The Las Vegas Raiders are in a difficult spot with two less than ideal options at QB in Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.
O’Connell appeared to have the edge heading into the season, but the coaching staff made the decision to supplant him with Minshew. He led the team to a 2-2 start but found himself benched for O’Connell during the second half of the Raiders’ Week 5 blowout loss to the Denver Broncos.
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, O’Connell fared even worse against a stout Denver defense than Minshew, and the team now finds itself at 2-3 with contests against the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) and the Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) in two of the next three weeks.
The most logical way for the Raiders to address their quarterback deficiencies is by way of the 2025 NFL draft. However, if the team is serious about competing this season — which given the personality of head coach Antonio Pierce, a former player himself, it almost certain is — then a deal to improve the QB room may need to come sooner than later.
Options exist in Las Vegas, both via free agency and a trade. Ryan Tannehill remains a free agent and is looking for the chance to start and be the No. 1 guy from his first day in the building. The Raiders are in position to offer that to him should they so choose.
A trade, however, might be more likely — and there is potentially one to be had with the very next opponent on Las Vegas’ schedule. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggested a trade proposal on Wednesday, October 9, in which the Raiders deal for Steelers backup QB Russell Wilson.
“Wilson’s minimum salary would be attractive for teams, assuming he would waive his no-trade clause. And the Raiders were once on his desired list of destinations,” Fowler wrote. “This is reaching a boiling point, as Wilson appears to be approaching full health and the Steelers haven’t shown an eagerness to move off [Justin] Fields just yet.” Wilson is technically earning $39 million this season, though the Broncos are on the hook for all but $1.2 million of his salary in 2024 after inking him to a five-year deal worth $242.5 million total and releasing him last offseason after just two years.
Pittsburgh signed Wilson to a league-minimum contract, which is all the Raiders would be on the hook for if they got a deal done. With the season almost one-third of the way through, Las Vegas would be paying approximately $800,000 total if they acquired Wilson this week or the next.
The real cost would be the trade price, though a Day 3 pick in 2025 would probably be enough to satisfy Pittsburgh if the team is, in fact, willing to move off of Wilson. The trade deadline is November 5, which means all deals must be executed by that date.
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