Heading into the offseason, the idea that the Las Vegas Raiders would add an aging veteran quarterback to be their starter in 2025 seemed farfetched. However, that was before the team hired the oldest head coach in NFL history when they gave Pete Carroll a three-year contract.
Carroll seems intent on building a winner quickly. That's obviously easier said than done but adding a proven star quarterback would jumpstart any rebuild. The Los Angeles Rams are currently letting Matthew Stafford talk to other teams about a trade.
While they seem to prefer to have Stafford back, the fact that he's talking to other teams opens up the possibility that he's going to get moved. It hasn't been revealed which teams he's going to talk to but it sounds like the Raiders are going to try and get in the mix, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
"The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring," Breer wrote. "The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest."
Stafford is 37 but he'd easily be the best quarterback the Raiders have had since Rich Gannon. Even at his age, he still plays like a top-10 quarterback. If Las Vegas could add him without giving up a first-round pick, they could potentially build a contender overnight.
Some fans may prefer a slower and more methodical rebuild but the Raiders also haven't won a playoff game in over two decades. Stafford has won five playoff games over the last four seasons, including a Super Bowl win.
With a Super Bowl-winning head coach and quarterback leading the charge, the Raiders could be the biggest sleeper in the NFL next season. That said, it's far from a guarantee that Stafford will end up in Las Vegas. For now, it's just a situation to watch.