Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.
Antonio Pierce is gearing up to run his first draft as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders and the team’s biggest need is clear: quarterback. The team moved on from Derek Carr prior to last season and has struggled to find his replacement.
Carr and his family weren’t too thrilled with how former head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler handled the quarterback and now he plays for New Orleans Saints. However, it appears any bad blood between the Carr family and the Raiders is fading away.
Derek’s older brother and former New York Giants quarterback David Carr had a lot of good things to say about Pierce.
“First, can I just say, I love Antonio Pierce,” Carr said on the April 1 episode of “NFL Total Access.” “He was my ex-teammate on the Giants; the guy’s fantastic. He does not know how to coach speak. He just tells you exactly how he’s feeling at the time and I think that that’s great.”
Carr and Pierce spent two seasons together in New York so they should know each other well. Carr joins the long list of former teammates who have come out and praised Pierce and his leadership ability.
David Carr Thinks Las Vegas Raiders Will Draft QB
The most important thing for the Raiders going forward is finding the right quarterback and building around them. If they can’t make that happen, they won’t win many games. David Carr is confident that Las Vegas will make their move for a quarterback early in this year’s draft.
“I think they’re going to have to get one a little bit higher than where they are,” Carr said. “I think they’re gonna have to go up. They’re gonna have to identify who they want, what quarterback fits their system. … I really think they’re gonna go get one.”
Carr is connected with Antonio Pierce and star wide receiver Davante Adams so he could have some insider information but that’s unclear. It’s not much of a secret that the Raiders plan to add a quarterback but with them not picking until No. 13, it’ll be difficult for them to get one of the top prospects. It remains to be seen what the team’s plan is but they are likely to explore all of their options prior to the draft.
Las Vegas Raiders Host Michael Penix Jr.
If the Raiders can’t trade up for a top-five pick, there’s one quarterback option who could make sense at No. 13. Washignton’s Michael Penix Jr. is moving back up draft boards after an impressive showing at his Pro Day.
According to an April 3 X post from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders are hosting Penix for a visit.
The Raiders are likely to host visits with many of the top quarterback prospects so it’s not a surprise they’re taking a closer look at Penix. That said, he might end up being the most logical fit for the team if they can’t trade up. He’s a play to keep an eye on for the Raiders. He’s got a big arm and plenty of athleticism. If he can stay healthy, he could be a very good quarterback.