While much of the focus for a potential new franchise quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders has been pointed to the 2024 NFL Draft, there are other options out there as well. In terms of swinging a trade, the biggest name that could be available is Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
Fields showed great improvement down the stretch of last season, but questions still linger about whether he is a true franchise quarterback. The Bears have the top overall pick in this year’s draft so they are currently weighing whether to keep Fields and trade down in the draft, or vice versa.
If it is the latter, Fields seems to have some suitors, and according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Raiders are one of four teams who are on Fields’ radar:
“The major quarterback domino that many are waiting to fall is Chicago’s Justin Fields decision. Chicago has not played its hand, and several league sources believe Fields — who has not requested a trade — could probably garner a Day 2 pick in a potential deal. There’s no firm deadline on a trade, though the start of free agency is sort of a soft one. Chicago will need multiple teams in the fray to drive a market, and after asking around, I expect Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and Minnesota to be on Fields’ radar.”
Fields would give the Raiders the best of both worlds as he isn’t experienced at the NFL level and has had some great success at times. But he also just 25 years old so he has plenty of room to grow and be developed.
With the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Raiders will not be in a position to draft one of the top QB prospects unless they trade up in the draft. And rising from 13 to the top-3 would cost them a big fortune full of future draft picks as well.
In the end, it will be up to the Raiders and whether they feel Fields is someone they can hand the keys to the car to. The front office will continue to explore every option possible and hopefully make the right decision when the time comes.
Antonio Pierce: Raiders don’t want to put a ‘band-aid’ on quarterback position
Fields would also fit what head coach Antonio Pierce is looking for with the team’s next quarterback as he doesn’t want some older, one-year solution at the position.
Pierce recently spoke on what he was looking for from the Raiders’ next quarterback position, noting that the franchise “don’t want to put a Band-Aid at that position.” Pierce added that he wants someone who will rise to the challenge of facing off with the top quarterbacks who currently reside in the AFC West.
