The Raiders are embarking on a new chapter with Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly stepping into the roles of head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively. These two seasoned minds bring a wealth of experience, particularly Carroll, whose NFL accolades include a Super Bowl victory with the Seahawks, alongside his strong college coaching resume.
Taking over a Raiders team in need of significant rebuilding isn’t a task to be taken lightly. There’s no position screaming for attention more than quarterback. Right now, it’s clear the Raiders don’t have “their guy,” but an intriguing option in free agency could provide a solution. Enter Justin Fields.
Fields, initially drafted eleventh overall out of Ohio State, was once seen as one of the crown jewels among quarterback prospects. Despite his talent, his tenure in Chicago didn’t flourish. The Bears pivoted to Caleb Williams, and Fields briefly found a home in Pittsburgh before being supplanted by Carroll’s previous protégé, Russell Wilson.
Now available as a free agent, Fields offers the Raiders a tantalizing, low-risk opportunity. Bringing him on board wouldn’t break the bank, but it would inject much-needed talent under center. Fields’ dual-threat capability would make him the standout quarterback on the current roster, providing a dynamic option in both the aerial and ground attack.
Signing Fields would also free up the Raiders in terms of their draft strategy, allowing them the flexibility to choose the best player available rather than feel pressured to move up for one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. Should one of those top quarterbacks fall to them, Fields’ contract wouldn’t be prohibitive enough to prevent drafting another.
Both Carroll and Kelly possess a track record of refining quarterbacks with fields’ multi-dimensional skill set. Kelly, known for his offensive ingenuity, has consistently nurtured dual-threat quarterbacks at the collegiate level, including his time with players like Dennis Dixon, Marcus Mariota at Oregon, and more recently, Will Howard at Ohio State, who thrived under Kelly’s tutelage.
Meanwhile, Carroll’s success with mobile quarterbacks is well-documented through his partnership with Russell Wilson, leading to a Super Bowl win and near victory in a second. Fields shares many attributes with Wilson, providing Carroll with a familiar canvas to craft his quarterbacking artistry.
The path forward for the Raiders is undeniably pivotal. While a first-round quarterback in this year’s draft remains an option, the allure of Fields is compelling. He’s a potential game-changer—one of those rare low-risk, high-reward signings that could yield significant benefits. At just 25, Fields still has room for growth and improvement. We’ve seen late-career flourishes in the likes of Geno Smith; why not Fields as the next great resurgence story?
Bringing Fields to Las Vegas could be the key to turning this rebuild into a resurrection, providing Carroll and Kelly the chance to mold him into the franchise cornerstone the Raiders have long sought.
