Raider Nation Is Going To Hate This Take About Their QB Position
Is The Flashy Solution The Right Long Term Solution For The Las Vegas Raiders?
According to the Score Raiders, owner Mark Davis wants to move up in the draft to select a quarterback, and a significant percentage of Raider Nation wants the team to do the same. Supposedly, during interviews to hire the team's new general manager, Davis wanted to hear all their plans for the QB position. I'm sure Telesco's strategy was very aggressive, and that's what Mark Davis wanted to hear. Maybe that's the reason why he didn't retain Champ Kelly as general manager. And I have a feeling that Kelly has the same or a similar approach to the QB position as I do, which is likely to be the complete opposite of what Raider Nation wants.
So, what does the majority of Raider Nation want? They want the team to trade with one of the top three teams to have a chance to grab a franchise QB, mainly Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jaylen Daniels. From what I've seen on both X and Facebook, most are targeting Jaylen Daniels as the next great Raiders quarterback. Don't get me wrong, a player like that could be a game changer for the team, but I think the long-term effects of trading up aren't worth it.
This team has too many holes on both sides of the ball to give up as much as it's going to take to move up in the draft. We will get into the details, but all I can say is look at what Carolina did to trade up in the draft. They traded up and gave up some good draft picks and personnel, and their record was even worse this year. Bryce Young did not look like a franchise QB, but his second year will be critical for the Panthers to see if they made the right decision or not.
So then what is the solution? What do I think the Raiders should do at the Quarterback position?
First off, if the Raiders had enough draft capital and a few players that might be tradable, then I would agree with most of the Raider Nation supporting the moving-up scenario in the draft. But really, think about it. The team does have nine draft picks for the upcoming year, but three of the nine are seventh-round picks and only one is a first-round pick. To me, that's not going to cut it for trade partners, mainly the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots.
So, that means the team is going to have to dig deep in the next few years, maybe giving up a first and second-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft and possibly a first or second-rounder in the 2026 NFL Draft. That is a lot of draft capital for one guy, but you could argue they gave up a ton for Davante Adams. The difference is that we already knew the type of player the team was getting. This is literally a crapshoot when it comes to drafting players, and Raiders fans should know what it's like to invest a lot in one draft pick and get nothing in return.
Secondly, the team might have to trade one or two players, and I think teams would ask about guys like Zamir White, Nate Hobbs, Hunter Renfrow, and Malcolm Koonce. And I'm sure most of the fan base would agree that Renfrow is the guy to trade, but that's going to be a tough sell because he makes a good amount of money for a slot receiver. The guy I hope they don't think about trading is Malcolm Koonce, who is in his last year of his contract but had such a breakout role with Antonio Pierce as the Head Coach. He and Hobbs will be the most sought-after players in a trade proposal involving both draft picks and players.
So I put together a draft proposal for New England Patriots Which would look like:
Las Vegas Raiders Receive:
3rd overall Pick
New England Patriots Receive:
1st & 2nd Round Picks in 2024 NFL Draft
1st & 2nd Round Picks in 2025 NFL Draft
3rd Round Pick in 2026 NFL Draft
WR Hunter Renfrow
Now, please take a real look at this Raider Nation. We would be giving up five possible starters and a person who has done nothing but kept their head down and worked hard, while McDaniels single-handedly tried to ruin their career. That's a lot of potential starters to give up for an individual who has never taken an NFL snap at the toughest position in the league to succeed. So, what should the team do at the starting QB position going forward?
In all honesty, I think that Aidan O'Connell has the potential to be the next franchise QB in Las Vegas Raiders' history. However, he needs more time to develop into the player that Antonio Pierce wants him to be. If AP didn't have faith in O'Connell, he wouldn't have named him the starter after being named interim head coach. I firmly believe that AP could do great things with #4 under center. But, the team is going to need a journeyman to step in for 1 to 2 years and help O'Connell become the player I know he can be. And to me, that guy is Jacoby Brissett.
I can already see the Raider Nation tearing me apart for this, but just hear me out before you completely lose your mind.Brissett is a journeyman QB who can come in right away and start for the Raiders, while O'Connell continues to get more work and gain trust with himself and the Raiders' wide receivers. Brissett has all the right tools to make the Raiders' offense work: he's not afraid to extend the play, he takes care of the ball (only 23 INTs in 48 games started), and he spreads the ball around to keep all of his receivers happy.
His record as a starter isn't great, actually it's not very good (18-30), but most of the time he spent in training camp as the backup and was named the starter due to weird circumstances. Who could forget the Deflategate controversy with the New England Patriots, Andrew Luck retiring out of nowhere, and replacing Deshaun Watson after he was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season.
With the type of offense the Raiders are more likely to run, the team doesn't need a flashy first-round pick. They need a game manager who understands that they will be running the ball more than throwing it. With Zamir White returning and the possibility of Josh Jacobs returning for less money, this team will establish the run and take advantage over the top with receivers like Davante Adams and Tre Tucker. I just feel like this team doesn't need to trade that much for a guy who has no experience in the league over a proven starter and a second-year QB who has better numbers than Bryce Young did last year and played 5-6 fewer games.
This is my unpopular opinion on the starting QB position for the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders, and honestly, I could be completely wrong about everything I'm saying here. But I just feel like the team doesn't have enough talent right now to trade away all those draft picks, and the style of offense that is likely to be run with Getsy. The team doesn't need a flashy player at QB. They need a game manager who takes care of the ball and understands that the Raiders are a running team who will take advantage of the play-action pass. Brissett, and to a lesser extent, O'Connell, have both proven they can run those types of offenses, and I would rather turn those draft picks into big contributors going forward on both sides of the ball.
And that's all, Raider Nation. I just feel like this team is not yet good enough for one person to make a difference. We still need to bring in the right individuals at certain positions, and I would rather the team pick a standout defensive back or a standout offensive lineman at number 13 in this year's draft. Having a strong offensive line makes it easier for whoever is playing QB next year for the team, and we all know that the offensive line had a couple of weaknesses.
Additionally, three starters from last year's offensive line, Andre James, Greg Van Roten, and Jermaine Eluemunor, are unrestricted free agents this year and might need to be replaced if they do not re-sign. James and Van Roten actually had a good 2023 season and both should be prioritized for re-signing, but the right tackle position needs to be addressed.
The Bottom Line
There are many positions on the roster that need to be addressed, whether through free agency or the draft. This team still needs help to be where the Raider Nation wants them to be. And I just feel that if they trade away so many draft picks, it's going to put unwanted pressure on the QB they draft. The Raiders will have to go the route they always have, which is through free agency. However, free agency has always been a roll of the dice. So they should hold onto the draft picks they have, sign a journeyman QB to help O'Connell develop, and address their needs in the draft rather than free agency, especially at other positions besides QB.
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