The Las Vegas Raiders took a sharp turn with their quarterback situation, moving on from Derek Carr. Now general manager Dave Ziegler must choose the next road to drive down.
The Raiders could bring back Jarrett Stidham after his two-game tryout last season and see what he does with an entire season at the helm. They could trade up in the draft or use the No. 7 overall pick to draft their next franchise QB. They could sign a free agent like Jimmy Garoppolo, who played under Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels in New England. Even a massive splash play for a big-name quarterback like Aaron Rodgers can't yet be ruled out.
In a recent episode on the Bussin' With the Boys podcast, Ziegler was asked about being in a position to make such a franchise-altering decision.
"We're in charge of filling the most important position on the team," he said. "There's some pressure that comes along with that. And however we fill it, it doesn't mean we're going to have an immediate answer this year. But, at the end of the day, we have to have an answer in some form or fashion. There's pressure that comes along with it. That's also part of the excitement too."
It should be noted that the podcast was posted Tuesday but recorded on Jan. 20, before Vegas officially released Carr, but well after both sides knew the relationship was over.
Ziegler's comment that he might not have an "immediate answer this year" underscores the fragile nature of where the Raiders sit. The GM is fully aware that unless a franchise QB magically falls in their lap, they could be in this exact situation next year, particularly if the on-field results don't change in 2023.
