Getty San Francisco 49ers QB Sam Darnold.
Regardless of whether or not the Las Vegas Raiders add a rookie quarterback in the draft, the team will likely add a veteran to the room. However, it’s difficult to see them paying a lot of money considering the Jimmy Garoppolo disaster of last year.
The Raiders could look to cheaper veteran options in free agency to compete with Aidan O’Connell and a rookie. Former scout for Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns Daniel Jeremiah predicted in a March 7 X post that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold will be who the Raiders sign.
Let’s play QB guessing game- (no inside info)
Mayfield-TB
Cousins-MIN
Fields-ATL
Wilson-NYG
Brissett-NE
Darnold-LV
Lock-LAR
your turn…
Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick of the New York Jets in 2018 but hasn’t been able to live up to his draft status. He went to the 49ers last season to finally play in a strong offensive culture but only started one game as Brock Purdy had the starting job locked down.
Darnold has struggled throughout his career and has thrown 63 touchdowns to 56 interceptions. He hasn’t shown many signs that he can be a dependable starter but he is just 26. Perhaps a year under Kyle Shanahan was enough for him to revamp his career but he’s definitely not
going to be in line for a big contract. He’ll likely sign a one-year prove-it deal wherever he lands.
Why Would Las Vegas Raiders Sign Sam Darnold?
Sam Darnold is an interesting player for Daniel Jeremiah to link to the Raiders. He doesn’t seem to have any links to head coach Antonio Pierce or general manager Tom Telesco. He also hasn’t worked with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
The only obvious connection would be offensive line coach James Cregg, who was an assistant offensive line coach with the 49ers last season. It’s unlikely they spent much time together though. The intel in the building on Darnold is likely lacking.
Now, if the idea is for the Raiders to sign a backup who has started a lot of games, Darnold would make sense. He’s started in 56 games in his career. He can’t be the quarterback the Raiders bring in to hopefully start next season as he hasn’t proven he can lead a strong offense. It’s important to have a veteran backup quarterback in the NFL and Darnold checks a lot of boxes. He’d also be a cheaper option than many other veteran free agents.
Mick Lombardi Hired by San Francisco 49ers
When Josh McDaniels was fired by the Raiders during the 2023 season, offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi was also shown the door. He never got a chance to call plays so it was a bit of a surprising move but it hasn’t taken him too long to land on his feet.
According to a March 7 X post from NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, Lombardi has been hired by the 49ers but his role hasn’t been defined yet.
The #49ers have hired former Raiders offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi to their coaching staff. He does not yet have an official title, coach Kyle Shanahan said. Lombardi previously worked for the 49ers from 2013 to 2016.
Lombardi was on the 49ers’ staff from 2013 to 2016 so this is a bit of a homecoming. It remains to be seen if he’ll get an offensive coordinator job again but it was McDaniels’ offense with the Raiders. It’s still unclear how good Lombardi could be in that role if he was calling the plays. Landing with the 49ers is the perfect spot for any offensive coaches hoping to become offensive coordinators.