Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
While the Las Vegas Raiders have a Week 16 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Raider Nation’s attention is already on the offseason. So, as it’s been for a few weeks, this week’s mailbag column will focus on the NFL Draft, free agency and a potential head coach search.
Q: Which head coach candidates would you trust to develop Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward and put a plan in place to build around them?
A: Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, is the obvious answer but he seems to be the top candidate this offseason and I’m not sure how interested he’d be in the Raiders’ job. If he is, then Johnson is my top choice as he was last year.
Liam Coen, Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC, is a guy that has gained some steam for me recently. I was impressed with his creative running game while watching tape ahead of the Bucs game and he’s done a good job with Baker Mayfield this season. To be fair, Dave Canales played a bigger hand in reviving Mayfield’s career, but Tampa’s offense hasn’t skipped a beat this year despite having injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans (missed three games). Also, Coen comes from the Shanahan/McVay tree and that system would be a good fit for Sanders.
Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans OC, also comes from that coaching tree and did a good job developing CJ Stroud as a rookie. The issue with Slowik is Stroud and the Texans’ offense have regressed this season, but I’m still willing to buy stock in Slowik based on the 2023 campaign if he’s willing to come to Las Vegas.
Joe Brady, Carolina Panthers OC, would be a great pickup if the Raiders draft Ward. Brady has gained notoriety for what he’s done with quarterbacks who can create those coveted off-script plays like Joe Burrow (see the 2019 LSU season) and Josh Allen. Yes, Allen was already a good quarterback, but he’s become an MVP candidate since Brady took over midway through last season. The concern with Brady is he’s only 35 and lacks experience—he has only been coaching since 2013 and in the NFL since 2020—but he could be the next Sean McVay.
A: If that happens, it wouldn’t surprise me if Mark Davis kept Antonio Piece because I don’t think Davis wants to fire another coach and he recently said that he likes the Raiders competitiveness this season. On the other hand, beating two backup quarterbacks and a Chargers team that might have nothing to play for shouldn’t mean much despite that being a three-game win streak.
So, if Davis has already made up his mind, the next three weeks shouldn’t change much.
A: I think Tom Telesco will and should get retained in the offseason based on the draft class, AP is the bigger question mark. To me, Telesco’s problem building a consistent winner with the Chargers had to do with poor head coaches. Hopefully, he has minimal say in that decision this offseason, assuming AP gets fired.
That being said, Telesco does need to prove he can build a deep roster. That’s the biggest area of improvement for him as a general manager as it was an issue with the Chargers and this year.
Q: Why not take a look at Jaxson Dart? I believe he is a good QB as the other 2 and his numbers are pretty good.
Photo by Wes Hale/Getty Images
A: Dart’s numbers are good because he plays in a very quarterback-friendly college offense that has a lot of simple and one-route reads. When he is asked to read or see the whole field, he has tunnel vision and often stares down his receivers. Also, he tends to force throws and makes some bad decisions that will lead to more turnovers in the NFL. Dart definitely has some talent, but I’m not a fan of his processing.
As you can tell, I’m not the guy to talk to if you’re looking for some Dart hype, lol!
Q: Help me understand why no one is talking about Dillon Gabriel for a top QB pick, even above all the other QBs in this year’s draft?
A: Gabriel has grown on me a lot down the stretch of this season, and it’s not just because I’m an Oregon fan! I think he can build some momentum with a strong showing in the College Football Playoff and during the Senior Bowl. However, I’d still put him comfortably behind Sanders and Ward, and into the third- or fourth-round category.
Size is a big reason for that as he’s a sub-six-foot quarterback, so you’d be betting on an outlier. Also, Gabriel’s arm strength/talent is just average to push the ball down the field, and his deep ball accuracy—especially outside the numbers—leaves something to be desired, in my opinion. So, he’s limited in what he brings to the table to be a top quarterback at the next level.
Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson has a good scouting report on Gabriel if you want more information.
A: In theory, yes. But I think the Jets are going to want more than that from Garrett Wilson. I am interested to see what the price tag will be for Wilson as I’m a fan of his game. However, right now, I think I’d lean toward signing Tee Higgins in free agency instead. Wilson is going to be looking for a new contract soon anyway, so I’d prefer the guy who the Raiders wouldn’t have to give up draft picks for.
Q: Did the Raiders receive any extra draft compensation for hiring Head Coach Antonio Pierce or Assistant General Manager Champ Kelly?
A: No, they have to be hired by another team to get the comp picks. Also, Kelly was already the Assistant GM, so he didn’t get a promotion last offseason. If Kelly gets hired as another team’s general manager this offseason, then the Raiders would get third-round compensatory picks in this year’s and the 2026 drafts.
A: I’m with you in that I think this year’s draft class isn’t as talented overall as last year’s. The blue chippers that I feel confident about are: Travis Hunter, Will Johnson, Mason Graham and Malaki Starks. There could definitely be more as we move through the next few months, but those are the ones that have the Holder stamp of approval (a prestigious honor) at the moment.
On Hunter, I think he’s an elite corner. His combination of instincts and athleticism have the makings of a playmaking defensive back at the next level, in my opinion. Hunter is a good wideout but I agree with Richard Sherman in that he’s more bland as a wideout than elite, especially compared to his DB skills.
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to SBPQuestions1@gmail.com or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays.