Raiders dubbed potential landing spot for $4 million quarterback | Sporting News

The Las Vegas Raiders can’t buy a win in 2024, as the team has lost eight straight games and is tied with the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars for the worst record in the NFL at 2-10. Las Vegas suffered a heartbreaking 19-17 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13 and will travel to Raymond James Stadium to square off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. 

Though the Raiders’ roster isn’t filled with much talent, the quarterbacks room deserves most of the blame for the team’s struggles in 2024. Before breaking his collarbone in Week 12 versus the Denver Broncos, Gardner Minshew served as the starting quarterback and was abysmal, tossing nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions. The 28-year-old will miss the rest of the season and likely won’t return to Las Vegas next year.

Aidan O’Connell returned from a broken thumb in Week 13 versus Kansas City after missing the last four games, and though O’Connell is better than Minshew, the 2023 fourth-round pick clearly isn’t the long-term answer at quarterback for Las Vegas. 

The Raiders will be in the quarterback market for the third consecutive offseason. Though many believe the franchise will spend a premium draft pick on a young signal-caller, The Mirror’s Jeremy Goldstein believes Las Vegas is a potential landing spot for Cleveland Browns veteran Jameis Winston.

The Raiders are tied with the Giants for the worst record in the NFL but are slated to draft second based on a tiebreaker. They will almost certainly target a quarterback following the failed Gardner Minshew experiment.

Tom Brady recently became a minority owner of the club alongside the always-eccentric Mark Davis. Could the franchise look to draft Shedeur Sanders and bring in Deion Sanders as head coach? Would Winston want to join a team like that?

Winston took over as the Browns’ starter in Week 8 after Deshaun Watson ruptured his right Achilles and had season-ending surgery after the team’s Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since assuming the starting role, Winston has thrown seven touchdowns to seven interceptions and has posted a 2-2 record, with both wins coming against the top teams in the AFC North: the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. 

Though the Browns won’t be a playoff team and will likely land a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Winston has ignited some excitement in a tumultuous Cleveland season and has established himself as one of the most reliable backups in the NFL.

The Raiders must draft a quarterback this offseason, as the franchise has gone down the veteran signal-caller route the last two seasons, and it has completely failed. Signing Winston to serve as the backup and a veteran presence for the team’s presumed rookie quarterback would be a savvy move from Las Vegas.

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