The Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of a reset after a 4-13 finish to the 2024 NFL season.
So far, they've swapped out head coach Antonio Pierce for Pete Carroll and general manager Tom Telesco for John Spytek—decisions minority owner Tom Brady reportedly influenced—and now they're in search of a new quarterback.
After striking out in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes last week, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Friday that Las Vegas is continuing to explore veteran QB options.
"That includes the possibility of trading for a current starting QB," she reported.
But who could that be? Here are four signal-callers the Las Vegas Raiders could acquire ahead of the 2025 season.
Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Although not the sexiest option, Will Levis has experience with 21 starts in his NFL career. And there's reason to believe the Titans could select a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
A second-round pick just two years ago, the former Kentucky Wildcat still has plenty of potential and with the right staff around him (i.e. Raiders QBs coach Greg Olson, who has 21 years of NFL experience), could not only be a bridge but also potentially a long-term option.
Levis has thrown for 3,899 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over his first 21 career games—adding up to an 82.7 passer rating.
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Despite being drafted by the Colts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Anthony Richardson has been in and out of the lineup several times over the last two seasons due to both injury and a benching. According to one ESPN analyst, his situation in Indy is "beyond repair" heading into 2025.
Richardson has been up-and-down throughout his first 15 NFL starts, competing just 50.6% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. However, his ability as a runner—635 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns—makes him an intriguing project. At just 22 years old, perhaps a change of scenery is all he needs to kickstart his career.
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Though it's already been announced that New York plans to part ways with Aaron Rodgers, he's still technically a Jet until they make the move official and for the right price, a team could trade him before he hits the open market.
At 41 years old, Rodgers would only be a stop-gap option for the Raiders while they look for their long-term answer at quarterback. Vegas has the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL draft and could perhaps look to pair a rookie with the veteran Rodgers in their QB room for the time being.
For what it's worth, I wouldn't discount Brady and Rodgers's relationship in any trade or free agency discussions. Brady's sway on the organization is real.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons last season, and just over a month later, the team drafted his replacement in Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.
What a business.
After committing to Cousins as their starter to begin the year, Atlanta benched him following a midseason 1-4 stretch and went to the rookie for the final three weeks of the season. They'll now likely move forward with Penix in 2025, leaving Cousins with one of two options: be the highest-paid backup QB in the NFL, or work your way to another destination and compete for a starting job.
Cousins will be 37 by the time the '25 season begins. Like Rodgers, he'd be a stop-gap option for the Raiders rather than a long-term solution.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Sometimes, the most obvious answer is also the right one.
After a tumultuous start to his NFL career, Geno Smith signed with the Seattle Seahawks and then-head coach Pete Carroll in the spring of 2019. He served as a backup to Russell Wilson for three seasons before earning the starting quarterback role in 2022. Smith led Seattle to the playoffs that same season and was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year.
With Carroll now in Vegas and looking for a veteran presence in the QB room, a deal for the veteran Smith with Seattle—which is seemingly trade-happy at this point in the offseason—would make a lot of sense.
Over his 12-year NFL career, Smith has thrown for 19,143 yards, 105 touchdowns, and 72 interceptions while adding 12 touchdowns on the ground.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Veteran Quarterback Options the Raiders Could Acquire via Trade.
