Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach  Gifted $60 Million To A Top Star QB for 2024 NFL Draft…

The Raiders have eight picks in the 2024 draft. Their first pick is set for 13th overall. Will the Raiders be able to do enough to move up and take McCarthy if they choose?

The Raiders quarterback situation is fluid at the moment. Antonio Pierce has stated that Aidan O’Connell has “earned the right” to compete for a starting job.

The Raiders also added NFL journeyman and proven “backup” Garner Minshew. Garner is a fan favorite for any team he suits up for. Both quarterbacks will compete for a starting role, but the Raiders want to add a younger option.

On the Pivot Podcast, Pierce was his usual blunt self and spoke openly about the Raider’s quest to find the answer at quarterback.

“The wildcard is the quarterback,” Pierce said. “What are we going to do? Well, we’ve got to put a plan together. There are always quarterbacks there are ways to get. Everybody has a price; there’s always a price. There’s always something that people are willing to do, like woo. ‘You’re giving me that for this?’ You can create a little doubt there, a little like, hmm, interest, as far as if they want to make that move.”

Pierce does not hide his love for McCarthy, but as we move closer to the draft, J.J. climbs the draft projections quickly. After an impressive Pro Day, his name has entered “top five pick” conversations.

It is pretty unanimous that J.J. will not be available at the 13th pick for the Raiders. Can the Raiders move to steal him away from other NFL teams?

The Raiders would have to move in front of the Broncos (12th pick) and Vikings (11th pick) to ensure a chance at J.J. The Denver Broncos, a Raider rival in the AFC West, have openly stated that they are interested in moving up and theories surrounding their love for J.J. as well.

We will see if Pierce is bold enough to move into a position to steal McCarthy away from a divisional foe.

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Antonio Pierce on Raiders QB depth chart, 2024 draft class..

ORLANDO — Rookie Aidan O’Connell went 5-5 as the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, including throwing eight touchdown passes without an interception over his final four games. As such, O’Connell will be given every opportunity this offseason to win the starting job in 2024.

The Raiders also signed veteran Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million deal with $15 million guaranteed in free agency to compete for the job, and former Baltimore Ravens backup Anthony Brown is also on the roster.

But that doesn’t mean the Raiders’ QB1 currently has a locker in their facility.

Not with Raiders coach Antonio Pierce unabashed in his desire to find a franchise passer in the draft. Especially with his personal connection to LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, whom he initially recruited to Arizona State when he was an assistant coach (2018-21).

Thing is, the Raiders own the No. 13 overall pick, and with Daniels among the consensus top three QB prospects — along with USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye — trading up to get Daniels would be an expensive if not impossible task. That’s because the teams picking 1-2-3 all need QBs in the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots.

Pierce went to work at the AFC coaches breakfast during the NFL owners meetings here Monday, giving scouting reports on the next line of quarterbacks entering the draft.

“We interviewed most of those guys at the combine, had great conversations with them,” Pierce said. “J.J. McCarthy, you’re talking about a national champ, a winner. So I don’t know how he’s not in the top three, if you want to be honest. And then you look at Bo Nix, I mean, what is it, 61 career starts? Come on, man. That’s crazy. Played against Justin Herbert. So if you grab a kid like that, well, he’s done that already. That’s kind of cool. But there’s a very talented group, even Michael Penix Jr., taking his guys to the national championship with the University of Washington.

“So, to be honest, yeah, you want a certain quarterback. You got your eye on one or two or three, but I don’t think you can go wrong with this year’s draft with any of these guys now. Do they pan out? I don’t know. It’s the fit. It’s when they get brought along. It’s the system. A lot of things go into play.”

The cynic might see Pierce imbibing in some serious quarterback gamesmanship, pumping up all the signal-callers so one falls to the Raiders.