The Las Vegas Raiders have gone through a quarterback carousel since the departure of Derek Carr in the 2023 offseason. The team has run through three different starting quarterbacks since Carr left town, and there is no clear long-term solution at the position currently on the roster.
Though he has shown flashes to start the season, Gardner Minshew has been incredibly inconsistent in the first couple of games of the 2024 campaign and is clearly not the long-term answer. Aidan O'Connell showed some potential during his rookie season but underwhelmed during the offseason and looks to be a career backup.
With the Raiders' quarterback situation uncertain, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski has the team finally finding their franchise signal-caller with the No. 7 overall pick in next year's draft, where he has them taking Miami quarterback, Cam Ward.
Ward looks like this year's candidate to emerge from being a good collegiate quarterback to a potential Heisman Trophy front-runner and future high draft pick.
The Las Vegas Raiders should be quite happy that a third quarterback prospect could work his way into top-10 consideration. The team already benched starter Gardner Minshew II during a game, though he'll start again this weekend. But it has been clear for months that the Raiders will go into another offseason looking for a long-term answer at quarterback.
Though he's had an up-and-down collegiate career, Ward has arguably been the best player in college football this season. The 22-year-old has completed 72.4% of his passes for 1,439 with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions in four starts this season and has displayed his electric escape ability and pinpoint accuracy.
Ward would provide a fresh approach to the Raiders' offense with his mobility and would also be set up for immediate success. Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are quietly one of the better wide receiver duos in the NFL and rookie tight end Brock Bowers is a budding superstar.
Las Vegas' defense, led by Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, has been plagued with injuries to begin the season but isn't far off from being one of the most formidable units in the league.
Instead of running through veteran quarterbacks in free agency and neglecting the position, it's time for the Raiders to find their franchise quarterback. If Cam Ward continues his stellar player for the Miami Hurricanes, he should be near the top of Las Vegas' draft board in April.
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