With the NFL draft now finished, some of the top remaining free agents in the league will have a better understanding on where they should sign. Of the remaining players on the market, former Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill is viewed as a top option. Jack Murray of Bleacher Report listed landing spots for the former Pro Bowl quarterback, listing the Las Vegas Raiders as one of the “best” landing spots.
“The Las Vegas Raiders were a team that many thought could make a splash for a quarterback in the Draft. That did not materialize, and it will enter the season with Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Anthony Brown on the depth chart.
“That may sound like enough, especially considering the fact that the team just signed Minshew in the offseason and O’Connell had significant experience as a rookie in 2023, Murray wrote in his April 27 column exploring landing spots for Tannehill and Odell Beckham Jr. “However, the Raiders could be a team that has an itch that wasn’t totally scratched in the draft and adding another layer with Tannehill could push the other quarterbacks during training camp.”
Raiders Didn’t Draft a Quarterback
Entering the draft, the expectation was for the Las Vegas Raiders to draft a quarterback. However, that didn’t happen, and heading into May, there will be a quarterback battle between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.
Minshew played well in 2023, appearing in 17 games. The 27-year-old threw for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. O’Connell played in 11 games for the Raiders in 2023, throwing for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Speaking to reporters after the NFL draft, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco said drafting a quarterback “didn’t line up.”
“On the third day? No. Really not the second day either. The first day, yes. But not after that,” Telesco told reporters. “If we felt there was a quarterback out there that was better than we had, or could potentially be better, certainly we would have done something out it. But it didn’t line up.”
Telesco didn’t shut down the idea of landing another quarterback, which is where the former Miami Dolphins quarterback could come into play.
How Ryan Tannehill Would Help the Raiders
With all of the veterans on the Las Vegas Raiders roster, Tannehill could fit right in. They have talent on both sides of the football, including Davante Adams, recently drafted Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins, and others.
Bringing in a veteran like Tannehill could be ideal as he was a starter during his time with the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans, giving them someone who’s also played in the league for 11 years.
Statistically, Tannehill is coming off two of the worst seasons in his career. However, that was due to playing in just 22 combined games during the two seasons. In 2021, the last season he was healthy, the 35-year-old threw for 3,734 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Whether he can still put up those numbers remains to be seen due to the injuries he’s dealt with both with the Titans and Dolphins. In his career, the 2019 AP Comeback Player of the Year has thrown for 34,881 yards and 216 touchdowns.
Like Heavy.com’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy.com
The post Raiders Viewed as Landing Spot for Former Dolphins Pro Bowl QB appeared first on Heavy.com.