Coming into the offseason, the biggest question surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders was the quarterback position. However, the franchise was expected to address that this summer, with minority owner Tom Brady expected to play a significant role in all big decisions.
The Raiders would make a big move in trading for Geno Smith and then signing him to an extension as he is set as the team’s quarterback for the foreseeable future. The Raiders also used a sixth-round pick on North Dakota State’s Cam Miller as more of a developmental prospect.
It would make sense to believe that this was all in Brady’s plans, but in an interview on the Impaulsive podcast with Logan Paul, Brady revealed that it was quite the opposite, via Ben Strauss of Yard Barker:
“It’s a good question,” Brady said after stuttering at the inquiry. “I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process.”
This is a legitimate surprise, as Brady was expected to be at the forefront of the Raiders’ brain trust in terms of all major decisions, especially those regarding the quarterback position. But for whatever reason, that wasn’t the case.
While Brady wasn’t involved in the Raiders’ decisions, he did take some time to text Shedeur Sanders amid his draft slide from expected first-round pick to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns took him:
“I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well, and I said, ‘Dude, like, whatever happens, wherever you go, like, that’s your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft. I was [pick] 199. So, who could speak on it better than me, like, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it,’” Brady concluded.
Brady’s knowledge and experience are invaluable, and that is why he was brought on to the Raiders ownership group. He will certainly be part of some big decisions in the future, but as far as this offseason, it wasn’t the case.
Raiders won’t ‘pigeonhole’ QB-turned-WR sixth-round pick Tommy Mellott
Technically, the Raiders took another quarterback in the sixth round of the NFL Draft in Tommy Mellott of Montana State. But while he played the position in college, he will be transitioning to wide receiver in the NFL, similar to a Tom Brady favorite, Julian Edelman.
In fact, Mellott has drawn comparisons to Edelman, and the Raiders are excited about his potential, though they won’t pigeonhole him into one particular role just yet. The 5’11 Mellott ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and had a 41-inch vertical at his pro day while also showing off his abilities as a receiver that he had been working on.
