The Las Vegas Raiders endured a difficult 2024 season, finishing with a 4-13 record and falling far short of a playoff spot.
While their struggles weren’t solely due to quarterback issues, the team failed to find consistency at the position, rotating between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, who nearly split the season’s starts evenly.
Now, the Raiders hope to fix their QB situation either through NFL free agency (starting March 10) or the NFL Draft, which features top-tier prospects like Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders—both potential options for the Raiders with the No. 6 overall pick.
Some experts believe the Raiders should draft Sanders, one of the best QB prospects of the 2025 draft class, but former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has a different solution.
Sam Darnold is the quarterback Los Angeles Raiders need, Shawne Merriman says
Speaking to NFL Analysis, Merriman suggested the Raiders should sign Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold, who is set to become a free agent in 2025.
“If I was at the Raiders, and I put on my non-bias hat […], I would go after and get a Sam Darnold,” Merriman told NFL Analysis. “I would go out and get a vet and I would still draft, no matter what.”
Merriman emphasized that even if the Raiders land a veteran like Darnold, they should still draft a rookie QB as part of their long-term plan.
“I would bring in a vet who can go there and get on the field right now and get accustomed to that offense,” he said. “And I would be working with a rookie behind the scenes to take his place, if not a full year, at least halfway through the season.”
Pete Carroll was a smart hire for the Raiders, Merriman says
Pete Carroll takes over as the Raiders’ head coach in 2025. He spent a year as an advisor for the Seahawks, but Carroll had been rumored to go back to coaching after the 2024 season.
Merriman believes hiring Carroll was the right move, considering how competitive the AFC West has become.
“I think they did a good job by bringing in Pete Carroll,” Merriman told NFL Analysis. “In that AFC West Divison, to compete, you need to bring in quality coaches, with Sean Payton there, with Jim Harbaugh there and Andy Reid; if you don’t bring in a big coach that has experience at winning Super Bowls or at least winning in general, you have no shot in that division. So, I think they were smart by bringing Pete in.”
The Raiders are expected to focus their draft efforts on a quarterback, with the possibility of trading up in the draft to secure a top prospect. However, Tom Brady has reportedly tried Matthew Stafford in hopes to bring him to the Raiders.
- Shawne Merriman’s Lights Out Sports TV has teamed up with Signature Punch Promotions, ICS (Influencer Crossover Series), to put on a major boxing match between UFC legends Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Rashad Evans, on April 12, at The Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.