Raiders named one of best fits for high-ceiling free agent quarterback

The Las Vegas Raiders are in desperate need for a quarterback, leaving no stone unturned as they try to fix their problem.

Head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will be spending plenty of time closely examining every option, with the input of legendary quarterback and minority owner Tom Brady being an influential factor.

The Raiders could take a swing on whoever the Minnesota Vikings choose not to retain between Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy. They could also reunite Carroll with Russell Wilson, or go for a cheaper bridge option such as Jameis Winston.

However, The 33rd Team’s Tyler Brooke has suggested the Raiders look towards another option: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields.

“The Raiders are hoping to find a new quarterback this offseason and will likely look at the 2025 NFL Draft,” Brooke wrote. “However, with the sixth overall pick, they’d likely need to give up significant draft capital to move up for one of the two top quarterback prospects: Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.”

“Instead of leveraging the future for quarterbacks who aren’t considered blue-chip prospects, the Raiders could use their draft capital elsewhere while signing a stop-gap veteran with some explosive playmaking ability in Fields.”

Fields put together a solid season in Pittsburgh serving as Wilson’s understudy, starting six games while the veteran was injured. He recorded 1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception, while also running for 289 yards and five touchdowns.

While Fields would not necessarily excite the fanbase, he might actually be the perfect fit in this new offense. Carroll worked with Wilson, while Kelly has similar experience with dual-threat quarterbacks such as Michael Vick and Colin Kaepernick.

Even better, the Raiders have the resources to construct a strong supporting cast around Fields, giving him the tools to succeed and at least keep the Raiders competitive.

“Las Vegas could even build out a pretty impressive offense around Fields this offseason,” Brooke continued. “It found a couple of promising starting offensive linemen (center Jackson Powers-Johnson and right tackle D.J. Glaze) last offseason, along with a top-tier weapon in TE Brock Bowers. The Raiders could use their draft picks, along with more than $92 million in cap space, to build a significantly more competitive roster with Fields running the show.”

It would be assumed that Fields is a short-term bridge quarterback while Carroll either builds up or continues to look for a future franchise quarterback. However, Fields is only 25 years old, and a strong season similar to Darnold’s in Minnesota this year would change the equation dramatically.

For the right price, Fields is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing that makes teams look like geniuses months later.