The Las Vegas Raiders have a roster capable of competing for a playoff spot in 2024 after an 8-9 season in 2023, but their ability to end their two-year playoff drought will ultimately hinge on how things go at quarterback.
Las Vegas has Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell competing for the starting job, but neither is guaranteed to be good enough to put the Raiders over the top. We know what Minshew is already, which is a high-level backup and average starter, at best.
O'Connell, on the other hand, is a total wild card due to the fact that he has just 10 games under his belt after what was an up-and-down rookie season that saw him improve down the stretch.
If the Raiders are good but are being held back from fully reaching their potential in 2024 due to lackluster quarterback play, it isn't crazy to think general manager Tom Telesco could make a move at the trade deadline if an upgrade is available.
According to Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, one name to keep an eye on in the trade market during the season is Dallas Cowboys signal-caller, Dak Prescott. In his bold predictions article, Gagnon has Prescott getting traded at the deadline.
Gagnon prefaces his bold prediction by saying it's unlikely Prescott would be available because Dallas will almost certainly not be out of playoff contention by the time the NFL trade deadline rolls around.
But if so, he thinks the Raiders could be a potential landing spot.
Quarterbacks rarely move in the middle of seasons, but most of the ingredients are there in this case. Now, if a contender were to suffer a major injury at quarterback, or if a team like Las Vegas or Seattle finds itself in contention in spite of what it has at quarterback, a deadline blockbuster involving Prescott could come to fruition.
Prescott is seeking a new contract from the Cowboys, and there is no shortage of debate about whether or not Dallas should pay him due to his inability to win big games in the playoffs.
Based on what we've seen from Minshew and O'Connell during their respective careers so far, Prescott would be an upgrade over both, and he'd have a fantastic supporting cast of pass-catchers to work with. That doesn't mean he'll be able to erase his playoff struggles, though.
The question is, would Telesco be open to a quick fix under center, or is he thinking more long term in his first season as general manager?
The answer to that question will depend on what the Raiders show leading up to the deadline. It's doubtful Telesco would pull the trigger on such a deal if Las Vegas isn't a legit contender that is just a quarterback away.
And even if they are, Prescott is no guarantee to be enough to get the Raiders to the Promised Land, as we've seen during his days in Dallas.
Then, you have to factor in everything it would take to not only land Prescott, but to keep him. After giving up draft capital, the Raiders would then have to extend Prescott, who is in the final year of his deal, with a massive deal.
Acquiring Prescott is definitely something interesting to think about considering the current concerns Las Vegas has at quarterback, but it's a scenario that is unlikely to unfold.
