Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell did some good things for the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason but the team will likely be in the market looking to upgrade. However, the team played too well down the stretch and fell to the No. 13 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Unless the team decides to trade up, it’s going to be difficult to get one of the top quarterbacks that late. That could lead Las Vegas to look to the free agent market. There aren’t any Tom Brady-level options available but there’s one player the team should keep an eye on.
Baker Mayfield had a bounce-back season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and even led them to a playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He’ll be a hot name in free agency and Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report believes the Raiders are the best fit for him if he leaves.
“With star wideout Davante Adams in place and Antonio Pierce potentially set to become the permanent head coach, the Raiders could soon have a clear foundation in place,” Fowler wrote in a January 18 column.
“If Baker Mayfield somehow gets away from Tampa Bay, Vegas is the clear spot where his game could continue to thrive. The Raiders need some spunk under center, and who better to provide that than Mayfield?”
The Buccaneers will likely be highly motivated to keep Mayfield so there could be competition for his services.
Why Las Vegas Raiders Could Make Sense for Baker Mayfield
The idea of Baker Mayfield playing in Las Vegas makes a lot of sense from a personality level. He’s a flashy player and Las Vegas is a flashy city. However, it’s difficult to know how his fit would be on the field until the Raiders hire an offensive coordinator.
Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has been linked to the opening but there are other teams interested in him. Notably, Kingsbury was the head coach at Texas Tech during Mayfield’s freshman year with the program before he transferred to Oklahoma.
Mayfield had his most success under Lincoln Riley but both Kingsbury and Riley are disciples of Mike Leach. Mayfield would make a lot of sense in a Kingsbury-led offense.
Draft a QB or Go With a Veteran?
The Raiders have some options at quarterback this offseason. Aidan O’Connell showed enough toward the end of the season to at least get consideration to be the starter next season. Jimmy Garoppolo is also still on the roster and could be in for a bounce-back season after getting most of the year off and getting healthy. There will also be notable quarterbacks in free agency like Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins and possibly Russell Wilson.
However, it’s time for the Raiders to consider taking a big swing at quarterback. The team hasn’t used a first-round pick on a quarterback since 2007 on JaMarcus Russell. While that pick didn’t work out, it should hold the team back from addressing the most important position early. The AFC is loaded with so much great young quarterback talent that settling for average could be a mistake. This could be the year the Raiders finally go all out on a quarterback prospect in the draft.
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