New Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll has a dilemma on his hands, and that is whether to draft a quarterback or find one through free agency. And rumors are circulating that the Raiders may target current Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson if the Steelers decide not to re-sign him.
A Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson Reunion?
As some may recall, Wilson played for Carroll while they both were with the Seattle Seahawks before he moved on to the Denver Broncos and Steelers. While he struggled with the Broncos and eventually ended up leaving, he played better with the Steelers, throwing for over 2,400 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
However, Wilson, who will turn 37 later this year, hasn’t looked like the same quarterback he was in Seattle, and the Raiders would be taking a huge chance on him. He finished around average (No. 17 overall) in PFN’s QB+ metric, with a 75.3 (C) grade. Wilson’s teammate, Justin Fields, didn’t qualify for a QB+ grade but would have finished ahead of Wilson if he had.
Nevertheless, Carroll has made it clear that no decision has been made yet.
“It’s so early, and we’re just in the midst of trying to find the puzzle pieces. We’re not even putting them together yet, so I can’t even say. Free agency hasn’t come yet. That’s the first competitive opportunity that will occur. Then, the draft is coming. We’ll have that opportunity. I can’t tell you right now. I could guess, but it would just be a guess.”
One other person who will have a say in which direction the Raiders will take when it comes to who they pick at quarterback will be Tom Brady.
Tom Brady Will Be Part of the Decision Process
Carroll made mention in his opening press conference that Brady, who has part ownership of the team, will have a role in what direction the team takes at quarterback.
“It’s our mission to build our team, this football team, up around the quarterback position … it isn’t the only spot,” Carroll said.
“We happen to have the greatest of all time to help us, to seek clearly, and we are going to lean on Tom as much as we can for his insights because nobody has the insights that he has; he is that unique.”
The Raiders would be wise to listen to Brady, especially given his influence and knowledge of the game. It would be insane not to use him to get an idea of what quarterback would be best for Carroll’s system.
But when Wilson was in Carroll’s offense, it relied heavily on the run game, including the veteran QB, who would use his legs to make plays. The question now is will the Raiders move forward with a new quarterback or a familiar face?