Raiders news: Who benefits most from Tom Telesco at GM?

On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Raiders pulled off kind of a shocking hire, as Tom Telesco was named their next general manager. Many had felt that once Antonio Pierce was named head coach, Champ Kelly would be next to follow as GM, as both performed well in their roles with interim titles last season.

However, Mark Davis decided to go with a veteran general manager for the hire, and now, Telesco will be tasked with turning the Raiders into a perennial contender in the AFC. Las Vegas has made the playoffs only twice since the 2002 NFL season, there is a lot of work to do, but he goes into the role with solid cap space, good draft capital, and elite talent returning on the roster.

Here, we dive into who benefits most from the hire.

Raiders news: Who benefits most from Tom Telesco at GM?

3. Raiders fans

While most fans were hoping that the Raiders would bring back Kelly, and rightfully so, they may end up being very happy that Telesco was named general manager. The Raiders have struggled mightily in the first round in recent years, and while Telesco has struggled with salary cap and Day 2 and 3 picks, he has hit big in the first round.

Guys like Justin Herbert, Rashawn Slater, Derwin James, and Joey Bosa were all first-round picks for Telesco, and ended up being solid players at the NFL level. If the Raiders can hammer the first round in April, they could end up with a foundational player, unlike what has happened in most of the drafts under previous regimes.

2. Aidan O'Connell

The last game Tom Telesco was the general manager for the Chargers was the Raiders 63-21 victory over Los Angeles inside Allegiant Stadium. In that game, Aidan O'Connell may have had his best overall game as a pro, throwing for four touchdowns in a route of the Raiders divisional rivals.

O'Connell will have stiff competition for the starting quarterback job in 2023, but Telesco may have seen enough of him to give him a legitimate chance to start in 2024. At the minimum, O'Connell would have to be seen as a QB2 for the Raiders next season.

1. Antonio Pierce

While Antonio Pierce thrived in the role last season, he is still a rookie head coach, so teaming him with a veteran general manager makes a lot of sense. In fact, Pierce signed off on the Raiders bringing in Telesco this offseason, so you have to think they are off to a strong start to the relationship.

Pierce needs to focus on the gameplan in 2024, allowing Telesco to make the moves necessary to put a winning product on the field. If this tandem works out, the Raiders could be a tough team to beat in the AFC for years to come.