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An NFL executive believes the Las Vegas Raiders could be a landing spot for Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous NFC exec said the following about Wilson possibly ending up with the Raiders: “[The Raiders] need a vet, and they are one of Wilson’s original teams he wanted to go to. He’d stay in the [AFC West], West Coast, and [Wilson’s wife] Ciara can do a [Las Vegas] residency [as a live performer].”
Fowler noted that the Broncos are likely to move on from Wilson during the offseason after sitting him for the final two games of the 2023 regular season.
The decision to sit Wilson came down to financial flexibility since the Broncos would have had to pay Wilson significant guaranteed money had he gotten injured and been unable to pass a physical during the offseason.
While that doesn’t mean the Broncos must part ways with Wilson, it could be tough for the two sides to get back on the same page.
As the anonymous executive mentioned, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in 2021 that Wilson compiled a list of teams he would accept a trade to. That list included the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints and Raiders.
The Seattle Seahawks did not end up trading Wilson that offseason, but they dealt him to the Broncos prior to the 2022 season for a significant package of draft picks and players.
Wilson had a nightmarish first season in Denver, as he Broncos went 5-12 and Wilson had the worst statistical season of his career, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,524 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
That led to the firing of head coach Nathaniel Hackett and the decision to replace him with longtime New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
The Broncos showed improvement, finishing 8-9, and Wilson was far more efficient under Payton, completing 66.4 percent of his passing attempts for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions, while also rushing for 341 yards and three scores.
That type of production would be a welcomed sight in Las Vegas after what they went through at the quarterback position in 2023.
Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo began the season as the starter, but he was benched after completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions and seven games.
Once Josh McDaniels was fired and Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach, the Raiders went with rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell as their starting quarterback.
In 10 starts as a rookie, O’Connell performed admirably, completing 62.1 percent of his passing attempts for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while also posting a 5-5 record.
Pierce was recently named the full-time head coach in Vegas, and he would undoubtedly benefit from having a clear answer at quarterback entering the 2024 season.
Wilson would provide that, and he could perhaps help take the Raiders from an 8-9 record to playoff contention.
With offensive weapons like wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, tight end Michael Mayer and either Josh Jacobs or Zamir White at running back in place, the nine-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion would perhaps have the pieces needed to take Vegas to the next level.
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