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Raiders Named Best Destination for Former No. 1 Pick & Pro Bowl QB

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Raiders Named Best Destination for Former No. 1 Pick & Pro Bowl QB

The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have a quarterback and that’s likely a big reason why they couldn’t convince Ben Johnson to take their head coaching job. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are capable backups but shouldn’t be starters.

Las Vegas doesn’t have many appealing options in free agency or the draft so they may just need to embrace a stopgap option. That could lead to them bringing in a veteran quarterback who can compete with Minshew and O’Connell.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes that the Raiders are the best landing spot for Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.

“The Raiders haven’t experienced a lot of joy over the past few seasons, save for a promising but brief stretch at the end of 2023,” Knox wrote in a Jan. 22 column. “For all of his flaws on the field, Winston is a tremendous locker-room presence who can help galvanize a team while filling the backup role.”

Winston has had an up-and-down career since being the No. 1 pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. He may made a Pro Bowl as a rookie but hasn’t found a consistent starting job since 2019. In 12 games for the Browns this season, he threw 13 touchdowns to 12 Interception.

Winston Could Be Happy to Be Part of Raiders Rebuild

As Knox noted, Winston has a dynamic personality that could help bring some juice to a Raiders locker room that is going through another head coaching change. However, that’s not all he would bring.

He’s got a big arm and is capable of making a lot of plays. His downfall is his turnover issues. That said, the Raiders are going through a bit of a rebuild, which isn’t for the faint of heart. Knox believes that Winston’s personality would be good for a team trying to figure things out.

“In Las Vegas, Winston could at least get a chance to compete, although his propensity for turnovers might not lead to many starting opportunities,” Knox wrote. “Those issues aren’t going to disappear, but playmakers like Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers would at least complement Winston’s strong arm if he were to see the field.

“Winston would probably also relish the chance to be part of a Raiders’ turnaround, however his role looks.”

Winston Overlapped With John Spytek

The Raiders are in the process of hiring Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek as their general manager. Spytek was not part of the team when they drafted Winston but did overlap with the quarterback for four seasons.

He should have a lot of insight into Winston and what he does well. It’s unclear if that would be a good or bad thing for the quarterback’s chances of getting signed by Las Vegas. If he does join the team, it’s a sign that Spytek thinks highly of him.

Regardless, Winston wouldn’t be a long-term option and would likely come in on a one-year deal. The Raiders could do worse than him at quarterback, especially if they don’t have a path to drafting one early. Winston can be an effective quarterback if he can just figure out how to cut back on the turnovers.

 

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REPORT: Raiders to Finally Get Their QB of the Future following Agreement with…

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REPORT: Raiders to Finally Get Their QB of the Future following Agreement with

The Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback situation has been a point of contention for the team for the past two seasons, but some would argue it has been an issue for longer. The lack of quality play from the quarterback position has cost the Raiders multiple wins over the last two seasons and a shot at the playoffs in the 2023-24 season.

Las Vegas has tried to find their next quarterback via free agency, with no luck.

The Raiders started the last two seasons with veteran quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Gardner Minshew, who

who were fringe starters at best.

Both quarterbacks were failed experiments that effectively cost the Raiders two seasons. However, with new leadership now in place, the Raiders appear primed to finally address the position.

Two offseasons ago, the Raiders spent a fourth-round pick on quarterback Aidan O’Connell. He undoubtedly has a lot of room to grow, but he did not have a legitimate chance to grow into his own this season, as the Raiders spent too long into the season hoping Minshew would figure things out.

O’Connell has shown signs of potentially becoming a good quarterback in the NFL someday, in the right situation. However, few would argue O’Connell is irreplaceable or good enough that the Raiders should pass on an opportunity to add to the quarterback room.

Jacob Infante of the Pro Football Network predicts the Raiders will do that in the upcoming NFL Draft by selecting quarterback Shedeur Sanders from Colorado. Dajani also believes the Raiders will get the quarterback they coveted all along without having to trade up, which would be massive for the Silver and Black.

