The Las Vegas Raiders didn't have much success under general manager Tom Telesco. Of course, he was joint at the hip with an inexperienced head coach in Antonio Pierce, and the Raiders were hindered by injuries throughout much of the 2024 NFL season.
In 2025, things have not been much better without him, however. With a 2-10 record and still no quarterback of the future currently on the roster, Las Vegas needs to upgrade just about everything in the building this offseason, other than tight end and running back.
It turns out that, before being fired, Telesco reportedly had plans to address the quarterback position in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ultimately, this move might have worked out better for the franchise than trading for Geno Smith this offseason, thanks to Pete Carroll.
Tom Telesco's quarterback plan would have paid off for the Raiders
The Raiders have not drafted a quarterback in the first round since selecting JaMarcus Russell first overall way back in 2007. If Telesco was able to remain with the franchise and had his way, that streak likely would have ended in 2025.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore discussed what Telesco's plans would have been in a recent appearance on The Morning Tailgate.
"I just think that if (Antonio Pierce) and Tom Telesco had still been here, I think the general manager would have been pounding the table for somebody else, and that would have been Jaxson Dart," Bonsignore said. "The former general manager loved Jaxson Dart to the point where he literally went to, I don’t know if I’ve said this publicly or on air, but Tom Telesco bought a ticket. Bought a ticket. Usually, general managers go to college games and sit in the booth, but he didn’t want anybody to know that he was there."
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Bonsignore noted that the game Telesco attended and sat in the stands for was the Gator Bowl. He did clarify that he wasn't sure if Las Vegas would have selected Dart as early as sixth overall, but that they likely would have made another move to acquire him.
Obviously, the state of the franchise would look much different if Telesco had been retained and gotten his wish at quarterback. While the New York Giants, who landed Dart after trading back into the first round, have not turned things around in 2025, Dart appears to be a franchise player.
In seven starts, he has thrown for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, and completed 62.7% of his passes, while adding 317 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 55 carries. Of course, Pierce was a fan of Shedeur Sanders, but the veteran Telesco likely would have won this debate.
Meanwhile, Raiders fans will once again be hoping that the team is high enough on the draft board to land a franchise-altering college quarterback early in April's event. As always, the fan base is also left wondering what could have been.