In what’s been an eventful week thus far for the Las Vegas Raiders, let’s get you caught up on the latest, including Coach Prime clarifying something and Tom Telesco not making a certain call.
The past few days have been fascinating for those who follow the Silver and Black. One of the biggest developments was the revelation by NFL insider Adam Schefter regarding Telesco and last year’s draft. Telesco apologists routinely pointed to the notion that the Raiders never had a shot at drafting their true target, LSU’s Jayden Daniels. While former head coach Antonio Pierce and his legion of ardent followers salivated over Daniels, it just never materialized.
However, months later, it turns out that the Raiders not only didn’t have a chance, but they didn’t try.
“By the way, that’s why last year, it’s why the Raiders had such an interest in trying to see if they could trade for Jayden Daniels. But by the way, matter of fact, they never made the call at all. They never even tried to get that trade done. A lot of speculation about it. More in the media than within the teams themselves. The Raiders never called about Jayden Daniels.”
Was it a fireable offense?
The thing about Schefter’s statement is that it slightly contradicts what he previously said before last year’s draft. If you recall, he reported that the Raiders had interest in making a move up to get Daniels. Nonetheless, Schefter’s reputation is untouchable as one of the biggest insiders around the league. Does that imply that Telesco’s failure to secure a franchise quarterback warranted his dismissal?
It largely depends on your point of view. There were other reports that Vegas was willing to give up multiple first-round picks, but the Washington Commanders weren’t interested. It’s safe to say that the Commanders did the right thing; they’re moving on to the divisional playoff round while the Raiders cleaned house (again). Quarterback talk aside, Telesco also failed to fill out the roster with depth; this came into play as the team was riddled with injuries. Apart from the signing of Christian Wilkins, what other significant acquisition did Telesco make? As far as drafting Brock Bowers goes, you could argue any general manager with common sense would’ve taken him.
Speaking of the draft…
Deion Sanders clarifies detail regarding Shedeur’s future…
Shedeur Sanders, the quarterback from Colorado, has been associated with the Raiders for more than a year. Unfortunately, Sanders’ expected destination, Las Vegas, is just outside the top five in the NFL draft. If the Raiders are indeed still interested, it’ll take a move to go and get him from whomever will be the general manager.
So how does Coach Prime fit into all of this? Well, the Colorado head coach has made statements regarding his son’s future—namely that he doesn’t want him playing for certain teams. Not to worry, he has clarified all of that. Sanders clarified the situation during his appearance on the Tamron Hall Show, saying, “It’s not who I would like him to play for. It’s a couple of teams that I won’t allow him to play for.” What is the true extent of Sanders’ influence?
You play for whoever drafts you, unless you’re Eli Manning. What we’ve observed so far this offseason is that the Raiders are serious; they dismissed Telesco and Pierce and are focusing on a specific coach.
The Raiders are getting Ben Johnson (allegedly)
We don’t want to overstate the situation; Raiders fans have experienced this journey before, only to have their hearts torn apart. Despite this, numerous league insiders, especially Ian Rapoport, have confirmed that the deal is practically almost a done deal. Keyword tough is “almost.”
“The people who are associated with the Raiders job, I’m talking other candidates, I’m talking agents, people in the NFL, there does seem to be an acknowledgement that Ben Johnson is the leading candidate in Las Vegas and there are a lot of people who, frankly, think he is getting it.”
One big concern surrounding Johnson right now is that the Raiders can’t finalize anything until the Detroit Lions close out their playoff run. Imagine if the Lions make the Super Bowl? Still, Johnson being the team’s top choice isn’t a state secret. Unless you’re a Chicago Bears fan, the reality is that Johnson might very well end up with the Raiders, barring an extraordinary set of circumstances. However, unexpected events can occur.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
The Las Vegas Raiders, Per One Insider, Have Offered Ben Johnson A Contract