The Las Vegas Raiders will be in the market for a new starting quarterback this offseason, as Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew provided subpar play in 2024 and clearly aren’t the answers at the position.
Las Vegas could look to select a signal-caller in April’s draft, but general manager John Spytek could go the veteran route if he wants an immediate solution. The free-agent quarterback class is lackluster, but according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll has his sights set on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.
Pauline adds that Las Vegas could be forced to trade for Darnold if the Vikings franchise tag him before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Mar. 4.
“After losing out on Matthew Stafford, what will the Las Vegas Raiders do next? There are still persistent rumors they may try to trade up for a quarterback in the draft. People close to Sam Darnold tell me that Raiders coach Pete Carroll will work to make a move to acquire the quarterback from the Vikings,” Pauline wrote.
“As has been reported elsewhere, Minnesota is seriously considering a tag-and-trade option with Darnold, similar to what the Packers did with Davante Adams just a few years ago before the Raiders acquired the receiver,” Pauline added.
If Darnold hits the free agency market, the Raiders should pursue the Pro Bowler, as he is coming off a career year in 2024 and would be a massive upgrade over O’Connell and Minshew. However, if he is tagged, trading for Darnold wouldn’t make much sense, as Las Vegas needs draft capital for the future, and Minnesota’s asking price will be high.
The Raiders are set to have $96 million in cap space, which is plenty of money to sign Darnold, who is projected to land a contract worth over $40 million per year, per Spotrac and Pro Football Focus.
Overall, Sam Darnold is a legitimate option to be Las Vegas’ starting quarterback in 2025, and the move would potentially catapult the franchise into the AFC playoff discussion.
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