Raiders mailbag: Would team try for division rival’s QB?

The Raiders have their new general manager in Tom Telesco and their new head coach in Antonio Pierce.

The team’s leadership tandem is now in place. It’s time for the Raiders to start formulating their offseason plans. Fans are champing at the bit to learn what comes next.

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

Matt Berger (@matt_berger): There has been a lot of noise lately about the Raiders taking a chance on free agent quarterback Russell Wilson if they can’t trade up for a QB. Do you see him as a good fit with the team?

Vincent Bonsignore: It does feel like Wilson has played his last game with the Broncos. It’s almost certain he’ll be released and become available on the open market.

He doesn’t feel like a fit with the Raiders, however. The team will look to upgrade at quarterback, but the sense is it’ll stick with Aidan O’Connell if it misses out on a top college prospect. The Raiders could also look to trade for Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

Wilson feels much lower on the Raiders’ list of options.

Lightning McQueen (@TMCsean14): Is our new general manager the type of guy that will get aggressive and trade up to go get our franchise quarterback?

VB: Telesco said in his first news conference it is essential to use every tool available to build the roster.

Trading up has to be on the table. The sense is the Raiders and Telesco will be aggressive if there is an opportunity to do so.

It’s not something he did with the Chargers, but he inherited a franchise quarterback in Philip Rivers in 2013. And as soon as Rivers left, Telesco didn’t need to trade up to select Justin Herbert sixth overall the following draft.

George (@GGueperoux): Do you notice any common threads between the offensive (coordinator) candidates, or is this just a really wide net being cast?

VB: It feels like a wide net, though several candidates have led successful running games.

Pierce has talked about building a physical offense that can impose its will on its opponents. All the candidates, minus perhaps former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, seem to have that in their DNA.

Aaron S. (@als5nep): If the team hires Kliff Kingsbury, how do you see their thoughts on a quarterback for the draft or free agency going?

VB: Kingsbury has worked with all sorts of quarterbacks over the years.

He’s worked with more pro-style QBs like Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield as well as dual threats like Kyler Murray and Johnny Manziel. It does feel like he requires a passer with some degree of mobility.

Rudd (@its_Rudyy): With Telesco in the seat, do the Raiders go quarterback in the first (round of the draft)?

VB: Telesco is a firm believer in drafting the best player available. So if the Raiders stay put and select a quarterback with the 13th pick, it’s likely he was at the top of their board.

Nicholas (@Trogdor_tsf): What would it cost the Raiders to move to the top 3 in the draft?

VB: It could cost them first-round picks in 2024 and 2025, second-round picks in 2024 and 2026 and a third-round pick in 2025.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.