The Las Vegas Raiders wasted very little time addressing their quarterback needs this offseason. After releasing Derek Carr, the team signed Jimmy Garoppolo, who is familiar with head coach Josh McDaniels from their time together with the New England Patriots.
Many people believed that with Garoppolo in Las Vegas, the team would adjust their plans for the 2023 NFL Draft. With a starting quarterback now on the roster, they could address another need with the No. 7 overall pick. However, McDaniels said that they could still use the pick on a quarterback despite having Garoppolo seemingly for the next few years.
When picking that high in the draft, if the opportunity presents itself to select a potential franchise quarterback, you will think long and hard about pulling the trigger on a player. As a result, the Raiders are doing their homework on all of the top quarterback options in this year’s draft class.
Next up on the Raiders’ list is Anthony Richardson. The Florida product will be visiting Las Vegas as one of his top 30 visits this offseason in April. In addition to the Raiders, Richardson will be visiting with the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans.
Richardson is one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. He has all of the physical tools to become a great player at the next level, possessing an elite combination of size and athleticism. However, the production didn’t always match the tools during his time with the Gators.
It will take some time for him to realize his immense potential, which makes the Raiders such a good landing spot for him. Unlike many top picks, he wouldn’t be relied on right away to step into the lineup and save the franchise.
He would be afforded at least one, if not multiple seasons, to develop and hone his skills behind Garoppolo, who is more than capable of holding down the fort. Garoppolo’s presence puts the Raiders in a good spot as they don’t have to get aggressive, trading more assets to move up in the draft to ensure they land a quarterback.
They can sit back, see how the board unfolds and play it by ear. If a quarterback they like, such as Richardson, is on the board, they could pull the trigger. If not, at least they know that the quarterback position is in good hands for the foreseeable future.