The latest on the state of the Las Vegas Raiders

HENDERSON, Nev.-The Las Vegas Raiders are a team in transition and I have for you the latest in your beloved Silver and Black.

· I previously reported my second set of odds on who will be the starting QB for the Las Vegas Raiders as follows:

55% Tom Brady30% Jimmy Garoppolo10% Aaron Rodgers5% Mac Jones

· Here’s how I listed them today:

80% Tom Brady10% Mac Jones9% Jimmy Garoppolo1% Aaron RodgersOn the subject of Tom Brady, an NFL executive told me, “Mark (Davis) is not his father, but don’t think he doesn’t have some of his father’s attributes. Al he liked to make a splash, win the press conference, get the conversation, Mark wants that.” According to that executive, “Mark was in love with Tom Brady before, but Gruden wanted Derek Carr. Mark always had great respect for Derek Carr the man, but wasn’t a huge fan of his game. So when Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler saw Carr as a positive reason to come to the Raiders, he was fine with it.” He added, “Mark now wants to make a statement. Right or wrong, his father wanted to make statements and he wasn’t against famous guys at the end of their careers. Some made it, and some didn’t, there’s a reasons why brady is called the goat “For this article, an NFC GM told me, “I know Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels like and respect Tom Brady. But adding Tom Brady buys them something that no other QB option does. does. They have to win in 2023 to get back in 2024, and they can look at Mark Davis if Brady fails and tell him he was the QB they wanted.” He added, “A Tom Brady signature almost certainly tells you they’re back in 2024.” One thing that almost every person I talk to inside and outside the Raiders keeps referencing is this. “It’s no secret that the Raiders want Tom. But, does Tom want the Raiders? I think that’s the biggest question. Josh and Dave know how Brady thinks, so when they finally talk to him, they’re going to prepare A plan.” I will say this. If Tom Brady wants to be a Raider, the odds are 100%. Tom Brady chose Tampa Bay for many reasons, but two big ones; the two biggest non-football reasons were the climate and a grass pitch. Both of which the Raiders have, and not the New Orleans Saints. Jimmy Garoppolo’s chances are down. I have now heard from three people that Jimmy G. will continue on the Jets. An NFL scout told me, “Jimmy has relationships with people on the Jets and his style fits their MO of not making mistakes, running the ball and playing great defense. That could be the most anticipated thing in the NFL.” Many NFL people have expressed much the same observation as I have about Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo. One assistant GM said, “They’re close to being the same guy. Derek took down a lot this year, but no one takes the offense seriously. I know if Derek Carr couldn’t run the Raiders offense the way Josh wanted, neither could a constantly injured Jimmy.”Mac Jones remains a viable option, but will the New England Patriots trade him? The Raiders hope to get something about Derek Carr (I’ll get to that later), but even if they do” they have a lot of cap space and signing Tom Brady comes without wasting NFL Draft resources. An NFL executive told me, “Josh loves Mac and Mac loves Josh. Call it a father-son relationship, I call it more like brothers, but there’s no secret that they love each other. Both had a shi**y 2022 season apart from each other, and both had super 2021. Don’t see the Raiders paying much, but maybe a high pick in another NFL Draft, or something later this year, but I could see it.” They added, “Bill Belichick competes in everything. I’m not sure he’ll bet on helping Josh with a good deal for Mac, but you never know, it’s probably true.” One name that is out there, but is getting less and less the more I talk to people in the know is Aaron Rodgers. A member of the organization told me, “Aaron would come at a huge cost, both in salary ($50 million) and trading resources, and the price you pay for organizational culture.” They went on to say, “Tom Brady does what he wants, but you know, and he plays the Patriots way…I mean the Raiders way. Rodgers does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and then he just blames everybody else. It comes at a high cost and I don’t think it fits here.” As for the starting QB, here are the feelings. have their best player in Davante Adams, who didn’t come here and get less money to play for a rebuilding team. Is there a rookie QB that Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler are willing to risk their future in the NFL Draft that they can select and play in 2023? They can’t pick a first round QB and bench him to develop behind a free agent veteran like Brady. That would be career suicide; you bring in brady to win now and use that number one immediate impact player as anyone on defense. I’ve reported that I expect them to select a QB in the later rounds to develop, but on a team that needs immediate help on defense and offensive line, would they spend a first round pick on a player they are not sold? What happens if they fall in love with a potential first round pick during the s process? Can they get Davante Adams back up who is proven enough to get them the ball? Can they convince Mark Davis of this? Everyone I’ve talked to is skeptical, if not outright convinced, that there is no QB for the Raiders in the first round. As the evaluation process develops, we will be watching it closely. But as one executive put it, “Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler aren’t dumb. They’re strong evaluators and they might like a guy, but they hate risk and the first-round pick at QB for them at this time is a great danger.” I was told this late Saturday night while speaking with someone within the Raiders organization. “Mark (Davis) is angry. Not with the fans, but with the product on the field, and he feels the apathy and frustration of the fans. He’s embarrassed, his fuse will be short next year. He wants a splash , and some tangible results.” I’ve been reporting for weeks that the Raiders want Josh Jacobs back, and he wants back. Both sides have publicly shared that sentiment since I broke it off. A high-ranking member of the organization told me when I asked the percent chance that Josh Jacobs would return to the Silver and Black next season, “100.” The Raiders organization is very optimistic that they will be able to trade Derek Carr instead of releasing him. Carr has something to gain here, as he has a very favorable contract and a trade would guarantee that. But at this point (and it could change), all signs point to a trade from the Raiders’ perspective. But, from the NFL’s perspective, it’s very different. A team executive interested in Carr told me, “Why? Why would anyone pay the Raiders for Carr when you know they have to wait on him? I think the market is down.” I was the first to report that I expect to see Derek Carr in Indianapolis next year. I still do. But one remark stands out; The Colts are getting a new coach. Will he love Carr? I reported in previous years that multiple teams had made significant offers for Carr. The Colts, as mentioned earlier, which I wrote, offered two first round picks. Because teams know the Raiders must trade Carr or get nothing in return, the cost to acquire Derek Carr has dropped significantly, but that’s not a sign of Carr’s value, it’s a symbol of where the Raiders are set themselves.

The NFL Scouting Combine is February 28 – March 6, 2023, held at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind. March 7, 2023, before 4:00 PM EST is the club’s deadline to designate franchise or transition players.

March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. During the period beginning at 12:00 PM EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 PM EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Free Agents Unlimited after expiration. of their 2022 player contracts at 4:00 PM EST on March 15th.

The 2023 NFL season and Free Agency period begins on March 15th at 4:00 PM EST. The Raiders are expected to be major players in the free agent market this season.

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