Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams.
The Las Vegas Raiders made their need at quarterback official when they announced the release of Derek Carr on Tuesday. The veteran quarterback is a free agent and won’t be returning to the team after nine years as the starter. As the offseason goes on, the Raiders have been linked to a number of veteran quarterbacks.
Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo could be in the mix but neither provides long-term stability. The Raiders hold the No. 7 pick in the draft, which puts them in a good position to land one of the top quarterback prospects. Ohio State’s CJ Stroud is the best fit with head coach Josh McDaniels. He prefers to make plays in the pocket over using his feet.
Stroud has almost no say on where he’ll end up but a recent interview suggests that he’s got his eyes on Las Vegas. In a TikTok interview with Boardroom, the quarterback was asked which NFL wide receiver he want to team up with. He said that it’s Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson’s favorite route runner in the league right now.
CJ Stroud throws it up! TOUCHDOWNNNNNN Davante Adams‼️🗣️
Trade up for CJ! NEED HIM‼️🐐
Raiders fans were quick to connect the dots as Johnson hasn’t been shy about his love for Davante Adams. He previously told NFL.com that Adams is his favorite player and has even cried over seeing how the wide receiver runs routes. It’s difficult to know for sure if Stroud is talking about Adams but there aren’t any other obvious wide receivers he could be referencing.
Background on Stroud
Opinions on Stroud were becoming mixed during Ohio State’s 2022 season. He was excellent and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy but he didn’t take much of a leap over his 2021 season. He’s been able to play with NFL wide receivers throughout his college career and hasn’t had the struggles that other quarterbacks have had to go through. However, he put together a Herculean performance against Georgia in the College Football Playoff. He threw for 348 passing yards and four touchdowns against one of the nation’s best defenses and eventual National Champions.
Stroud did everything he possibly could to get his team a win but ended up losing 42-41. Ever since that performance, there have been far fewer doubters about how he might perform in the NFL. He will almost certainly be drafted within the top 10 picks.
Stroud Named Best Fit for Raiders
The Raiders need a quarterback and it’s easy to see Stroud in McDaniels’ offense. He’s going to stand in the pocket and beat teams with accuracy and arm strength. He may not be as dynamic an athlete as Alabama’s Bryce Young or Kentucky’s Will Levis but he’s the best in the pocket out of the entire class.
Ben Cooper of Pro Football Focus believes that quarterback is the Raiders’ biggest need this offseason and says that Stroud is the best fit for Las Vegas:
Derek Carr won’t be back for the Raiders in 2022, and while many believe the team could address its quarterback need in free agency, it would be hard to pass up Stroud at Pick No. 7. The Ohio State signal-caller’s 7.0% big-time throw rate ranked fifth among Power Five passers in 2022. Stroud lands with the Raiders in both Mike Renner’s and Marcus Mosher’s most recent mock drafts.