Shedeur Sanders Expected to Land With Historic NFL Team, Despite Super Bowl QB Rumors

"The fastest way for the Raiders to improve will be hitting on a rookie quarterback. After the Gardner Minshew-Aidan O'Connell experiment failed in 2024, I could see their new front office being eager to take another path," Walder wrote. "Of course, drafting a quarterback and hitting on one are two entirely different things. But that risk comes with the territory."

Sanders has a previous relationship with Tom Brady, the newest minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders who is rumored to be recruiting Los Angeles Rams QB Sam Darnold. 

"Sources: #Raiders minority owner Tom Brady recently hosted #Rams QB Matthew Stafford at his home in Montana, where they spent time together and went skiing," Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported Wednesday. "Brady has been actively trying to convince Stafford to join the Raiders, and discussions are ongoing. Several teams are interested in Stafford if the Rams decide to move him, with Las Vegas believed to be the most aggressive suitor."

However, Ian Rapoport contradicted that report, which threw cold water on the notion of Stafford to the Raiders. 

"#Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and #Rams QB Matthew Stafford ran into each other at a ski resort in Montana, sources say," Rapoport wrote on X. "The meeting, unplanned, was not extensive or in-depth and did not include Brady 'hosting' or 'recruiting' Stafford, despite reports saying otherwise."

The acquisition of Stafford would require a trade and the Raiders giving up assets to sign Stafford to a $50 million annual average extension on a multiyear deal, while landing Sanders would only require Las Vegas to use its first pick -- assuming he is available at that spot, which several prominent draft analysts now believe is likely.