The decision was announced on Tuesday that the Raiders are hiring Tom Telesco as their next general manager, and it was a move that came as a surprise to many.
Champ Kelly and Ed Dodds were considered the favorites to get the job for several weeks, but on Monday, Telesco returned to Las Vegas for a second interview and was informed that he had the job soon after.
We don’t know what changed the team’s thinking process on Kelly and Dodds, but we did get a hint on Tuesday that might explain why Telesco was hired for the job.
JT The Brick is one of the best-connected voices on the Raiders because of his position with the team and his relationship with the owner, but he doesn’t often use his platform to break news or share sensitive information.
On Tuesday, as the news was breaking that Telesco was expected to get the job, JT shared a piece of information that was not only relevant to the future of the Raiders’ personnel department but might also have an impact on the upcoming draft.
Via his Raider Nation Radio show, these were JT’s comments on the team’s mindset as they moved toward hiring their next GM…
“Clearly, trading up to get a quarterback, it’s going to have to be aggressive. The Raiders are going to have to give up a lot. Wink, wink. That’s why I think the GM who is announced, whoever it is, is going to have to have a plan to go get that quarterback. That’s a nice little secret I just gave you. I think it’s very accurate. Whoever the GM is going to be probably had to prove in several interviews that he has the ability to go get a quarterback in the first round.”
JT said the next GM needed to prove his or her “ability” to get a quarterback in the first round, but every GM candidate has the ability to make a trade in the draft. The overnight janitor in the building has the “ability” to call a team and agree to a trade.
More accurately, it sounds like the Raiders wanted a GM with the “willingness” to move up in the draft and take a quarterback… and it’s probably safe to assume that the owner is the driving force behind that mindset.
With that being the case, all bets are off on the Raiders’ draft. They should be considered candidates to move up as high as it takes to get the quarterback they want.
Whether it’s Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, no quarterback should be considered out of reach for the Raiders when the draft rolls around in April.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Isn’t that the mindset that Gruden had when he traded Khalil Mack? What are we willing to sacrifice for this higher draft pick of an unproven QB? Now I’m worried.
I do not want Justin Fields. Get me Daniels from LSU or McCarthy from U of M. Make the rest of the pick for the O-line, D- line and secondary. A back up RB to share with Zeuss.
McCarthy is a slug he would destroy what the Raiders are trying to build. Daniel’s is the guy if not him Fields is still a ton better than McCarthy
Trust me, you want nothing to do with a Miami QB. I’ve been following since I graduated in ’02. The best we’ve done was Ken Dorsey as an OC.
I hope Telesco does somehow make a move up for a QB. Supposedly there is 3 franchise changing QBs in this draft. That being Caleb Williams.. Drake Maye.. and Jayden Daniels. If I had to choose I’d go Williams, Daniels then Maye. I just feel like Williams is more polished and NFL ready than the other 2. But with Daniels his upside is ridiculous. I feel he just needs to work on a couple things and if he gets with the right coach to coach him up.. your looking at Mike Vick, Lamar Jackson rolled into one. I believe Daniels can be that good with the right coach. As for Maye it’s really just a personal preference. I just rather have one of the other 2 guys. I don’t have any knocks against Maye or his game. I believe he can be great also. Overall I just feel that Caleb Williams right now has the knowledge and gameplay that will translate best to the NFL game. As for the other QBs in the draft.. I like Nix just a little bit better than Penix. As for McCarthy I feel like he’s not worth a 1st round pick. He’s more like a day 2 guy to me. So if we don’t go up into the top 3 of the draft and stay at 13 or move up just a little depending on how the draft plays out .. I’d like them to get Nix outta the 3. I just know this. I much rather roll the dice on a rookie QB than going out and signing one of the free agent QBs. Because TBH if we go with a free agent QB we’ll just be looking for a QB again in a couple yrs. This draft class is loaded with good to great QBs in it. (Supposedly) So just go try and get one now. Especially since McDaniels screwed us last year on getting C. J. Stroud. Man that pisses me off.
The smart play. I like that. Its for sure what we need to do as long as we dont give away the entire farm to do it. I’m thinking a player traded worthy of a number one pick plus our first round pick to get to the first 2-5 picks most likely the 3rd pick to get Daniels. That saves the rest of our picks rounds 2 thru 7 to draft a new offensive line (2-3) picks and try again for DT/DE help for Maxx and Koonce as Tyree was/is another bust like Ferrell.
