Editor's Note: An earlier version of this post erroneously referenced an edited interview clip that suggested Deion Sanders was talking about keeping Shedeur Sanders from being drafted by Las Vegas. In the full context of the quote, he was talking about Russell Wilson.
After four games, the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders are still in need of ... wait for it ... a quarterback.
(Fans pretend to be shocked)
No, of course the Raiders don't have a franchise quarterback. We have known this for a while now. Ever since the team walked away from the 2024 NFL Draft without a quarterback, fans knew this season could end up being brutal.
At 2-2, the sky isn't exactly falling. But, the Raiders also know that neither Gardner Minshew nor Aidan O'Connell are going to be "the guy" for this franchise as a long-term solution. But, looking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft class, that's where Vegas just might find him.
Among the top college quarterbacks who will be in the first-round discussion is Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL legend and current Colorado head coach, Deion Sanders.
Love him or hate him, Deion is a football icon. As one of the greatest defensive backs of all-time, he certainly knows ball -- and one of his current objectives is to try and elevate the game of his son in such a way that Shedeur ends up having a long, fruitful career just like he did.
He's not the only potential option out there, though.
Appearing on an episode of the Nightcap Podcast after the Week 4 action, Deion got into a conversation about Russell Wilson and how he believes the quarterback deserves one more shot to prove himself in the league.
None of that is particularly juicy, but when Deion's reaction to the suggestion that the Raiders could be the place where he gets that chance is worth reading into.
Deion Sanders drops cryptic quote about Raiders future quarterback situation
At one point, Chad Ochocinco dropped the Raiders as a potential fit for Wilson, which prompted a rather crytptic response from Deion.
"There's a place out west that could use a quarterback," Ochocinco said. "They don't have a quarterback, they don't have a stable quarterback. They got an owner by the name of Mark Davis."
As soon as those words left the mouth of the former wide receiver, Deion chimed in:
"We good, we good though, we good ... yeah, leave that alone," Deion responded. laughing.
This, of course, comes amid the "Shedeur-to-Vegas" conversation that has been building as the Raiders' need for a quarterback for the future grows. Obviously, Shedeur has no say in which NFL franchise ultimately drafts him. However, the comments coming from Deion will certainly have an impact as far as shifting around the discourse about what the future holds.
As the Raiders continue to look at least somewhat competitive, there's a chance they don't end up with a top pick that would put them in a position to draft a top quarterback like Shedeur. We're also months away from draft evaluations even happening so there's a grain of salt that needs to be taken with any conversations or reactions made to comments this time of year.
Still, it's hard not to read into this little moment and not ponder what it could mean down the road.