“The marriage of Shedeur Sanders to the Raiders feels too good to be true,” Infante said. “If the [Tennessee] Titans pass on a quarterback at No. 1, though, there’s a chance Las Vegas could select its quarterback of the future without having to mortgage the future,” Infante said. “Sanders is an accurate passer who stays tough in the pocket and delivers his throws with a sense of touch down the field. Having a head coach like Pete Carroll and a superstar target like Brock Bowers would help the Colorado star mask his shortcomings and emphasize his strengths.”

 

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Las Vegas Raiders

BREAKING: Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Drops Truth Bombshell on Upcoming NFL Draft

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BREAKING: Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Drops Truth Bombshell on Upcoming NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders now have their head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek. Now these two will work together to find players in the 2025 NFL Draft that best fit their scheme.

The Las Vegas Raiders found their new head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek. The Raiders will look to try things around quickly. They have two new leaders with a proven track record of getting franchises to places they want to. Now as the two fill out the rest of the coaching staff, they will start work on their draft board for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Heading into the draft the Silver and Black own the sixth overall pick. The Raiders biggest need in the draft and this offseason is a quarterback. The team has not had any stability at the quarterback position over the last few seasons.

The Raiders will need to find their next franchise quarterback and it can be in the NFL Draft in a couple of months. But it is most likely that the Raiders will need to move up a couple of spots if they want to draft one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft.

If the Raiders do not have a chance to get their guy at the quarterback position we can see them take the best overall pick once again like in last year’s draft with tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders can also find their quarterback in free agency.

Raiders face of the franchise and star defensive player Maxx Crosby gave his thoughts about the upcoming NFL Draft.

“I think that is where a lot of teams get it wrong, they try to draft for need and take a lesser of a player because they feel they think they need to fill a hole,” said Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby on the Verse Us Podcast. “Like let us say you have a right tackle out, alright we need to draft the best right tackle but that right tackle might not be worth a first-round pick or second-round pick. I truly believe this, you build a team by just picking great players. It does not matter what your exact need is at that time.”

“We did not technically need a tight end but now look, he is a first-team All-Pro as a rookie. It has never been done. If you put great players on the field, your team is going to get better. You cannot chase, alright we need a quarterback, so we are just going to overdraft somebody that is not necessarily you know good enough to be drafted in that position.”

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GOOD NEWS: Raiders are bringing back former Defensive Coordinator following…

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GOOD NEWS: Raiders are bringing back former Defensive Coordinator following…..

Defensive coordinator coming back for 4th season in Las Vegas

In what would be a major move, the Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly working on bringing back defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

The news was reported by longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson on Wednesday.

Wednesday night, multiple outlets reported it was a done deal that Graham is returning to Las Vegas.

An NFL source told Silver and Black Pride on Friday, shortly after Pete Carroll was hired as the Raiders’ head coach that Graham would likely be a target for Carrol. He reportedly was one of three candidates Carroll wanted to interview along with Raiders’ defensive line coach Rob Leonard and Seattle Seahawks’ defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Karl Scott, who was on Carroll’s staff there.

Graham, whose contract with the Raiders has expired after a three-season stint there, interviewed Monday to be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator.

Graham was hired as Josh McDaniels’ defensive coordinator in Las Vegas in 2022. He was retained by Antonio Pierce in 2024 and has officially re-signed to join Carroll’s staff.

Monday, at his introductory press conference, Carroll said he plans to bring some coaches from his Seattle days to Las Vegas, along with adding some coaches he’s never worked with and keeping some of the members from Antonio Pierce’s staff.

Earlier Wednesday, it was reported that Carroll is retaining special teams coach Tom McMahon. Cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning, who coached for Carroll in Seattle, could be retained as well.

