Once again the Las Vegas Raiders were used as leverage to help a quarterback or head coach get whatever it was that they wanted. First, it was Ben Johnson with the Chicago Bears, and now it’s Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford.

The Raiders were so close to getting Stafford, a quarterback who had won a Super Bowl before and was once considered one of the most talented throwers we have ever seen. His time with the Detroit Lions wasn’t nearly as good as his time with the Rams when you talk about team accomplishments, but he’s nearly the same player now. So, getting him was going to be huge for the Raiders.

of course, that was just another pipe dream — something that really was never going to happen. The Raiders still have to find their quarterback for the 2025 season, and I’m not entirely sure Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell are going to be the two guys they stick with, again. This new regime has made it known that they are going to walk away from this offseason with a quarterback.

Now, whether that QB comes by way of free agency, which is set to start on March 12, or the 2025 NFL Draft, is still a mystery. But, there are reports that the Raiders have turned attention to free agency, where they plan to “investigate” the options of Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold, and Justin Fields.

Raiders investigating free agency QB options

We have already talked extensively about the Raiders pursuing Russell Wilson and whether or not they should even do that. I’ve done the same for Darnold but in much shorter terms. Darnold has had one good year where the system was perfect for him with a good offensive line and great weapons. The Raiders cannot give that to him and a ton of money at the same time, just for him to maybe not be that good.

But, the Justin Field conversation is where things start to turn. He is a guy that I’d definitely be interested in getting in the Silver and Black if the price is right, and the best thing is that the price should be right. He lost his starting spot last year to Russell Wilson, not because he was bad, but because the Pittsburgh Steelers just always wanted Wilson, and Wilson started the season injured. When he got healthy, he took over.

So, it was another season of Fields really not getting to show what he can do. The thing is that the best situation paired with the best contract situation is where he will go, and the Raiders can do that for Fields, who would be electric in the Chip Kelly offense the Raiders will have in 2025.

Fields should only get a one-year deal, and if he’s not great, then the Raiders get a good pick in next year’s draft class, which is a much better class than this one in terms of the QB position. And if he is good, the Raiders found something to build off of with a guy who is still very young and may have a big-time ceiling.

A to Z Sports’ Best Values in Free Agency article lists Fields as the best valued QB in free agency, which only helps the Raiders’ case even more.

Justin Fields’ free agency prospects could pull him from the Steelers

Fields is free agency’s best QB value for two main reasons. For starters, he’s projected to receive a deal within the range of $6.4-$8.5 million, which is a steal, even for an experienced backup. Gardner Minshew signed a $12.5 million per year deal during the 2024 offseason and he’s far less talented than Fields. He also had 37 career starts compared to Fields’ 38 coming into the 2024 season and was benched later in the year. Sure, Fields was replaced by Russell Wilson, but that was strictly a result of design, not performance. Meaning, the above price range, or even Pro Football Focus’ projection of $11 million per year, is a value that’s nearly impossible to pass up.

Fields is as dynamic as they come and will only be 26-years-old when the 2025 season starts. Starting potential remains, as well, which is rare for a QB prospect mostly projected to make less than $10 million per year and that’s why he’s on this list. – NFL free agency’s best values at every position in 2025, from impact starters to underrated depth players

Getting Fields in free agency also will open up some possibilities in the draft for the Raiders. Then, they don’t necessarily have to use a pick on the QB position, let alone a high pick at that.

Fields’ numbers won’t come off as staggering at first when you look at them, but they weren’t as bad as you would think, given the small sample size we have to go off of. And, you have to factor in the throws he was making and the throws that weren’t being completed as a result of drops.

According to Sports Info Solutions, Fields threw 161 passes in 2024, with 106 of them being completed. That’s 55 passes that didn’t get completed, but at the same time, 126 of his 161 passes were labeled as catchable. When he did play last year, and once again — small sample size, he was throwing the ball well. Could he have been better? Yes. But he really wasn’t a bad quarterback at all.

And the running aspect of things brings a whole new wrinkle to what the Raiders can do, too. Minshew could run a bit and create with his legs, but that was more so to escape the pocket. With Fields, you can do quarterback-designed runs now.

According to SIS, Fields ran 62 times in 10 games, five as a starter, where the play was a designed QB run, whether it was an option keeper, a zone read keeper, or anything that was designed to give him the option to run the ball. He finished the year with nearly 300 rush yards and 98 yards after contact.

Signing Fields will allow the Raiders to do several things that could get this team back on the right track.