The Las Vegas Raiders, however obviously and even if it ultimately landed them on an obvious acquisition in Geno Smith, left no stone unturned in pursuit of a veteran quarterback. Smith will be the guy under center for the next few years, but he'll also turn 35 in October.
Tashan Reed of The Athletic detailed how the Raiders' new power structure had meetings last week before deciding Smith was the best available veteran option.
"After striking out in their effort to trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford last week, minority owner Tom Brady, Carroll, general manager John Spytek, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and quarterback coach Greg Olson held meetings at team headquarters in Henderson, Nev., to chart the path forward at quarterback, according to league sources."
"After those meetings, the Raiders came to a consensus that Smith was the best veteran quarterback available this offseason."
Reed noted the sentiment he reported coming out of the NFL Combine that the Raiders' offensive coaching staff (offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, to name names there) preferred to add a veteran over a dice roll on a rookie quarterback. In something of a "win now" mode under Pete Carroll, adding a veteran quarterback the Raiders' new head coach knows well makes great sense.
2025 NFL Draft: Raiders could still take a quarterback in the first round?
With the sixth overall pick in April's draft, the Raiders can just take the proverbial "best player available" and not be wrong. However, Reed added that acquiring Smith doesn't mean they won't take a quarterback in the first round. They are apparently "open to replicating" what the Atlanta Falcons did last offseason when they signed Kirk Cousins then drafted Michael Penix eighth overall.
"With that being said, the Raiders’ acquisition of Smith doesn’t eliminate the possibility of them taking a quarterback in the 2025 draft. They’re still considering a quarterback as early as the first round, according to league sources."
Reed noted how the Raiders were particularly impressed with a couple of Day 2 quarterback prospects after their meetings with quarterbacks at the combine.
"The Raiders knew they were aiming to add a veteran quarterback last week and still met with prospects at the combine, including Miami’s Cam Ward, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart. According to league sources, the Raiders came away particularly impressed with Milroe and Ewers after going over X’s and O’s and film."
The Raiders are very likely to take a quarterback at some point in the draft. The middle rounds has always felt like the wheelhouse, unless they are really enamored with Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. The idea they could take a quarterback at No. 6 could be a smokescreen to compel someone to trade up for the pick, or maybe they'll really just take someone (Sanders) there.
