As the team chooses where to start at quarterback in the pre-draft discussions, there doesn’t seem to be any new harmony. Antonio Pierce, the head coach, has a certain vision in mind, but Tom Telesco, the new general manager who hired Pierce, has different ideas.
Antonio Pierce desires a move up by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Telesco is okay with the quarterback room, despite Pierce’s desire to trade up in the first round to draft a signal caller, as was previously mentioned on GH:
Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports that Tom Telesco, the new general manager, and Pierce have different ideas on what to do in the first round. Telesco wants O’Connell and Minshew to compete for the position of quarterback, while Pierce wants to trade up for one:
The Las Vegas Raiders have reportedly expressed a desire to trade up for a quarterback. The most recent information from the Raiders’ draft meetings is that general manager Tom Telesco is strongly leaning toward sticking with free-agent signing Gardner Minshew and second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell, while head coach Antonio Pierce wants to move up for a signal caller.”
Michael Penix Jr. and Tom Telesco might go together.
In a week, Telesco seems to have had a change of heart, at least from those close to the NFL. Michael Penix Jr. could be drafted by Telesco, according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda:
In league circles, there’s a genuine chance that, should they decide to hold onto their current strategy, the Raiders will select Penix Jr. with the 13th pick.
Pauline reports that Pierce wants the Raiders to select Jayden Daniels, but Telesco has the flexibility to select a quarterback further up in the draft if that would please Pierce more. However, Telesco is unwilling to part with the required draft capital:
“I’m informed again that general manager Tom Telesco is opposed to dealing away the draft capital needed to make such a move, which I first reported a week ago, even though I received owner Mark Davis’ approval to trade up in order to acquire one of the higher-rated signal callers. Although nobody thinks Telesco will trade into the top four, I’ve heard from people who think he would be open to making moves throughout the draft.
But if the Raiders could move up to acquire Jayden Daniels, the quarterback he wants, Pierce is okay for taking a risk. Pierce, who has a close relationship with the Daniels family, has told me that he believes the Heisman Trophy winner will start the season on Opening Day and will eventually be the team’s leader.
Not everyone is rooting for the Raiders to make the move, including Pierce. As was previously mentioned on GH, Daniels is said to have expressed interest in getting back in touch with Pierce. Thursday night, Daniels won’t be able to choose where he goes, and the Washington Commanders are still leaning toward picking him.
Although Telesco and general manager Adam Peters of the Commanders hold the cards, Daniels and Pierce may be pleading for a reunion.
