For Las Vegas Raiders fans, it’s frustrating to see what “might’ve been,” even though it’s becoming a recurring issue every year. However, 2024 might be one of the worst in recent memory.
No one’s going to sit here and say that the Silver and Black should regret drafting Brock Bowers. The Georgia product has not only lived up to the hype but has surely surpassed it. In reality, one could argue that he already ranks among the top tight ends in the game. Still, the reason that the team finds itself with the No. 1 pick at the moment is that Las Vegas missed out on a quarterback this past April.
What’s done is done for the Raiders…
Nobody’s crying over spilled milk and dwelling on it doesn’t help. Even so, it’s frustrating for Raider Nation to see what could’ve gone down at the 2024 NFL draft had some things fallen into place. Head coach Antonio Pierce is probably among those who wanted things to go down differently. After all, who can forget him championing Jayden Daniels all offseason leading up to the draft?
Let’s be honest; the Washington Commanders had no intention of relinquishing their right to draft Daniels. That doesn’t mean that the Raiders wouldn’t have gotten a quarterback. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports recently noted that the Raiders, and specifically general manager Tom Telesco, believed that they would acquire Michael Penix Jr. Unfortunately, Penix “had a higher premium on him in other organizations, and the 2024 pool of quarterbacks was exponentially better than what was coming in the 2025 pipeline,” said Robinson.
2024 vs. 2025
In essence, teams with a need for a quarterback were not willing to wait until 2025. If you take Penix out of the picture, the Raiders were reportedly considering Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. As many are aware, Fuaga has excelled for the New Orleans Saints this season. The prized first left tackle certainly could’ve found a place with the Raiders, especially when you consider the troubles that have plagued their O-line.
Looking at the big picture, Bowers really was the best-case scenario for the Raiders if you remove the quarterbacks from the equation. The “top” prospects, Daniels, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams, were not dropping from the top three, and their respective teams were never going to give them up. The “second” wave of signal-callers, such as Penix, Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy, also weren’t in play. In hindsight, the Silver and Black walked away from the 2024 draft with the best offensive weapon.
The season might be lost, but the future has some hope, even more if the team gets its quarterback next April.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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