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 Telesco Addresses QB Rumors Surrounding Raiders Tenure
Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco on the SiriusXM radio set at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

At the start of last offseason, many believed the Las Vegas Raiders would be interested in trading up for a quarterback. The Raiders were often rumored to be interested in quarterback Jayden Daniels, but were also believed to be interested in other signal callers.

The Raiders' desperate need for a top-tier quarterback fueled speculation about their plans in last year's NFL Draft. However, former Raiders' General Manager Tom Telesco recently elaborated on what went on behind the scenes leading up to the draft.

On the Check the Mic Show with Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson, Telesco explained what went into many of the happenings surrounding the Raiders during his brief but critical tenure with the team. Las Vegas was also rumored to be interested in Michael Penix Jr.

Telesco said he likely would not have drafted Penix at No. 13.

"We did a lot of work, talked a lot about it, but in the end, probably not. Probably not. Now, looking back, had I known I only had one year there, maybe that would have been different," Telesco said.

However, Telesco also noted that while other quarterbacks such as J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nixx would have been options, he likely would have passed on those quarterbacks as well. The Raiders' lack of talent across the board is what deterred Telesco from pushing for a quarterback.

"That is a little bit different. I get in there, and big picture-wise, we are building this for the future. I am thinking I am going to be there at least a little while, and the head coach would be there a little while. Our infrastructure was not where it needed to be yet. So, we had some concerns. If we took a quarterback this early and we have nothing around him, it could be a disaster," Telesco said.

"So the thought was, we need to improve the talent level on both sides of the ball. Jayden Daniels, that one would have been easy. That is an easy one, but then when we got into the J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix, as far as trading up for those guys, I was not as much into trying to trade up for one of those quarterbacks. To give up that many assets, because we were going to have to give up a lot, a lot of draft picks. We needed as many as possible to build up the team. 

"So, that would have been a hard move to make, to trade up for one of those quarterbacks, knowing where our talent level was then, and how are we going to get better because we were going to give up so many picks for that? Outside of Jayden Daniels, that was going to be a non-starter."

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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