The Las Vegas Raiders don’t have a quarterback and that’s likely a big reason why they couldn’t convince Ben Johnson to take their head coaching job. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are capable backups but shouldn’t be starters.
Las Vegas doesn’t have many appealing options in free agency or the draft so they may just need to embrace a stopgap option. That could lead to them bringing in a veteran quarterback who can compete with Minshew and O’Connell.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes that the Raiders are the best landing spot for Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.
“The Raiders haven’t experienced a lot of joy over the past few seasons, save for a promising but brief stretch at the end of 2023,” Knox wrote in a Jan. 22 column. “For all of his flaws on the field, Winston is a tremendous locker-room presence who can help galvanize a team while filling the backup role.”
Winston has had an up-and-down career since being the No. 1 pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. He may made a Pro Bowl as a rookie but hasn’t found a consistent starting job since 2019. In 12 games for the Browns this season, he threw 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.
Winston Could Be Happy to Be Part of Raiders Rebuild
As Knox noted, Winston has a dynamic personality that could help bring some juice to a Raiders locker room that is going through another head coaching change. However, that’s not all he would bring.
He’s got a big arm and is capable of making a lot of plays. His downfall is his turnover issues. That said, the Raiders are going through a bit of a rebuild, which isn’t for the faint of heart. Knox believes that Winston’s personality would be good for a team trying to figure things out.
“In Las Vegas, Winston could at least get a chance to compete, although his propensity for turnovers might not lead to many starting opportunities,” Knox wrote. “Those issues aren’t going to disappear, but playmakers like Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers would at least complement Winston’s strong arm if he were to see the field.
“Winston would probably also relish the chance to be part of a Raiders’ turnaround, however his role looks.”
Winston Overlapped With John Spytek
The Raiders are in the process of hiring Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek as their general manager. Spytek was not part of the team when they drafted Winston but did overlap with the quarterback for four seasons.
He should have a lot of insight into Winston and what he does well. It’s unclear if that would be a good or bad thing for the quarterback’s chances of getting signed by Las Vegas. If he does join the team, it’s a sign that Spytek thinks highly of him.
Regardless, Winston wouldn’t be a long-term option and would likely come in on a one-year deal. The Raiders could do worse than him at quarterback, especially if they don’t have a path to drafting one early. Winston can be an effective quarterback if he can just figure out how to cut back on the turnovers.
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