The Raiders are one of several teams looking to address the quarterback position. Coach Antonio Pierce is looking for a long-term solution.
“Whoever we draft, that's the path we're going to take and I hope that's the starter,” Pierce said this week in Indianapolis, via Vic Taffer of TheAthletic.com. “I don't want to put a Band-Aid on that location.. It's old. . . That's old, dude. I think it's the Raiders. . . We've seen it enough in this organization. ”
So it sounds like the Raiders are considering drafting a quarterback.
“I don't know what will happen, but [G.M. Tom] Telesco better start working his magic,” Pierce said. “I told him, 'Now it's your turn.' All eyes are on you. You can be undefeated for another six months.”
Pierce is looking for a leader at the position.
“What I'm looking for is a player who has leadership and wants to compete,” Pierce said. “This is a big challenge in front of us, so we want a guy who's not afraid of the challenge. We have a world champion in our division again. Every year as long as we have Patrick Mahomes in our division. I know what we have to deal with. . . . I want someone who says, “I'm up for the challenge.'' It's the same thing when you play against these three coaches in this division. It's how you look at it. ”
Mahomes will be around for at least another decade. Pierce is looking for a similar player.
“You want to be the face of the team, the quarterback, the player you rely on for the next 10 years,” Pierce said.
He is also looking for people who have achieved results.
“I want to go with proven winners,” Pierce said. “And someone who knows what it’s like to struggle through adversity.”
“Obviously you want a guy who's made a lot of starts. You don't want a one-hit wonder. You don't want a guy who has one year of success and can say that's this guy. Overcoming adversity, going through hardships. We need people with experience who have been through it and not just been handed the keys, because whatever we do, that's going to be the process here.”
It's hard to find someone who ticks all these boxes. And if the Raiders select No. 13, who will be available?
But that's exactly what Pierce is looking for. And that's clearly what he's pushing the organization to do.
