The Las Vegas Raiders have a new head coach in Pete Carroll and a new offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly. The next logical move is to invest in a new quarterback.
Aidan O'Connell is entering the third year of an inexpensive rookie contract, which means he will probably be back. However, Gardner Minshew's play was up and down all year, and he also struggled with injury -- all of which makes his future far less certain, especially if the Raiders draft a quarterback or sign one in free agency.
Las Vegas picks 6th overall in the first round of the NFL draft in April, but will tip its hand with regards to its plans under center long before then. Free agency officially opens in mid-March, at which point a limited class of quarterbacks will begin signing new deals.
The cream of the crop in this regard is Sam Darnold, currently of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings could decide to franchise tag Darnold and keep him in 2025, or use the tag and attempt to trade Darnold for some type of return after he put up north of 4,300 yards and 35 TDs during a 14-win campaign in Minnesota last season.
However, the Vikings may decide to use the franchise tag on a cornerback like Byron Murphy Jr., in which case Darnold will be free to sign anywhere he pleases come mid-March. The Raiders have been connected to Shedeur Sanders of Colorado numerous times by numerous analysts and both sides have publicly flirted with the possibility of teaming up.
But that result would mean Sanders slipped past at least three teams in the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants -- who own pick Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively -- for the Raiders to even have a chance. As such, ESPN's Matt Bowen linked Las Vegas to Darnold as the best fit for the 27-year-old quarterback.
"The Raiders could finally solve their QB issue in free agency by signing Darnold. Las Vegas was 30th in QBR in 2024 (40.4), and Darnold's 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdown throws for the Vikings both ranked fifth in the league," Bowen wrote on Tuesday, Feb. 18. "And in Vegas, Kelly could scheme for Darnold's arm talent, while also using his mobility to attack the edges."
