As is similar with most 2-10 teams, there are several areas on the roster in which the Las Vegas Raiders could stand to improve. Yet, most Raiders fans would agree that their team’s first priority for the upcoming offseason should be addressing the quarterback situation, despite Aidan O’Connell lighting up the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday. Fortunately, there are some solid free agent quarterbacks on the market.
Since Sin City remains tied for the lowest win total in the NFL at two, it’s entirely likely they’ll have a notably high draft pick next April. However, depending on how things shake out to round out the season, Las Vegas’ general manager Tom Telesco might not be in the perfect position to draft the specific quarterback who he feels is the best fit.
If the Raiders don’t end their season with as high of a pick as they desire, going the free agent route could be a better option than upgrading the position through the draft. Even if they are able to draft a talented prospect, one of these veterans could serve as a bridge quarterback for a year or two.
The free agency route: Getting the Las Vegas Raiders their next starting quarterback
Sam Darnold – the jewel of 2025’s free agency quarterbacks
For good reason, many scouts were excited about Sam Darnold coming out of college. That’s evidenced by the New York Jets selecting him with the third-overall pick back in 2018. However, Darnold struggled greatly in New York; during his three years as a Jet, the USC alum won a mere 13 combined games with his season-high passer rating coming in at just 84.3 back in 2019.
Darnold bounced around a bit after that. He spent two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and one with the San Francisco 49ers.
2024 represents the 27-year-old’s first year with the Minnesota Vikings, and boy has it been a good one. Under Darnold, the Vikings are now 10-2, and seem to be a serious contender in the NFC. The first-year Viking looks like a completely different quarterback than what we’ve seen in the past.
Sam Darnold was dealing on the Vikings' final three possessions after going down by 13 points. Pocket movement, accuracy, decisiveness, total command of the plan. 12 completions, 156 yards, 2 TDs.
He delivered in the clutch for the second straight week. pic.twitter.com/0sxcFOg6aL
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) December 2, 2024
Darnold’s set to become a free agent after this season. Minnesota has a young first-round quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, so it’s not a guarantee that Darnold stays with the Vikings. He’d make sense for Las Vegas as a bridge quarterback who can keep the Raiders competitive while they figure their long-term plan out at the position.
Justin Fields – an investment for future of the Las Vegas Raiders
In a lot of ways, Justin Fields has had a similar career to Darnold. Both were selected in the top-half of the first round. Each also struggled with the team that drafted them. The Chicago Bears opted to roll with their rookie, Caleb Williams, instead of bringing back Fields for the 2024 season. Like Darnold, though, Fields has started to figure things out with his new team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s not all similar, though. While Darnold is still playing, Fields barely is. After starting the first six games of the season, Fields was removed from the QB1 role once Russell Wilson came back from his injury. Now, the former Bear is more of a gadget player than anything else.
However, he did well as a starter. Fields led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record, showing plenty of improvement in comparison to his time in Chicago.
Fields will only be 26 years old by the time the next season rolls around. With that in mind, he might be more of a long-term option than the other two players on this list. If the Raiders want to look for an elite prospect at a different position during the 2025 NFL Draft, it would make sense to bring in Fields through free agency next offseason.
Joe Flacco – bridging the gap
Joe Flacco is a free agent that the Raiders should sign if they plan on drafting a quarterback, but don’t want to rush that signal caller’s development. Even if Las Vegas doesn’t get the first pick, or the second or third, they’ll still have a chance to select one of the top prospects this April.
If the team is dead-set on using their first-rounder at the quarterback position, it would be a good idea to sign Flacco as well. Flacco will be 40 years old next year, but he hasn’t let father time slow him down too much. He’s the reigning Comeback Player of the Year and has been decent in the four games he’s played in 2024, earning a 91.5 passer rating on the year.
At this point in his career, Flacco has both seen and done it all. That makes him an excellent veteran to have around a young quarterback. He’s also still playing well enough to earn time on the field. That makes him an excellent mentor/bridge option for the Raiders in 2025.
*Getty Images
NFL Week 13: Trio Of Bright Spots Following Latest Raiders Loss