The Las Vegas Raiders’ decision to fire former head coach Antonio Pierce has re-opened the door to some opportunities.
With a new coach comes a new perspective, which the Raiders desperately need after a 4-13 season. As such, the team will look anywhere and everywhere to find the ideal head coach to return the organization to glory.
Analysts have thrown around a fair share of names as candidates, but Thor Nystrom of Fantasy Life pitched a bold move to solve two of the Raiders’ problems: bringing in the father-son duo of Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The Raiders should hire Deion Sanders and do whatever it takes to get from No. 6 to No. 2 with the Browns to take Shedeur.
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) January 7, 2025
Both Deion and Shedeur. been linked to the Raiders in varying capacities throughout the last few months. The decision to fire Pierce has not only kicked the rumors back up, but sent them into overdrive.
Nystrom is not the only analyst to suggest a Sanders family takeover of the Raiders, however. In Fox Sports’ bold predictions for 2025, analyst Henry McKenna listed a Deion and Shedeur package deal heading to Las Vegas.
“While the Tennessee Titans ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, in the case of Sanderses, it might not matter,” wrote McKenna.
“Because while Shedeur is QB1, his dad might take control of their future and engineer the draft to fit them in the same way the Mannings once did for Eli. The Raiders might just need a change of leadership and quarterback. It’s a good team for Deion. And it’s not the worst fit for Shedeur. Now, I won’t go proclaiming that the Sanderses will have success in Vegas. But it would be fascinating to see Deion’s coup take place.”
While there have yet to be any indications to suggest Deion will make the jump from Colorado to the NFL, the rumors of Shedeur to the Raiders have picked up steam once again. Most outlets now list the Raiders as a prime candidate to trade up for Sanders, likely for the second overall pick held by the Cleveland Browns.
With reports indicating that the Tennessee Titans, who hold the first overall pick, are currently favoring University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward, the Raiders have a golden opportunity to pick up Shedeur at two and ensure they have a franchise quarterback going into 2025.
It is uncertain whether the Raiders offseason becomes a Sanders family affair. However, the odds of at least one heading to Vegas are greater than they were a few weeks ago.
