Raiders Offseason: The Quarterback Conundrum Starts

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The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback. They enter the offseason without a clear choice. Whoever the select will set the tone for the next couple of seasons.

Additionally, the Raiders have made it fairly clear that Derek Carr will not be returning as QB1 for the team in the 2023 season, creating the opportunity for Las Vegas to use their pick to find his potential replacement. Various mock drafts list quarterbacks C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Will Levis (Kentucky), or Anthony Richardson (Florida) as available options in the seventh slot, which seems a bit ambitious considering the quarterback needs of the teams ahead of them, but is this the route to take?

Not A Long-Term Replacement

Carr’s interim replacement, Jarrett Stidham, has had two games to make his case for the starting role in 2023, which he inspired in the former, but left some to be desired in the latter, tabling his discussion for the offseason. Unfortunately, 2023’s free-agent quarterback market does not feature many rockstars, other than Lamar Jackson, who would require a lucrative contract. Tom Brady would also be available, but after leading the well-built Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an 8-9 record, he should not be listed among the high-value targets.

Veteran Options

Leading the list of free-agent quarterbacks are Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Darnold, and Teddy Bridgewater. Currently, these names do not spell much more than bridge quarterbacks, and with the Raiders’ current roster, their window for success may not account for such an option. Unfortunately, a rookie quarterback could also act as a bridge type. With the complexity of offenses in the NFL, it takes time for rookies to grow into sustainable options which, again, the Raiders may not be in place for. With a majority of the Raiders’ offensive weapons contracts expiring around 2025 or 2026, spending 2023 on a rookie/fill-in quarterback could give them two chances at making a deep playoff run with this current core. However, if the front office believes there are certain pieces here that can assist, but view the majority of the roster as interchangeable, a year could be spent integrating a rookie into the league.

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The Trade-In

Seeing as Derek Carr maintains two more years on his current contract, an expansive trade is also possible, but the situation is a bit different. In the March 2021 trade, long-term Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was traded to the Rams for Jared Goff and a plethora of draft picks, to help the Rams surge to the Super Bowl. In this case, the team getting rid of their long-term answer would be the team trying to build toward the postseason, and the team getting Carr could also be looking for that push.

Realistic Expectation

Carr and picks would warrant a more significant return than Goff. However, finding the ideal suitor could be difficult. The Lions were in a perfect situation. The team struggled with an above-average quarterback. Few teams exist that way. Unless the Raiders are ready to enter a bidding war for Lamar Jackson, drafting a quarterback may be the route. If Levis or Stroud happen to be available, that call should be made immediately. The Las Vegas Raiders have their collective work cut out for them.