Silver And Black Pride
Answering Raider Nation’s questions for the week
It’s Super Bowl weekend, so we’re creeping closer to the official start of the NFL offseason. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders have been busy, hiring Pete Carroll as head coach and bringing on Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator along with a handful of other moves. Also, the NFL Draft and free agency are creeping closer and closer, so we’ve got a lot to touch on for this week’s mailbag.
Q: Who do you think are the Top 3 ranked QB options for Chip Kelly’s offense for 2025 out of the available college players and free agents?
A: I can’t say I have a “Top 3” at this point, but what I can do is give a few names to keep tabs on in free agency and the draft. And since I’m not pinning down a Top 3, I’ll be generous and give three quarterbacks in both free agency and the draft. (How generous!)
Will Howard, Ohio State: This connection is obvious since Howard and Kelly just won a National Championship together. Howard took a bit to pick up the offense but we saw how effective he can be in the system during the College Football Playoffs. Also, being in an offense he’s familiar with should help ease his transition to the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado: Sanders is accurate, reads defenses well and makes good decisions with the football which would fit well with Kelly’s passing game that uses a lot of levels concepts. The former Buffalo is also a decent athlete to factor into the running game.
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon: Kelly’s offense does like to push the ball down the field, so I’d be concerned about Gabriel’s lack of arm strength. However, he’s one of the best quarterbacks at throwing with anticipation in this year’s draft class which is important in Kelly’s system. Also, Gabriel can tote the rock.
Sam Darnold, Vikings: Part of this is Kelly was known for adding former Pac-12 players during his time as the Eagles’ head coach. So, the USC product will undoubtedly be on the coach’s radar. Schematically, Darnold does well with a heavy play-action offense which Kelly likes to run. Also, Darnold’s always had plenty of arm talent.
Daniel Jones, Vikings/Giants: Bear with me here. Jones can run and has a strong arm to be a potential fit. I can’t say I’d be thrilled or extremely excited if the Raiders’ rolled into the season with him as the starting quarterback. But if Jones was signed to a cheap “prove it” type of contract, I could understand the thinking schematically. I just wouldn’t hold my breath that it would work out.
Marcus Mariota, Commanders: Similar to Howard, the connection here is obvious given that Mariota and Kelly worked together for a couple of years at Oregon. Mariota wouldn’t be a long-term solution, but he could be a decent stop-gap quarterback if the Raiders draft a quarterback.
A: I kind of answered the second question above. As far...
