The Las Vegas Raiders are in dire need of a quarterback, and they may be looking to acquire one by almost any means.
Obviously, the dream is to land Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in the NFL Draft, but given that the Raiders have fallen to sixth in the draft order, that ship may have sailed (barring a massive trade).
As a result, some are suggesting that Las Vegas look to free agency to find its answer under center, with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold being a popular pick.
Well, this is something the Raiders should go out of their way to avoid.
Yes, Darnold had a breakout year with the Vikings this season, throwing for 35 touchdowns and earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
But how do we know that the former No. 3 overall pick isn't just a one-year wonder?
Let's face it: Darnold has one of the best wide receivers ever at his disposal in Justin Jefferson. Jordan Addison is a stud, too. How much are his numbers being inflated by having such a dynamic tandem of wide receivers?
Prior to this year, Darnold had only shown brief flashes of being a starting-caliber quarterback. He never exhibited Pro Bowl potential until he got to Minnesota.
Maybe Darnold really is just a late bloomer, but the Raiders shouldn't be the team to find out.
Darnold is still only 27 years old, so he will probably land a rather lucrative long-term deal on the open market. Quarterbacks get paid in today's game. Just look at Kirk Cousins, who landed a $180 million deal—$100 million guaranteed—last offseason, only to get benched by the Atlanta Falcons.
And at least Cousins already had a track record of four Pro Bowl appearances and a pretty solid career before landing that contract.
Darnold is probably going to get a hefty deal from someone, perhaps one similar to that of Cousins. Or maybe between Cousins and Baker Mayfield, the latter of whom landed a three-year, $100 million pact from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The last thing Las Vegas needs to do is saddle itself with a bad contract, especially at quarterback. That's a good way to get yourself into salary cap hell. Just ask the Cleveland Browns.
Instead, the Raiders should exercise some patience and creativity. Signing Darnold is not the answer.
