The Las Vegas Raiders have an uncertain situation when it comes to their quarterback position, as neither Gardner Minshew nor Aidan O'Connell are guaranteed to be a long-term solution at the position.
With that in mind, general manager Tom Telesco's ears should have perked up a bit when it was announced that the Carolina Panthers were benching Bryce Young in favor of Andy Dalton.
It isn't clear if the Raiders are one of them, but per ESPN's Adam Schefter, teams around the NFL have inquired about Young since he was benched. Schefter notes that the expectation around the league is that Young will be dealt at some point, although the Panthers have denied any interest in dealing him.
Several teams have expressed an interest in trading for quarterback Bryce Young, despite the fact coach Dave Canales said the Carolina Panthers do not intend to trade the former No. 1 overall pick, league sources told ESPN.
The Panthers have been contacted by certain teams, according to league sources, while other teams have mulled a Young trade within their own organizations.
Although the Panthers have said they don't plan to trade Young at this time, sources around the league believe it is only a matter of time before Carolina completes a deal involving the second-year quarterback -- with the most likely time coming at some point in the offseason.
Young has been very disappointing since entering the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick last year, but he's also playing for a terrible team that does him no favors.
Teams are clearly (and rightly) wondering if Young might be able to rebound in a better situation. If so, whichever team acquires him could be getting a franchise quarterback who is still on a rookie deal for another few years.
The Raiders are not set at quarterback for the long haul by any stretch, and their chances of being able to draft their next franchise signal-caller in 2025 won't be good if they finish with a similar record in 2024 as they did in 2023, which is possible considering the Raiders have a solid roster.
Telesco should make a run at Young if he's available, whether that be now or down the road, although Schefter's report indicates the Panthers may not deal the 23-year-old until next offseason.
If they do have interest, the only thing that could stop the Raiders from pursuing Young in 2025 is if they land a high draft pick that puts them in range for a top quarterback.
Other than that, Young should absolutely be on the Raiders' radar moving forward. The Raiders can offer Young a strong supporting cast, and his cheap rookie deal will enable Telesco to keep building the roster around the young signal-caller.
What Young will fetch in a trade remains to be seen, but if the Raiders truly think he can be "the guy" for the long haul, there is almost no price too expensive to pay.
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