When it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster, the biggest question remains who will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2025. Much focus has been put on the draft, but the franchise could choose to address the position via trade, and one of the biggest names available is Los Angeles Rams signal caller Matthew Stafford.
Stafford has long been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL leading the Rams to a Super Bowl championship in 2021 and, even at 37 years old, has shown over the last couple seasons that he has plenty left in the tank. Getting a quarterback of his caliber would immediately improve the fortunes the Raiders so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they have expressed interest.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Raiders are one of many teams who have shown interest in trading for Stafford:
The teams you’d suspect would have their hat in the ring have, indeed, thrown their hats in the ring. The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders and others have shown interest.
What’s hard to know now, though, is what the Rams would be willing to take to part with Stafford. If it’s a first-round pick, would the aforementioned teams still be willing to do a deal at more than $50 million per year? And if that first-round pick is in the top 10, as is the case with three of the aforementioned four teams, would the Rams be willing to take a 2026 pick instead of one this year? And if not, how in the world do the Rams fix this with Stafford?
As Breer noted, Stafford is seeking an extension that would make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league so any team trading for him would also have to work out that new deal. The question for the Raiders is whether they feel Stafford is worth giving up serious draft capital and signing him to a new contract.
Figuring out the starting quarterback is the top priority for the Raiders, and someone like Stafford is likely the best overall player, who they could potentially acquire, whether through the draft, free agency, or trade. The Raiders’ brain trust is going to explore all potential options and move on what they feel is the best one and if that is Stafford, they will pursue it to the best of their ability.
Raiders interested in QB Sam Darnold in free agency?
Another option for the Raiders is free agency, and the top prize there is Sam Darnold, who is coming off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings.
A recent NFL insider recently spoke about the possibility of Darnold to the Raiders, believing that at some point, the franchise could show some interest in bringing on the quarterback. While Darnold doesn’t have the resume of someone like Matthew Stafford, he is clearly very talented and would likely cost less to bring in than the Rams’ quarterback.
