john spytek
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Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek.
The Las Vegas Raiders are likely done spending big this offseason, but there are a lot of roster spots left to fill. Many of those spots will be filled by draft picks and undrafted free agents, but there are good veterans available.
One position the Raiders want to add a veteran to is quarterback. The team is likely to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but they don’t seem keen on forcing the starting job on him as a rookie.
If he can win the starting job, great, but the Raiders want a veteran in the building to keep some pressure off of Mendoza. Kirk Cousins has been floated as an option due to his previous ties to head coach Klint Kubiak. If that doesn’t work out, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk could see the Raiders signing Russell Wilson.
“The Raiders possibly, maybe would be interested in a short-term bridge, if they aren’t comfortable with putting Fernando Mendoza on the field right away,” Florio wrote. “Wilson may not be inclined to once again be the three-game starter before getting the tap.
“Then again, Wilson may not have many choices. Which raises the question of whether he’s willing to take whatever he can get, making him one of the very rare former franchise quarterbacks who’ll accept being No. 2 or No. 3 on a depth chart.”
Does Wilson Make Sense for Raiders?
Wilson has previously shown some interest in the Raiders, so the Las Vegas market is appealing to him. However, he wouldn’t be the most logical fit.
Kubiak likes to run a structured offense, but Wilson has always been at his best when he can improvise. Wilson acquired himself well as a starter who got replaced by a rookie with the New York Giants last season.
It’s not the ideal role for a former Pro Bowler, but it might be the best he can get at his age. For the Raiders, it might make more sense to go after a quarterback who is more similar to Mendoza.
Cousins or Derek Carr are more in that mold of quarterback.
Wilson Has New Agent
Wilson isn’t a fit with every franchise, so his agent is going to have to help him find the right team. Florio broke down how a change of agent could make this offseason different for Wilson.
“In preparation for his current shot at free agency, Wilson parted ways with his longtime agent, Mark Rodgers, and hired David Mulugheta of Athletes First,” Florio wrote. “During Wilson’s best years, it helped him to have an agent who had one and only one NFL client; the negotiations on Wilson’s contracts were never compromised by the agent’s broader business interests as to other players he represented.
“Now, Wilson needs the help of someone who may have the league-wide goodwill to get Wilson a roster spot in exchange for keeping the agent happy as to the looming negotiations with a higher-profile client.”
Mulugheta represents Raiders players Malcolm Koonce and Eric Stokes, so he has some experience working with the team. If the Raiders feel like Wilson could be a fit, it should be easy to get a deal done.