Are the Las Vegas Raiders out of the Lamar Jackson action?
The answer depends on who you ask. But the saga that is the Baltimore Ravens quarterback seeking a fully guaranteed long-term contract is yet another example of where the NFL offseason is at this point in time: Lying season.
Post-NFL Combine, there are reports aplenty on the 32 teams. One of the juiciest — at least one that sends tingling down Raider Nation’s spine — is talent evaluators being convinced prospect Will Levis will be the Raiders quarterback. The strong-armed Kentucky Wildcat surely doesn’t lack confidence, and he’s got the physical attributes to back his game. But he strikes me as more in the mold of Raiders quarterbacks like Jeff George and Jay Schroeder. Both of them were signal callers with a cannon arm but were prone to brain farts.
Either #Raiders got everyone fooled or they got read like an open book.
Either way, we'll find out soon enough. #RaiderNation https://t.co/l3qfjuEI4t— Ray Leonard Aspuria (@AsukalAspuria) March 7, 2023
But like I noted on the Twitter Verse, either the brain trust of general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels has the league fooled, or they’re read like an open book. Time will most definitely tell, and we’ll have our answers soon enough.
But again, it’s lying season.
Still, there are things right in plain sight when it comes to the Silver and Black. Take, for example, the Raiders interest in Fresno State quarterback (gasp!) Jake Haener. Las Vegas personnel have met with the scrappy 6-foot, 207-pound prospect numerous times, and Haener confirmed that Raiders offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi is slated to be at the Fresno State pro day.
Now, this could all be a very elaborate smoke screen, or it could simply be that the Raiders are doing the meticulous work of evaluating Haener for his fit in Silver and Black. The Bulldog did perform well at the combine and showed the requisite zip and crisp accuracy during throwing drills. He could be as high as a third-round pick later in April.
Raiders have met with Haener several times and are sending OC to his pro day. https://t.co/8mrJr53aZ3
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) March 7, 2023
If Las Vegas doesn’t land an early-round quarterback, don’t discount the team snaring Haener in the NFL Draft.
But again, it’s lying season.
Take everything with a grain of salt from now until the Raiders make their selection on draft day.
We’ll gain even more clarity when the madness of free agency starts this Monday. But until transactions hit the NFL wire or when a team’s official website or social media starts posting pictures of players signing their contracts, those photo opportunities tend to be irrefutable evidence.
*Top Photo: Getty Images Pool
Raiders HC Josh McDaniels Just Can’t Catch A Break, Courtesy Of Derek Carr’s Brother