HENDERSON, Nev. -- In the Raiders' first attempt of the offseason to address the most important position on the football field, they swung for the fences.
Las Vegas engaged in discussions with Matthew Stafford to lure him away from Los Angeles before the 37-year-old signal caller eventually agreed to a restructured deal to remain a Ram.
Now with Stafford officially out of the picture, what's next?
General manager John Spytek anticipates "great competition" at quarterback, featuring in-house options Aidan O'Connell and Carter Bradley competing for the starting job. But after Las Vegas finished 4-13 under Gardner Minshew, O'Connell and Desmond Ridder -- who started one game in 2024, Spytek added, "we've got to win more games, too." One quarterback domino fell on Wednesday when a source confirmed to ESPN that the Raiders are expected to release Minshew at the start of the league year.
The Raiders' interest in Stafford fit the team's plan of expediting a rebuild. However, the remaining options in free agency and the draft to help reach this goal are few.
Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Las Vegas is looking into veteran options like Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
Though Wilson has a relationship with coach Pete Carroll dating back to their Seattle days, he is 36, and the end to his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn't glamorous. Wilson completed 62.7% of his pass attempts while throwing for 708 yards, five touchdowns and two picks during Pittsburgh's four-game losing streak to close out the regular season.
After Wilson threw for 414 yards in a Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he eclipsed 200 yards just twice in the team's final five contests.
Darnold could make more sense for the Raiders. He is 27 and coming off the best season of his career, finishing fifth in passing yards (4,319) and touchdown passes (35), while guiding the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record.
Darnold's success has put him in line to receive a big payday. He could command a deal similar to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who signed a three-year, $100 million contract with $50 million guaranteed last offseason. The Raiders are projected to have the second-most cap space in the league, so they are equipped to meet Darnold's contract expectations.
At the same time, the Raiders must be wise with their resources. Las Vegas still has to address needs at wide receiver, running back, offensive line, safety, cornerback, linebacker and defensive line.
"If the opportunity comes to sign a Tom Brady or a Baker Mayfield or trade for a Jason Pierre-Paul or Rob Gronkowski, just examples of my career, we will absolutely do that when the team is ready and the organization is ready for that," Spytek told reporters in Las Vegas last month.
With the Raiders holding the sixth pick of the draft, it's realistic that they can take Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, who is considered the second-best quarterback in this year's class. In two seasons at Colorado, Sanders showcased strong composure in the pocket and good accuracy, completing 74% of his pass attempts in 2024.
In addition to his accuracy and decision-making, Sanders plays with the toughness that Carroll looks for in his players. Sanders also has an established relationship with minority owner Brady, who is expected to be influential in the Raiders' quarterback search.
"Being able to have that person I'm able to talk to and call whenever I'm having questions about the game and he's able to relate to it because he did it at the highest level. It's truly amazing," Sanders said of Brady at the combine.
However, the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, all of whom are ahead of the Raiders in the draft order, are also in need of a quarterback, meaning Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward could be taken before Las Vegas makes its selection.
While the Giants are exploring veteran options, including Aaron Rodgers, they could still take one of the top quarterbacks to ensure their future at the position. Depending on the direction those teams take, Las Vegas might have to trade up to land one of the top two quarterback prospects.
"I wouldn't rule out anything," Spytek said on moving up in the draft. "I try to be an open-minded person, and if it makes sense for the Raiders, we'll do it. If it doesn't, we won't."
If the Raiders don't land a quarterback at No. 6, they could target Jaxson Dart, Will Howard or Jalen Milroe. Howard already has a relationship with Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, as the two helped Ohio State secure a national title.
"It's a diverse group," Carroll said about the quarterback class. "It remains to be seen where they all go, but it's a talented group that's done a lot of winning. There's going to be guys throughout the ranks of this class that are going to be star players."