With a week until free agency, Derek Carr found a new home, signing with the Saints. That answers the quarterback question for the Saints. But what of Carr’s former team?
The Raiders have known since December that they were going to be in the market at quarterback. And as they currently have just second-year undrafted Chase Garbers under contract, they will be looking to add multiple quarterbacks to the mix.
Recently head coach Josh McDaniels said as much, adding that he would looking to add both a veteran as well as to the draft to fill the position needs.
If they truly plan to use the draft to add at least one of their quarterbacks, then they would use free agency to cover themselves in case none of their top choices are there when they pick at seven overall.
With that in mind, there are a few quarterbacks who could fit the bill as a potential starter who could compete with whomever they draft or be a temporary solution.
Jimmy Garoppolo
A lot of people would be less than thrilled with Jimmy G as QB of the Raiders. He has underachieved the past few seasons in San Francisco and has three times finished the season on injured reserve.
Garoppolo is not considered an upgrade for fellow 2014 round two pick Derek Carr. But it’s important to remember that even if Garoppolo’s skillset may not be on Carr’s level, his fit with Josh McDaniels is what matters most.
McDaniels was the OC in New England when the Patriots drafted Garoppolo and spent three years in his offense. And even with just a couple starts, he showed enough for the 49ers to acquire him in trade. The 49ers kept Garoppolo as insurance even after drafting Trey Lance. The Raiders could do the same.
Jacoby Brissett
Brissett was also a Patriots draft pick. He was chosen in the third round in 2016 and was traded after one season in New England to the Colts. In seven NFL seasons with four different teams, Brissett has 63 total TDs with just 23 interceptions.
Brissett is definitely the most mobile of the options, which would add a dynamic to the Raiders offensive attack they haven’t really had much of in recent years. His 15 rushing TD’s is more than Derek Carr (6), Jimmy Garoppolo (7) and Jarrett Stidham (0) combined over their entire careers (13) and his 11.8 yards per game is more than Carr (6.0) and Garoppolo (3.0) combined.
Mobility could be important when you consider most of their options at the top of this draft are mobile quarterbacks. So, they wouldn’t have to change the playbook regardless of who is in at quarterback.
Jarrett Stidham
And we go three-for-three in free agent quarterback who have played in McDaniels’s offense. Stidham has done it with two different teams. The former Patriots fourth round pick signed with the Raiders last year and ended up starting the final two games of the season.
Stidham showed great command of McDaniels’s offense in his first start, throwing three touchdowns and helping the Raiders put up 34 points on the 49ers’ top rated defense. He then struggled in the finale against the ultimate Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
It could be a good idea to bring him back if he’s open to it. He would be the cheapest option of the three here.
