Raiders Predicted to End up With $180 Million QB in 2025

The Las Vegas Raiders have seemingly been linked to every available quarterback in the NFL this offseason. It’s not a secret that they had one of the weakest quarterback rooms in 2024 and need to upgrade it in a major way.

The team could look to the draft but even if they use a high draft pick on a quarterback, they want to bring an older veteran as security. Names like Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold are free agents but the Raiders may choose to look at the trade market.

Kirk Cousins is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons and they pivoted to starting first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. Considering how much money they’re paying him, the Falcons could consider keeping Cousins but that seems unlikely.

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report is predicting that the Raiders will end up with Cousins.

“My February prediction? The Vikes let Darnold get away in favor of McCarthy,” Gagnon wrote in a Feb. 14 column. “The Steelers stick with Wilson. Cousins goes to the Raiders, Darnold goes back to the Jets in place of Aaron Rodgers, Carr becomes a bridge in Cleveland, the Titans and Giants draft Ward and Sanders, respectively, and Fields is left fighting for opportunities in a place like Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Cleveland, Las Vegas or New Orleans.”

Is Kirk Cousins Still a Starting QB?

There are some major red flags for any team looking to sign Cousins. First, he’s just a year into a massive four-year, $180 million the Falcons gave him. Plus, he suffered a torn Achilles in 2023. That’s not to mention that he threw 16 interceptions in just 14 games last season.

Cousins is going to be 37 when the 2025 season starts so it’s unlikely he’s going to get much better. That said, 2025 was a bit of an outlier for him. He had never thrown more than 14 interceptions in a season before.

If the price isn’t too expensive, the Raiders could do worse than Cousins. He’s a classic pocket passer, which might not fit in Chip Kelly’s offense, but the team could bring in a more mobile quarterback like Marcus Mariota to back him up.

Raiders Could Be Active in Free Agency

The Raiders are going to be one of the top teams to watch in NFL free agency. They are projected to have more than $100 million in salary cap space and they’ve been aggressive this offseason. Head coach Pete Carroll had just three losing seasons in his stint with the Seattle Seahawks and it seems unlikely he’s going to want to sit through a rebuild.

If Carroll is trying to win immediately, the Raiders are going to have to be aggressive in free agency. While there is plenty of underrated talent on their roster, the defense has a ton of starters who are going to be free agents. Plus, they have holes all over the offense. If general manager John Spytek can nail the draft, free agency and the quarterback position, the Raiders could be a possible playoff team in 2025. Obviously, that’s easier said than done.