Jordan AddiSON, TJ HockenSON. He is implying that Darnold had best season of his career because of Vikings receivers. They won’t come with him to Vegas.
Get Darnold and draft Jeanty.
No on Jeanty. This is a DEEP RB class. I’d rather them draft McMillan out of AZ. The Raiders need a true #1 WR.
You’re both right lmao
They have a #1, Bowers. He’s already the best tight end in the league and he’s in a division with a Hall of Famer at the position. They need to build their lines out some more and need some help on the back end of their defense, which I’m sure Carroll already knew coming in the door.
Need a #1 WR. I get that bowers is the #1 in terms of looks and targets but still need a true #1 WR. McMillian can play. I’m thinking of in the draft. Yes, you have a ton of cap space to address the line.
.. I’m a raider fan who has scars from drafting O-line in the 1st round that is. Remember when raiders chose Robert Gallery over Larry Fitz? They needed both then Too. Not saying McMillan is Fitz but let’s not make the same mistake.
You have a point, and he wasn’t the best use of a 2nd overall pick, but Gallery did at least last six years as a mostly starter. They probably should have left him at RT instead of moving him to the left side, though.
Definitely not the worst use of a 1st round pick by the 2000s Raiders…
Agreed. Everyone knows about JaMarcus but Alex Leatherwood was equally as terrible. Gallery did get his career on track with NE. But we all know Larry Fitz is a HOf. Gallery actually went into the CFB HOF last year.
I don’t think that RW wants to play for Pete. The whole reason they traded him away from Seattle is that Pete would not let him “cook”. Maybe RW has been humbled by his past three seasons, but I don’t see that being a good fit.
Either choice is like putting lipstick on a pig.
We should give it to AOC…surround him with quality
I think Pete would prefer the younger Darnold over Wilson. (he’s already been down that road before too) There’s Darnold ‘s USC pedigree that Pete is aware of also, and I know he was praising Sam while still playing with the Jets. Seems a more likely union.
“Carrol wants Wilson for cheap after his rebound season. He’d be a better option than paying more for potential fools gold in Darnold.” – KC Smoke
>>> It’s only fools gold if it doesn’t work. For the Vikings, it DID work and he got them 14 wins and an unlikely playoff appearance when they were all expected to win just 6 f’n games last season.
This team won 4 games last season. Ownership (as much as they get mocked) doesn’t want to continue to be irrelevant.
Pete Carroll is 73 years old and they hired a new GM looking to make an immediate impact.
Pete isn’t going to be around for long so he would want a starting QB that is a Vet BUT doesn’t have too much tread on his tires at this point of his career.
Sam Darnold IS that QB.
Plus Pete is a former USC head coach; Sam is a former USC QB who is 27 years old and just came off a 14-win season.
It simply makes sense.
More sense than signing an Ancient Russell Wilson who is most likely re-signing with the Steelers anyway because Mediocrity is what the Steelers are all about.
If the Steelers are mediocrity, what are the Raiders…Hiroshima?
that…was quite a cringey comeback. WTF?
Do better.
Fair.
Hiroshima wasn’t (directly) self inflicted.
Chernobyl, then.
You don’t have to go that far afield – Three Mile Island. Or more recently, Los Angeles Fire Department.
I’m the guy who doesn’t think Darnold is worth a huge salary, but he’d be a great fit for the Raiders. The Raiders will not have to worry about choking in the divisional round for a few years, and Darnold has shown he can handle regular season pretty well.
Only on a low-ball contract though – Darnold needs his other $20 million in salary ($15 million/year instead of $35 million/year) spent on top-tier offensive linemen.
Anonymous sources…rival GM’s…..exactly who is supposed to believe all this dribble…..pretty obvious that the Raiders, with Carroll now in charge probably weren’t in a position to draft a QB, high enough to make a difference, so that they would be hitting the free agent market to find a starter….and say what you want about Darnold not performing well while under an endless defensive attack the last two games, he is an obvious target for the Raiders as far as options go….but these comments picked up by writers such as this, are an endless joke because nobody worries or goes on the record as far as comments but they sure have a lot when asked……clownshow…..
Endless defensive attack? Washington played against the same defense Minnesota did. Washington lit them up for 45 points and caused TOs. Darnold had his chances and choked.
Ever play or coach…….The Lions came to play that Sunday and the Vikings were coming off a tough game against a traditional foe in the Packers……the Rams definitely watched game tape of the Lions game and built an attack on the Lions success against Darnold….if McConnel is an offensive genius, than why didn’t they make any half time changes that negated the Rams success, and the Rams were one of the toughest teams that was peaking going into the playoffs……just saying that DArnold may not be a top 5 QB, but all you folks making it sound as if he’s a piece of crap that doomed the team are just wrong……
Russell Wilson and Petey?
Thats not happening.
Is Vince Evans available?
Wow.
Excellent pull. I had t heard thar name tor awhile.
….but Im pretty sure he is a free agent. Haha
Raiders can have Russ. Steelers should roll with Fields.