As we approach NFL free agency, it is time to look into which available players the Las Vegas Raiders could target. Today, we are looking at the quarterback market. For this exercise, we are just looking at the current impending free agents according to Spotrac. We are not considering any players that are still under contract. With that being said, here are five quarterbacks scheduled to be available that general manager Dave Ziegler should be looking into.
Five QB Options For The Raiders
Lamar Jackson
Yes, this is probably a pipe dream. Regardless, any time an MVP-winning quarterback has the potential to hit the open market, you have to at least do your homework. Jackson is by far the best quarterback available. With that, he will likely come with a hefty price tag. His current market value is around $40 million per year, but that’s what you can expect to pay for high-end quarterback play. One concern would be his fit with Josh McDaniels. However, that could be a blessing in disguise. Having a quarterback of Jackson’s abilities would “isolate the variable” in McDaniels. We would know very quickly if he is going to be a viable head coach in the long run.
Jimmy Garoppolo
This is probably the most logical route that the Raiders will take. The way this team is built, adding someone like Garoppolo would allow the Raiders to stay in “win now” mode. The former Patriots and 49ers quarterback has significant postseason experience. Also, he has significant knowledge of McDaniels’ offense. This is someone who could step in right away and keep the team in contention while they continue to search for “the guy” in the draft. As far as what the price tag would be, Garoppolo could probably be had for a little more than what the Raiders were paying Derek Carr.
Jacoby Brissett
Brissett is essentially the dollar store version of Garoppolo. He would be a quality stopgap that would keep the team competitive. However, he doesn’t have quite as much upside or big-game experience. With that in mind, Brissett would be much cheaper. If the Raiders do go this route, expect them to be major players in the competition for the top quarterbacks in the draft.
Jarrett Stidham
Basically, everything we just mentioned about Brissett applies to Stidham as well. Although he probably has less upside than even Brissett. However, the trade-off there is that he does have a year of experience with the Raiders already and even started the last two games of the regular season. This would probably be the simplest way for the Raiders to bridge the gap from Carr to a rookie. It just comes down to whether or not the team brass feels that he can keep them competitive.
Teddy Bridgewater
Let’s finish up with more of an outside-the-box option. Bridgewater is the stereotypical journeyman quarterback. He has played for five teams since being drafted in 2014. At every stop, Bridgewater has played competently. The problem has always been durability. That could be perfect for a team like the Raiders, though. Having a starter like Bridgewater that will almost certainly miss a few games at some point in the season would allow the Raiders an excuse to give a rookie playing time without completely thrusting him into the ‘QB1’ role.
*Top Photo: Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
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