The Las Vegas Raiders swung and missed on Geno Smith last offseason, which means it’ll be back to the drawing board when it comes to quarterback. The only thing that could save him for another year is if the team doesn’t like any of the quarterbacks in the 2026 class.
Minority owner Tom Brady is going to be heavily involved in helping the Raiders find a quarterback of the future. He worked hard to recruit Matthew Stafford to the team in the offseason, but that didn’t work out. However, it does show that he’s invested in upgrading the position.
It remains to be seen how the Raiders like the quarterback in 2026, but we now know who Brady would like in the 2027 class. He recently spoke about Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and had some very high praise.
“CJ Carr looks like the best quarterback I have seen at the college level since Joe [Burrow] was at LSU,” Brady said on FOX. “He knows the game, and he can make every throw necessary.”
CJ Carr has no relation to former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, but he does have a relative who is considered football royalty.
Brady Has Unique Connection to Carr
Another reason why Carr makes a ton of sense for the Raiders is the fact that he is the grandson of legendary former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. Who did Lloyd Carr coach when he was at Michigan? Brady and Raiders general manager John Spytek.
Now, Las Vegas isn’t going to commit its franchise to a quarterback just because the minority owner and general manager know his grandfather, but Carr is making a case that he could be an NFL quarterback.
The redshirt freshman has been a stud for the Fighting Irish. In his first season starting, he has thrown 19 touchdowns to four interceptions, while leading Notre Dame to a 7-2 record. If he continues this play through next season, there’s a chance he could be the No. 1 pick in 2027.
Can Raiders Wait for Carr?
It’s far too early to be calling Carr to the Raiders a done deal. First, he has to prove that this year isn’t a fluke next season. We’ve seen myriad quarterbacks look like future NFL stars one year, only to fall off the map the following year.
Even if Carr continues to prove his worth next year, the Raiders have to hope that they’ll be in a position to draft him. If Carr is as good as Brady says he is, then he’s going to be the No. 1 pick in the year that he’s drafted.
That means the Raiders would have to be the worst team in the NFL next season. To be that bad, the team would likely need to bottom out and trade away some good players. It’s hard to imagine Pete Carroll buying into that plan.
If the goal is to get Carr in 2027, Brady needs to start making plans. That could mean trying to acquire more draft capital in 2027 to possibly trade up, or push Spytek to tear down the roster and embrace a full rebuild.
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