I only want Daniels.I really think that Washington will deal with us now that the worm schneider is out of the picture. The new management will love the boat load of picks. And we might get the last laugh on jumping ahead of NE and screwing up their dream of drafting Daniels. To you mr kraft its time to go and get your $2 massage from the local strip mall…freak! Never ever again the patriot way, ever!
Daniels nothing else. We have 2 clowns on our roster thanks to the patriot way. Old man hoyer and humty dumpty garrapolo. Thanks Mcstupid for those 2 great acquisitions. Your old buddies from NE. I hope they follow you wherever that may be. Hopefully nowhere.
I would keep all our picks. Get Pennix at 13 or corner or Dline. Or move up in second round and get Pennix there or Nix if we can. Then fill out the roster that way. We’re not going to have a winning record next year anyway after looking at 2024 schedule that I ‘very seen and we can get a QB again next year if we have to and we ‘ll still have all are picks this year and next year and we can get help on Oline ,Line and corner now and next year. Remember ROME wasn’t built in a Day.
I think Penix will be the same type of qb as Tua is for Miami. If you can live with that keep your picks and draft him at 13. I wouldn’t take Nix or McCarthy with a 1st round pick. What I do know is that it will not matter who the qb is if you can’t keep him upright. It’s too bad that Aiden McConnel isn’t very athethletic or else we could use concentrate on building the oline ,and adding missing pieces. One other thing is that we have to get faster at on offense. Other than Tre, we’re like slugs moving around out there.
…these white overlords keep blowing it. They’re completely tone deaf when it comes to recognizing a winning situation. They just can’t help it. I thought for a moment MD grew a pair —but naw, definitely not the case. AP can’t do it all. Someone besides him needs to have some tiny bit of common sense. We desperately need new ownership. Until then it seems obvious the Raiders will continue traveling the road of self destruction.
Anybody else worried that we now have the least experienced HC with a vet GM who has never been able to produce a consistent winning team in a division that has 3 other teams with absolute top notch proven HC’s? We don’t play in the AFC or NFC South, .500 will not be good enough. Whoever becomes the OC has to be a grand slam and P. Graham has to coach like he did in the last half of the season rather than the rest of his career. And Maxx has to be better as well as D. Adams and the rest of the offense. This past season brought the team together once MD finally “smarten up”, however those emotions won’t be there next year. Basically what I’m saying is AP better be praying we get a competent OC and a much better QB. MD has consistently picked the wrong people to lead the team so who believes he actually got it right this time now that the dust has settled in the coaching ranks in the AFC West?
I don’t know as much about football as as these football people, but, for people that are supposed to be smart football people, they sometimes do the dumbest things. I know enough to know that ANY player, maybe moreso a quarterback, maybe a superstar in college, doesn’t mean he’ll be a star as a pro. More often than not, we’ve all seen them bomb out rather than become decent or better players.
If they want to move up to get a qb, I’m good with that but PLEASE do not bring in fields. He’s a loser, and stop this Russell Wilson babble too. He’s a washed up bum
I think writing Tyree off as a bust after his first season is plain silly. It’s taken Koonce three seasons to reach his breakthrough. Tyree did not embarrass himself last season; he might be better next season and challenge for starting in year three. If there is improvement in 2024, then he’ll be worth keeping. He’s a rookie on a rookie contract, so he’s not breaking the bank, let’s see how develops before throwing hi. Under the bus.
Drafting QB’s is always a crap shoot. Stroud is an anomaly. It takes a season or two for a rookie to develop as a solid starter as a rule if they do so at all. By all means draft a rookie with thepotential to develop and compete with O’Connor. Meanwhile, if you want to make the playoffs next season, bring in a veteran like Cousins, if even for only a couple of seasons, while the young QB’s develop. That’s a proven formula. Just look at Green Bay.
AP doesn’t get any passes this coming year. The players threaten a mutiny if Mr Davis didn’t hire AP. Ok, they got what they wanted. It’s playoffs this year, or they should run him. Simple as that. It’s time to put up or get run.