NFL Power Rankings: Raiders QB options if they can’t land Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward

Someone had to win the Week 16 game between a pair of AFC bottom feeders in the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders. The Silver and Black came out on top for the third time this season to improve to 3-12 on another failed campaign for them. While players and coaches do not tank, organizations do, this loss may have knocked the Raiders back a bit on the quarterback market.

With this precious third win on the season, the Raiders would be picking sixth instead of first in the 2025 NFL Draft if the season ended today. The New York Giants have the worst record in the NFL at a delightful 2-13 with the New England Patriots, Jacksonville, the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns now sandwiched between them. This is a huge deal because the Raiders need a quarterback.

While I suspect that they would trade up to get either Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado or Cam Ward out of Miami, what if they are already off the board? New York will take one of them and teams like Cleveland and Tennessee could use an upgrade at quarterback. Are there other options to have for the Silver and Black this offseason? They have some, but they really do need to find their next starter.

Here are five potential quarterbacks outside of Sanders and Ward who I think could lead the Raiders.

5. Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers

It remains to be seen what becomes of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers beyond this season. He has more eligibility to use in college football, but Arch Manning beckons in Austin. He could transfer to another team once the Longhorns' College Football Playoff run comes to a close. Given his injury history, it might serve him just to turn pro and see what happens. Could he be a fit for the Raiders?

To me, Ewers is a far more talented version of what they already have in Aidan O'Connell at this point. Ewers can throw it around the field as well as O'Connell can, albeit with a bit more zip. However, Ewers' injury-prone nature, as well as his lack of mobility are a major concern for me with him having a long and successful career at the NFL level. Then again, he does somewhat of fit the Raiders' rebel brand.

Ewers could be a first-round pick, but anyone taking him inside of the top six is such a massive reach.

4. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins

You like that?! Well, I did for a while, and then the wheels fell off the wagon. Kirk Cousins was riding high as the starting quarterback for my Atlanta Falcons during the first two months of the season. Then, October happened, and he quickly devolved into a pumpkin. Cousins will be playing on the second-year of a four-year deal that Atlanta can get out of after the 2026 NFL season completely.

My thought is Cousins being an additional year removed from a torn Achilles will help him get the last little bit of NFL talent out of his body. The Raiders do have some weapons for him to work with. If he sticks, then maybe the Raiders land a more overall likable version of Derek Carr? If he stinks, well, the Raiders can move on and draft a top-tier quarterback in the spring two years from now. It will all work out.

Plus, the Falcons would be fronting the bill for nearly all of Cousins' contract should he be released.

3. Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck

Another quarterback I know well, as well as another I could get behind suiting up for the Silver and Black next year. Although he may have played his last down for the Georgia Bulldogs, Carson Beck was every bit the prototypical quarterback prospect entering this past college football season. He has the size, arm talent and poise to play at the next level; he just needs more reliable pass-catchers...

Making Beck QB3 behind Sanders and Ward is not too farfetched. He may not be a high-end quarterback at the next level, but if his injured left arm heals up, he can definitely play on Sundays. Much of what plagued him turning the ball over a ton this past season had everything to do with a collapsing pocket in front of him. Beck could be a first-rounder, one worthy of trading back for.

My thought with the Raiders taking Beck is to have a stop-gap starting in between before he is ready.

2. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold

Somebody is going to win the Sam Darnold sweepstakes this offseason, and I might as well be the Raiders. Although my pick to land Darnold in free agency was the Tennessee Titans up until this past Saturday, they may just decide to draft someone like Sanders, Ward or Alabama's Jalen Milroe inside of the top five. Darnold has been sensational this year for the Minnesota Vikings, but there is a catch...

It seems as though Darnold needs to go to a team that has its collective stuff together in order to be successful. The Raiders are closer to what the New York Jets were when they drafted him No. 3 overall out of USC. To be frank, the Jets are still dysfunctional. Either way, Darnold will become the most sought-after free agent quarterback this offseason. I have my reservations about J.J. McCarthy.

Darnold is the only free agent quarterback I think could have long-term success with the Raiders.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe

And we have arrived at my QB3 on the draft board right now in Alabama Crimson Tide starter Jalen Milroe. As I hoped, Milroe did take his game up a level during his second season as the Alabama starter. He kind of reminds me of a lesser version of Jayden Daniels at this point. He feels like a fringe first-round pick, but one whose draft stock could be elevated by how well he does during interviews.

To me, Milroe needs to be the player the Raiders target if they are dead-set on taking a quarterback inside of the top 10 this spring if both Ward and Sanders are off the board. They may covet Sanders above all else, but I think they can make it work with Milroe quite well. The Raiders need a quarterback who embodies all that is great and that this franchise quarterback. I feel that Milroe could be the guy.

Should Sanders and Ward already be off the table, I would push all of my chips in to drafting Milroe.