NFL free agency is still weeks away but if the Las Vegas Raiders want to address their quarterback need now, they could now feasibly do it. It's been widely reported that the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford could be headed toward a divorce.
While the Rams have not started shopping him and Stafford has not formally requested a trade, there was a pretty significant update this week. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero have reported that Los Angeles has given permission to speak to other teams about a potential deal.
Rapoport noted that the Rams are doing this to gauge Stafford's value on the market and are still hoping that he returns next season.
However, allowing him to speak to other teams is going to open up a lot of possibilities. The Raiders weren't specifically mentioned by Rapoport or Pelissero but it's hard to imagine they won't be one of the teams the quarterback will speak to.
They have a ton of salary cap space and Stafford wouldn't have to move far if he went to Las Vegas. Plus, he'd be able to play for a head coach in Pete Carroll that players love playing for.
Now, the Raiders may be more inclined to go after a younger quarterback they could build around but nothing would jumpstart a rebuild quicker than adding a player like Stafford. It would be a big surprise if Las Vegas didn't at least reach out to the quarterback to see if there'd be any mutual interest.
