There appears to be no new harmony in the Las Vegas Raiders pre-draft meetings as the team decides where to go at quarterback. Head coach Antonio Pierce wants to go in one direction, while new general manager Tom Telesco, who didn’t hire Pierce, wants to go in another.
Antonio Pierce wants the Las Vegas Raiders to trade up
As previously discussed on GH, Pierce wants to trade up in the first round to draft a signal caller, but Telesco is fine with the quarterback room:
According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, Pierce and new general manager Tom Telesco disagree about what to do in the first round. Pierce wants to trade up for a quarterback, and Telesco wants a quarterback competition between O’Connell and Minshew:
“There’s also been talk about the Las Vegas Raiders wanting to move up for a quarterback. The latest coming from Raiders’ draft meetings is that head coach Antonio Pierce wants to trade up for a signal caller, yet general manager Tom Telesco is leaning heavily to sticking with second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell and free-agent signing Gardner Minshew”
Tom Telesco could go with Michael Penix Jr.
Telesco appears to have a change of heart in a week, at least according to people around the NFL. Per Tony Pauline with Sportskeeda, Telesco could draft Michael Penix Jr.:
The feeling in league circles is that there’s a real possibility the Raiders could draft Penix Jr. with the 13th pick if they stand pat.
Pierce wants the Raiders to draft Jayden Daniels
Per Pauline, Telesco has the option to move up and draft a quarterback that would make Pierce happy. But Telesco doesn’t want to give up the necessary draft capital:
“Despite receiving a blessing from owner Mark Davis to trade up for the purposes of acquiring one of the higher-rated signal callers, I am told again that general manager Tom Telesco is against trading away the draft capital required to make such a move, something I originally reported a week ago. People tell me that they believe Telesco would be willing to make moves throughout the draft, though no one thinks he’ll trade into the top four.
Pierce, on the other hand, is all for making a bold move, if the Raiders could trade up for the quarterback he desires, Jayden Daniels. I’m told Pierce, whose had an intimate relationship with Daniels’ family for a long time, feels that the Heisman Trophy winner will be a Day 1 starter and lead the franchise moving forward.”
Pierce isn’t the only person hoping for the Raiders to make the trade. As previously discussed on GH, Daniels has reportedly shown interest in reconnecting with Pierce. Daniels doesn’t have a choice where he goes Thursday night, and the Washington Commanders are still trending toward drafting him.
Daniels and Pierce might be begging for a reunion, but Commanders general manager Adam Peters and Telesco hold the cards.
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