Aaron Rodgers domino effect: What Packers return would mean for Raiders, Jets, and Jordan Love

What Aaron Rodgers return to Green Bay means for Raiders

The Raiders are in a very strange position. They could honestly use a quarterback exactly like Derek Carr, a good-not-great quarterback that can get them a bit further down the line.

Problem is, they just released him, largely because they didn’t want to pay his pricey contract any longer.

With that in mind, the Raiders might not want to peruse the free agent market out of fear that the options available will be out of their price range. Even Garoppolo feels like it could be a bit of a stretch, despite his connection with head coach Josh McDaniels from their days in New England.

Ultimately, expect the Raiders to be in the running for fringe backups like Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater. Perhaps Jimmy G, too.

Ultimately, though, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them go with youth at quarterback. They can’t quite move up to get either of the two major names at QB — Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud — but they can get another name they’ve already been rumored to have met with: Hendon Hooker.

Hooker is a tough prospect to get a feel for. He’s incredibly talented and may have the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft, but he tore an ACL this past season which will scare some teams off.

The Tennessee product proved enough before that injury, though, that a team like the Raiders looking for an easy answer on a budget will have no choice but to pull the trigger, even if it’s a bit of a reach.

Domino falling: Raiders go young by drafting Hendon Hooker, but will consider other QBs to start over him during his rookie season.