Reuniting Antonio Pierce with former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels could be a plausible scenario for the Las Vegas Raiders if the coach has the interim tag removed. It’s one of several possibilities for the Silver and Black, but it’s one worth acknowledging.
The Raiders could make this reunion a reality…
As of this publication, Aidan O’Connell is still the starting quarterback. Let’s be honest, that’s likely not changing anytime soon. The fact is, he’s the best signal-caller by default, but what does that mean for the future? In a draft class that’s, by all accounts, loaded at O’Connell’s position, the Raiders can’t afford to not pick one.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Antonio Pierce was an assistant coach at Arizona State under former NFL head coach Herm Edwards. At 2-1 thus far with the Silver and Black, his prospects are trending upward. If he does indeed stick around, naturally, Pierce would have a say in who the team drafts. Daniels, for his part, has excelled at LSU; the quarterback has thrown for 36 touchdowns while also posting 1,014 rushing yards. On top of that, you can add 10 touchdowns on the ground to his scoring totals.
Raiders fans are clamoring for a modern, mobile, dual-threat quarterback—there you have it. The connection with Pierce is there; Daniels shared the field with him from 2019 through 2021. Yes, Pierce was on the defensive side, but the familiarity is there.
If you account for Champ Kelly’s knowledge as a scout (assuming he stays too) in tandem with Pierce’s first-hand knowledge of Daniels, it could be a natural cooperation. You have to assume O’Connell’s play from here on out will play a major role in determining his future.
Do the Raiders have their future starter, or do they have a solid QB2? If the latter comes to fruition, Jayden Daniels could be an option.
Monday Morning Mock Draft: Raiders Address Painfully Glaring Need Early
(By Tony Brucks)
Every year there are a large number of QB’s that go down with injury. This year seems to be the worse ever.
So why not carry two number 1 QB’S that can get the job done. If the NFL made a rule exemption just for QB’s for salary cap space and add one more to the roster limit just for a QB then teams could carry two QB’s capable of being a genuine starter.
I know some will say “we already do that”. But the reality is they really dont. Not by cap space or roster limit. The practice squad wont work either. They have to be on the team.