As the calendar turns to 2025, Tom Telesco finds himself in a bind.
Before the holidays, the Raiders general manager simply had to decide between Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders on who he wanted to serve as the team’s new franchise quarterback. After two straight victories, however, the task of finding the next savior of the team has become increasingly difficult.
The Raiders are out of range for Ward or Sanders barring a trade up in the draft, so Telesco and the scouting department have their work cut out for them. They cannot expect to sign another bridge quarterback in free agency like they did this past offseason in Gardner Minshew and expect significant improvement.
If the Raiders do not like the options further down in the 2025 draft class, an option from last year’s crop might already be available for trade: Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy.
“Sam Darnold has turned the Minnesota Vikings into legitimate contenders, and there is speculation that the Vikings may trade J.J. McCarthy,” said The Wright Way Network’s Grayson Hodges. “The Raiders could enter the conversation and pursue McCarthy, who is considered a better quarterback prospect than anyone projected in the 2025 draft class.”
McCarthy, who was drafted by the Vikings 11th overall this past April, was selected to serve as the long-term starter, but suffered a season-ending torn meniscus during the team’s preseason game against the Raiders. Since then, Darnold has enjoyed a breakout season and might now be looking at a deal that keeps him in Minnesota.
That said, the Vikings will likely want fair compensation for a player they just drafted less than nine months ago. Any deal for McCarthy would be expected to include a first-round pick and further assets such as young players or extra draft capital, so the Raiders would have to be comfortable paying such a price.
For the Raiders, McCarthy offers an option that would not force them to rely on developing a raw prospect from this draft class at quarterback. Not only would he fit the mold of a long-term starter, but McCarthy may have a supporter in the Raiders’ building in part-owner Tom Brady, who might see the University of Michigan product as a way to open a pipeline to his own alma mater.
While bringing in McCarthy would not be overly shocking, who Hodges has joining him from Minnesota to Las Vegas is. Should the Raiders decide to move on from head coach Antonio Pierce after the season finale on Sunday, Hodges suggested hiring Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown as his replacement.
“If the Raiders were to trade for McCarthy, they could target an up-and-coming head coaching candidate familiar with McCarthy’s development,” explained Hodges. “Josh McCown, currently the quarterbacks coach for the Vikings, has played a pivotal role in Sam Darnold’s success in Minnesota. There’s reason to believe he could help elevate McCarthy to similar heights.”
A longtime NFL backup quarterback, McCown has earned serious praise in NFL circles for his work in developing Darnold in his first year in Minnesota. It has also served as a nice rebound for the coach, who arrived in Minnesota after being fired from the same position by the Carolina Panthers during the 2023 season.
Despite McCown’s relative lack of coaching experience, he has had head coaching interviews before, most notably with the Houston Texans in 2021. While he did not get the position, the fact McCown was considered so early on in his coaching career speaks volumes about his ability.
It is a bit difficult to imagine McCown making the leap from quarterbacks coach to head coach, but there might be a viable path for McCown to join the Raiders, regardless.
Similar to McCarthy, Brady has a connection to Vikings defensive coordinator and head coaching candidate Brian Flores from their shared time in New England. With interim offensive coordinator Scott Turner also not a guarantee to return in 2025, the Raiders could decide to hire Flores as head coach, trade for McCarthy, and bring McCown along as offensive coordinator.
In many ways, such a move would be a victory for all parties involved. The Raiders land their quarterback of the future and a coaching staff that has experience working with him.
Meanwhile, Flores’ biggest drawback in his treatment of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from his time as head coach with the Miami Dolphins would be addressed, McCarthy gets a clear path to starting NFL games and McCown gets play-calling experience before taking over a team of his own.
McCarthy landing in Las Vegas would certainly change the strategy of the Raiders’ offseason. Still, bringing him and McCown on board for 2025 would answer some serious questions.
