The signing of Jimmy Garoppolo by the Las Vegas Raiders last summer addressed a critical need at quarterback for
the team. But as the season progressed, Garoppolo was benched, proving it to be a quick error.
It could have been a very different story. The Raiders made an attempt to deal with the Chicago Bears for the first
pick, but the Carolina Panthers prevailed in the bidding process. Star wide receiver Davante Adams would have
preferred the Raiders to choose former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud if they had been able to get the first pick.
When asked which quarterback he would want to play with during the January 18 episode of “Two G’s in a Pod,”
Adams responded, “He may be No. 1, I don’t know.” “I was advocating for that person to come out. I didn’t support
rookies in general; it was the guy I had strong feelings for, and he shared those feelings.
In the end, Bryce Young went No. 1 and Stroud went No. 2 to the Houston Texans. Given that Stroud has been
among the NFL’s top quarterbacks in his first season, the Panthers would almost definitely redraft that selection. The
Texans won a playoff game after finishing as the second-worst team in the league the previous year. There is a case to
be made for Stroud, who scored 23 touchdowns against just five interceptions, to be among the NFL’s top five
quarterbacks already.
Although there is a rumor circulating that the Raiders had the option to acquire C.J. Stroud had they so desired, that
may not be totally accurate. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the team would not have selected Stroud even if
they had been able to trade for the first selection in the previous round.
In a column published on January 18, Tafur stated, “The Raiders didn’t [trade up] last year for the QB they liked in
Bryce Young (and no, going to No. 2 for C.J. Stroud was never an option).”
The Texans didn’t seem too keen to pass up trading down to the Raiders for a quarterback. Even though they might
have liked Young more, they were probably going to choose one of the two. Davante Adams and others might have
persuaded the front staff that Stroud was the superior choice at No. 1 if the team had indeed won the lottery, but it’s
impossible to say for sure.
Although rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell had a strong season, the Raiders did not see enough in him to give him
the starting job in 2024. It’s highly likely that Las Vegas will look to acquire quarterbacks once more. It seems
improbable that the team will sit tight and select a quarterback at No. 13 in the first round.
The Raiders will have to decide whether to trade up in the first round or add a veteran like Baker Mayfield or Kirk
Cousins via free agency. Since the squad hasn’t appointed a general manager yet, the plan of action is unknown.
Champ Kelly, the interim general manager, has expressed how crucial the quarterback position is, so if hired, it’s
likely that he’ll take all the necessary steps to secure the position.
