The Las Vegas Raiders have completed two major pieces of business already this offseason. They removed the interim tag on head coach Antonio Pierce, giving him the full-time job and hired former Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco to the same position with their organization.
With the head coach and general manager vacancies filled, it is time for the new regime to get to work on the roster. Heading into the offseason, the Raiders had more than a few holes and needs to address.
The biggest is at quarterback. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is all but done with the franchise after Pierce benched him in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell during the 2023 regular season. O’Connell had a .500 record, going 5-5, but it is certainly up for debate if he can be their answer at the position.
NFL News & Rumors: Jayden Daniels, Antonio Pierce, 2024 NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders Updates
Getting thrown into the fire in the fashion that O’Connell was as a fourth-round rookie certainly isn’t easy. He handled it about as well as you could have expected, but he did leave something to be desired in some areas.
The Raiders were shut out once and he didn’t complete a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs after the first quarter on Christmas Day. At the very least, O’Connell will face some competition for the starting job this offseason.
Who could the team look to bring in? There has certainly been some connecting of the dots the Raiders would love to add Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels to the mix.
Pierce was on the coaching staff at Arizona State, where Daniels began his coaching career, and was recruiting coordinator. Raiders cornerback Jack Jones was also on the Sun Devils with Pierce and Daniels and threw his support behind his former quarterback joining the silver and black.
To have any chance at landing Daniels, the Raiders would have to make an aggressive jump up the draft board. Las Vegas currently owns the No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, putting them well outside the range Daniels is expected to be selected in.
NFL News & Rumors: Jayden Daniels, Antonio Pierce, 2024 NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders Updates
It would be shocking if he made it past the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8. More than likely, a team will trade up ahead of that spot to select Daniels if he makes it past the top two or three picks. A current mock draft done by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Daniels going No. 2 to the Washington Commanders.
While reuniting with Daniels would certainly be something Pierce is open to, it may not be in the cards for the Raiders. The only way to ensure they would land Daniels is to make a trade with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick, which comes with an astronomical asking price given where Las Vegas currently resides in the first round.
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