Ranking the Top NFL Free Agent and Draft QB Options for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025

The Las Vegas Raiders went through the 2024 season with one of the league's most unstable quarterback rooms. They cycled through three starters, finishing 13th in passing yards with the fifth-fewest touchdown passes.

New Raiders head coach Pete Carroll directly addressed the quarterback situation, citing the need to rely on franchise minority stakeholder Tom Brady to find the team's starter.

Carroll, Brady and general manager John Spytek will have a tough task in solidifying the offense's centerpiece.

While the Raiders will have plenty of options, team brass must find the best fit for offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's system.

Focusing on impending free agents and draft prospects, we'll rank the Raiders' top 10 quarterback options, considering projected contracts, draft position outlook and team fit.

Typically, teams kick the tires on former first-round picks, even if they struggled mightily at their first career stop. Zach Wilson will likely draw interest from quarterback-needy clubs that view him as a worthy reclamation project.

In three seasons with the New York Jets, Wilson threw for 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions while completing 57 percent of his passes and averaging 185.1 passing yards per game. He also battled injuries, and the team benched him multiple times in that stretch.

Based on his short history as a starter, Wilson would be a low-end free-agent option. Still, at 25 years old, with his physical tools and ability to make throws on all three levels of the field, he could develop into a serviceable starter with a quality play-caller.

Daniel Jones is bumped one spot above Wilson because he's helped lead a team to the playoffs. In 2022, the New York Giants went 9-6-1 with him as their starter, but the signal-caller's tenure went downhill thereafter.

In 2023, the Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million extension, which seemed rich for a quarterback who had two decent seasons in four years.

After signing his new deal, Jones threw for 2,979 yards, 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 16 games. Big Blue released him in November. The 27-year-old finished the season as a backup with the Minnesota Vikings.

According to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, the Raiders, under former general manager Tom Telesco, showed interest in Jones before he signed a contract with the Vikings.

With a new regime in Las Vegas, Jones may not be on the team's list of free-agent options, but he's another former first-round pick who may get a second chance for a career rebirth.

Remember, general manager Spytek came from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that took a flier on Baker Mayfield, signing him to a one-year, $4 million deal in 2023.

Jalen Milroe didn't generate enough buzz during Senior Bowl week to elevate his stock within an underwhelming quarterback class.

Milroe had a more conservative approach and struggled with his pocket presence in the first practice.

"Milroe did not push the ball down the field much and went to his checkdown fairly quickly. He held the football longer and allowed the pocket to collapse as well," Bleacher Report's scout Dame Parson noted.

At Alabama, Milroe started for two seasons, throwing for 5,678 yards, 39 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in those campaigns. He also ran for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns in that stretch.

The Raiders can build a dynamic ground attack around Milroe, but the team may have concerns about his inconsistent accuracy and subpar pocket instincts.

Parson sees some of Jalen Hurts' qualities in Milroe's game but also notes that the incoming signal-caller has a stronger arm.

Milroe will likely need to spend a year behind a veteran for development, but his dual-threat capabilities offer some upside, pushing him above the two aforementioned low-end veteran free-agent options.

Russell Wilson is a logical option for the Raiders because of his ties to head coach Pete Carroll.

Recently, Wilson appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and said that he's remained in contact with Carroll since their split in Seattle.

Since Wilson's 2021 Pro Bowl year with the Seahawks, he's played for two seasons with the Denver Broncos and one term with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During that stretch, he threw for 58 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, completing more than 63 percent of his passes.

Carroll should be wary about trying to recreate what he had with Wilson nearly a decade ago, but the 36-year-old signal-caller is a decent option because of his efficiency. Wilson rarely turns the ball and still throws an accurate deep ball.

Wilson is a far better option than a couple of former first-round picks who flamed out with their first teams and a Day 2 prospect who has issues with accuracy.

Jaxson Dart drew mixed reviews in Mobile, Alabama, during Senior Bowl practices.

According to Bleacher Report scout Dame Parson, the Ole Miss product's "passing accuracy and decision-making were inconsistent." As time progressed, Dart settled down and looked "more confident" in the pocket.

In three collegiate terms under Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, Dart threw for 10,617 yards, 72 touchdowns and 22 interceptions with a 65.7 percent completion rate and had his best season last year. So he came into the draft evaluation process with some momentum.

Dart could be a popular Day 2 option for quarterback-needy teams. The Raiders have three selections between Rounds 2 and 3. They could take a swing at the 6'2", 226-pound signal-caller with one of those picks.

Parson sees "shades of Carson Wentz" in Dart and ranked him as QB3 in this class.

Dart ranks higher than Milroe because he's coming into the league with fewer question marks with his ball placement and accuracy. Right now, he seems more equipped to beat defenses with his arm.

