Who are some of the Raiders’ QB options in free agency/trades?
Antonio Pierce made it clear he wants the Raiders’ next great quarterback to come from the draft.
The sooner, the better.
“I would hope whoever we draft, that’s the route we go,” Pierce said. “That that’s who the starter becomes.”
Wanting that and making it happen are two different things, however. That reality means the Raiders could pivot to the free agent and trade market. Teams are allowed to talk to pending free agents Monday and signings can happen Wednesday.
Here are some options if the Raiders aren’t optimistic about their chances of landing one of the draft’s top quarterbacks:
Aidan O’Connell
The Raiders rookie quarterback played admirably under trying circumstances the last nine games of the season.
The fourth-round pick guided the team to a 5-4 finish.
O’Connell should give the Raiders comfort they don’t have to force the issue at quarterback the first wave of free agency. They can wait to address the position in the draft if they so choose.
The Raiders will also still have O’Connell if they strike out in the draft. That would give him another chance to prove himself during the 2024 season.
O’Connell should get a chance to compete for his starting job if the Raiders do end up bringing someone in. He should also be a valuable backup no matter what, because he’s shown he can keep the team’s head above water when called upon.
Kirk Cousins
Pierce said during the combine he isn’t interested in a temporary solution at quarterback.
Cousins, 35, would fit that description. But on the other hand, Cousins would be an upgrade over what the Raiders currently have as long as his season-ending Achilles injury heals. He could be the piece that pushes an offense featuring weapons like Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer into playoff contention.
It would go against Pierce’s wishes on avoiding a short-term answer. It would also help the Raiders create a winning culture and maximize their pieces on offense. Cousins would be a perfect fit in new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s system.
The veteran completed 69.5 percent of his passes last season and threw 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games. Cousins guided the Vikings to a 13-4 record the year before while throwing for 4,547 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Justin Fields
The Bears appear set on taking Southern California’s Caleb Williams with the top pick in the draft.
That means Fields, their 2021 first-round pick, is available in a trade. The Raiders have been linked to Fields in recent weeks. Getsy was the Bears’ offensive coordinator the last two seasons. Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly was in Chicago when the team drafted Fields. That doesn’t mean he’s the team’s top priority.
The Bears want a deal to happen as soon as possible but may have to wait. The timing may be better after the draft when a few teams will have missed out on their quarterback targets. Fields could be a fallback option for those clubs.
Russell Wilson
The Broncos announced this week they will release Wilson, ending a disastrous two-season experiment.
Wilson deserves blame for how things played out. It also didn’t help that the rest of Denver’s roster wasn’t as good as the team believed it was. Wilson had to play for two coaches in two seasons as well.
He did put up some respectable numbers last year. Wilson completed 66.4 percent of his passes and threw 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Given the fact he may be available for the NFL minimum — the Broncos owe him $39 million in cash next year, minus whatever he makes with a new team — it makes sense for the Raiders to be interested.
Wilson would be a short-term solution Pierce would hope to avoid. But bringing Wilson in wouldn’t preclude the Raiders from drafting a young prospect.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.