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Pete Carroll Tabs a Familiar Face As Raiders Defensive Coordinator for 2025

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Pete Carroll Tabs a Familiar Face As Raiders Defensive Coordinator for 2025

Patrick Graham is returning to the Las Vegas Raiders as defensive coordinator, teaming up with newly hired head coach Pete Carroll. Graham became the Raiders’ DC before the 2022 season. He initially worked under Josh McDaniels, then stayed on with Antonio Pierce, who was fired after the Raiders finished 4–13 last season.

Graham’s return is a big win for Carroll and his new staff as he takes the reigns in Las Vegas. Graham interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars for their head coaching vacancy, which was later filled by Liam Coen. With Carroll’s arrival, Graham could have left for other DC openings.

Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane told Carpenter about Graham’s importance to the staff during a recent exclusive interview.

“He is not a faker,” Spillane said via Raiders on SI. “When he puts in the work, he is a Yale-educated, very bright, smart young man who works 18 hours a day. I know that’s not even physically possible, but when he says he’s putting in the work, he puts in the work. Which obviously garners respect from me and every teammate we have.”

Before joining the Raiders, Graham was the DC for the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and then the New York Giants’ assistant head coach and DC from 2020 to ’21.

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Raiders New General Manager John Spytek Sends Clear Message to Maxx Crosby Amid Contract Concerns

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Raiders New General Manager John Spytek Sends Clear Message to Maxx Crosby Amid Contract Concerns

The Las Vegas Raiders officially have their new head coach and general manager with Pete Carroll and John Spytek being introduced by the team. While there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the duo right now, they have a lot of things to figure out.

Finding the next starting quarterback will be at the top of the agenda but figuring out Maxx Crosby’s contract situation should also be a priority. The star defensive end has been vocal about the fact that his contract doesn’t have any more guaranteed money on it.

He’s been the Raiders’ best player for a few seasons now but is the ninth highest-paid defensive end in the NFL. There’s been speculation that Crosby could get traded this offseason but that seems unlikely due to some comments from Spytek.

Crosby was in attendance for Spytek and Carroll’s introductory press conference and the general manager gave him a shoutout.

“I’ve gotten to see what greatness looks like, what competitiveness looks like. I see Maxx standing back there; he embodies all that stuff that we’re talking about and I just love watching players compete and perform,” Spytek said in his Jan. 27 press conference.

Based on those comments, it certainly doesn’t sound like Spytek is eager to trade Crosby. Things could always change but it seems like the Raiders will be inclined to fix Crosby’s contract than move on from this offseason.

Pete Carroll Not Taking Things Slow

Another big reason why Crosby likely isn’t going anywhere is the fact that Carroll sounds eager to build a winner quickly.

“It took us a few years to get to the very top of the last couple programs I was with,” Carroll said, referring to USC and the Seattle Seahawks. “We’re starting right now and going for it immediately. … We’re going to start right now, (we’re) going to go after it and build this team as quickly as we can.”

After those comments, Carroll turned to Crosby and had a message for him.

“Maxx, send the message, man. We’re coming after you,” Carroll said. “We’re going to come find you guys and get this thing rolling as soon as possible.”

At 73, it’s easy to understand why Carroll doesn’t want to waste a year or two rebuilding. Now, it’s easier said than done to build a quick winner but it’s worth noting that Carroll got the Seahawks to the playoffs in his first season as head coach.

Raiders Need to Take Care of Crosby Quickly

Now that it’s clear that Carroll and Spytek want Crosby around, they need to take care of him. Re-working his contract would send a message to the whole team that the new brass will take care of great homegrown talent.

One of the first major moves former general manager Tom Telesco made was to let star running back Josh Jacobs walk in free agency. He went to the Green Bay Packers where he rushed for 1,329 yards in his first season. Spytek can’t make the same mistake and let elite homegrown talent leave. Crosby will almost certainly get a better contract but it’s unclear when exactly that might happen.

 

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