The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have their quarterback of the future on the roster. Geno Smith has worn out his welcome, Kenny Pickett hasn’t even been given a chance to show what he has, and Aidan O’Connell, likely the best player in the room, is a good-not-great player who is simply a solid backup.
Cam Miller is a promising developmental prospect, but it’s unlikely that he amounts to much more than a career backup as well. With four signal-callers in the building but none of them certain to provide a long-term solution at the most important position on the field, where do the Raiders go?
Most of Raider Nation would point to the NFL Draft, as Band-Aid veteran quarterbacks have been anything but beneficial for the Silver and Black since Derek Carr’s departure. How they sort this out may not be easy, but it seems like at least one reporter in Las Vegas is echoing this sentiment.
Raiders reporter is giving fans hope about the quarterback position
Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal was asked about what the Raiders’ plan is at quarterback moving forward. Bonsignore had a fairly concise response, but it was everything that the fan base wanted to hear.
“Pickett & AOC aren’t viewed as long-term answers (in terms of starting),” Bonsignore wrote. “Keep an eye on the draft.”
When the team traded for Smith this offseason, Raider Nation’s sights were so set on right now and this season that they forgot the veteran quarterback was always going to be a bridge to a younger talent. Bonsignore confirmed this in a later post.
“Geno was guaranteed $58.5 million at signing. That’s not a long-term investment,” Bonsignore wrote. “Rule of thumb: Always look at the money. It tells you everything. He is/was/always will be a short-term bridge.”
While a majority of the fan base is ready to give up on Smith altogether, having him as a veteran mentor for whatever young signal-caller enters the building might not be the worst plan. After all, throwing a rookie quarterback behind Las Vegas’ current offensive line might not be the best idea.
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However, Bonsignore reminded fans that having the right quarterback is of the utmost importance in the NFL, and the Raiders have the option of investing in their offensive line in free agency to help out their first-year player. Getting the right guy in the building under center is paramount.
“The Bears and Patriots drafted Caleb [Wililams] and Drake [Maye] last year, with terrible offensive lines. And it was rough for them as rookies,” Bonsignore wrote. “Both teams invested heavily on the offensive line this year, and the two QBs and teams are doing great. GET YOUR QUARTERBACK IN THE BUILDING.”
Not only would having a promising youthful presence in the quarterback room likely improve the product on the field for Las Vegas, but it also serves as a selling point for the franchise if they make a coaching change, as Bonsignore also pointed out.
“They wanted Ben Johnson. But he decided to roll with the team with the young QB,” Bonsignore wrote. “All the more reason to draft a QB. It will attract good coaches.”
A good quarterback and a good coach sound like a nice combination for the Raiders, as they have been without this for as long as most fans can remember. The first round of the draft is not the only place to find a difference-maker under center, but history says Las Vegas should take the leap.
“Your odds are far greater of landing a very good to elite QB in the first round and often very high in the round,” Bonsignore noted. “The Raiders have used one 1st round pick out of the last 34 drafts on a QB. At some point, you have to take that swing.”
Things have to change in Las Vegas, both dramatically and immediately, so why not start with arguably the most important position in all of sports? The Raiders are long overdue for a game-changing quarterback, and Bonsignore has clearly laid out why getting one is so crucial.
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