Will Howard and Jaxson Dart have similar strengths, but the former has an edge over the latter because of his experience in Chip Kelly's offense.

After four collegiate terms at Kansas State, Howard transferred to Ohio State where he helped lead the program to a national title as the centerpiece of Kelly's 12th-ranked scoring offense.

If the Raiders address their unsettled quarterback position on Day 2, Howard could get the nod from the team over Dart if Kelly thinks he can continue the former Buckeye's development on the pro level.

In one term under Kelly, Howard threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 73 percent completion rate. He also ran for 226 yards and seven touchdowns in a system that featured run-pass-option designs.

While Dart has stirred up discussion as a possible Day 2 option for quarterback-needy teams, Howard may have moved up the Raiders' draft board after they hired Kelly.

As a former first-rounder, Justin Fields falls into the same category as the two former New York quarterbacks, Zach Wilson and Daniel Jones, but he's had some success at his second career stop.

Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers went 4-2 with Fields as their starter. In those games, he threw for five touchdowns and an interception while averaging 184.3 passing yards with a 66.3 percent completion rate.

Fields may never become a high-volume passer who consistently throws for 300-plus yards in a game. However, he has improved his completion rate every year and helped lead a winning team with an average offensive supporting cast.

Because Fields didn't start most of the games in Pittsburgh this past season, he should be available on the free-agent market at a bargain-bin rate. Spotrac projects his market value to be at $6.4 million.

Sam Darnold is the top free-agent option for the Raiders. He's coming off his best campaign, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 66.2 percent completion rate. The seventh-year signal-caller helped lead the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record as the maestro of the league's sixth-ranked passing attack.

Of course, the club made it possible for Darnold to succeed with a strong supporting cast that featured two-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, budding second-year wideout Jordan Addison, two-time Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson and versatile running back Aaron Jones.

Following a standout year, Darnold will likely command the biggest salary among free-agent quarterbacks. Spotrac priced his market value at $40.1 million.

Carroll told reporters that he wanted to turn things around quickly in Las Vegas. So, don't rule out the front office using a large chunk of its $92.5 million in cap space to sign Darnold.

Darnold is a top-three quarterback option, but he would come at a costly price that may be too rich for the Raiders.

Nonetheless, The Athletic's Alec Lewis believes Darnold "would almost certainly be drawn to the prospect of learning from and spending time around Raiders minority owner Tom Brady."

This year's quarterback class doesn't compare to last year's group, which featured six first-round picks. Most draft analysts don't see the value in trading up for a signal-caller. So the Raiders may have to go against the grain to select one of the top two passers, though NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah has a different perspective.

In Jeremiah's most recent mock draft, he projected that Shedeur Sanders would be available for the Raiders at No. 6. If that plays out, the franchise should be ecstatic.

Sanders is mentored by Tom Brady, and the Colorado prospect has expressed his desire to play for the team.

On the field, Sanders is an accurate quarterback who completed 74 percent of his passes last season. He has the pocket presence and instincts to be successful on the pro level. Skeptics will point to his athletic limitations as something that caps his ceiling, but Brady, who seldom used his legs during his career, probably won't be bothered by that issue when he offers his insight.

Bleacher Report scout Dame Parson compared Sanders to Teddy Bridgewater, who was an accurate starting quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos.

Unfortunately for Bridgewater, he suffered a career-altering knee injury during the 2016 offseason. If Sanders stays healthy, he's a high-floor starting quarterback who can elevate a franchise with big-play pass-catchers around him. He could form a prolific connection with tight end Brock Bowers.

On a rookie contract, Sanders would be a valuable pickup, even if the Raiders make an aggressive move up for him.

Cam Ward is the Raiders' top-ranked option over Sanders because his athleticism offers more perceived upside. His traits align with those of a modern-day quarterback who's expected to beat defenses with arm talent and improvise on the move outside the pocket.

Like Sanders, Ward is an accurate passer, completing 67.2 percent of his attempts last season. However, he's also used his mobility to finish drives, scoring 17 rushing touchdowns over his last three years at Washington State and Miami.

Furthermore, Ward has a ton of playing experience, starting for two years at Incarnate Word before playing two seasons at Washington State and one term at Miami.

Ward will likely be the first quarterback off the draft board, which means the Raiders would have to give up multiple first-round picks to move up for him, but he may be the only signal-caller in this class worth that trade-off.

In their most recent mock drafts, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN's Matt Miller have the Miami product slotted to the New York Giants in the No. 3 spot. So, quarterback-needy teams like the Raiders may have a chance to move up for the top signal-caller in the class.

Bleacher Report's Dame Parson compared Ward to Geno Smith, but if the Raiders can provide a strong supporting cast, he could have a more productive start to his career.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.