Antonio Pierce’s inaugural full season as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders has not lived up to expectations following his successful stint as interim head coach. Last year, after Josh McDaniels was fired, Pierce led the team to a 5-4 record, reinvigorating the fanbase. This season, however, Pierce is overseeing what could become the Raiders’ most disappointing campaign since 2006, when they finished 2-14 and secured the No. 1 overall draft pick.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently shed light on the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff’s future after their defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. According to Breer, rumors are swirling that the Raiders might part ways with Pierce as early as January. The team’s mishandling of certain situations, such as their performance at Arrowhead, isn’t helping quiet speculation.
“There’s certainly been a lot of buzz that the Las Vegas Raiders could one-and-done Antonio Pierce come January, and mismanaged situations such as Vegas’s finish at Arrowhead on Friday doesn’t help to quiet those rumors,” Breer wrote in a December 3 column. “Pierce’s staff has undoubtedly felt the uncertainty and hasn’t received any assurances that they’ll be there past Week 18.”
Despite these challenges, Breer points out several positives for Pierce. The team is still fighting hard, and the Raiders have successfully transformed from the NFL’s third-oldest roster to the sixth-youngest, with promising development among younger players. Additionally, Pierce’s decision to replace offensive coordinator Luke Getsy with Scott Turner seems to have sparked the offense.
Still, Pierce’s future may depend on several critical factors, one of which involves the team’s quarterback situation.
A QB Mandate?
Breer also uncovered a crucial rumor that could impact Pierce’s job. According to him, the Raiders may be under a mandate to draft a young quarterback in the upcoming draft.
“So what will be the deciding factor? I’ve heard the football people there could be under a mandate to draft a quarterback in April,” Breer wrote. “And if that’s the plan, whoever the head coach is will have a pretty big impact on who that quarterback is, and how he develops early in his career. This makes the question whether Mark Davis believes Pierce would be the right guy to captain the ship.”
The Raiders clearly have a need for a quarterback, but as Breer highlights, this situation could spell trouble for Pierce. With his background in defense and struggles in assembling an offensive coaching staff, the organization may hesitate to entrust the development of their future quarterback to him.
Potential QB Targets for the Raiders
It’s no surprise that the Raiders are considering quarterback options. Gardner Minshew has underperformed as a starter this season, and while Aidan O’Connell has shown promise, his ceiling remains uncertain.
The most frequently mentioned quarterback prospect linked to the Raiders is Shedeur Sanders of Colorado, who has expressed some interest in joining the franchise. However, Sanders could very well be the first overall pick in the draft, and there’s no guarantee the Raiders will secure that position. Another intriguing option could be Cam Ward from Miami, who could be available if the Raiders end the season with a top-10 pick.
With such critical decisions looming, the Raiders’ next moves will have significant implications for both Pierce’s future and the team’s quarterback situation.
