Raiders identified as most likely team to land Arch Manning in 2027 NFL Draft

It's been several seasons since the Raiders have had above-average quarterback play.

The 2024 season was a complete disaster, as Gardner Minshew Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder all failed to impress and the team ended with a pitiful 4-13 record. As a result, the team made the bold decision to trade for veteran Geno Smith this offseason. 

Smith will reunite with his former coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas, and the hope is that the duo can recapture the magic they created in Seattle. Last season, Smith played in all 17 games for the Seahawks and threw for 4,320 yards with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. 

The Raiders already gave Smith an extension this offseason, so it's safe to say the team plans on keeping him around for at least this season and next. However, at 34, it's clear that Smith is not a long-term solution. 

As a result, Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports believes the team could already be eyeing Smith's eventual replacement. Sullivan identified the teams most likely to be in the running for Arch Manning in the 2027 NFL Draft, and the Raiders were at the top of the list. 

Regarding Manning and the Raiders, Sullivan offered the following: 

Most likely, the Raiders will ride with Smith for 2025 and 2026, but will have a decision to make after that. In that final year of his deal in 2027, he has zero guaranteed dollars left, and the team could free up $39.5 million in cap space if they were to cut him during that offseason. And that just so happens to be the exact time they could pivot to the likes of Manning. 

If Smith bottoms out that season (2027), that positions the Raiders to opt for a younger quarterback like Manning to play alongside their young core of Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. There's also something juicy about the idea of Manning being selected by the team where Tom Brady -- his uncle Peyton Manning's prime rival -- is a minority owner. 

As Sullivan mentioned, the Raiders will likely role with Smith in 2025 and 2026, and then decide to get their quarterback of the future in 2027. The Raiders already have an elite young tight end and running back, so a quarterback would be the final piece of the offense. Additionally, it would be an intriguing story to see Manning land in Vegas with Tom Brady. 

Of course, Manning still has to perform on the field and live up to this incredible hype. Manning will start this year for the Texas Longhorns, and is already the betting favorite to win the Heisman.  

His grandfather, Archie Manning, recently said that Arch "isn't going to" declare for the draft in 2026, so it does seem like the phenom will start two full seasons for the Longhorns. 

No Raider fans WANTS the team to be bad, but if it ends up landing them one of the most sought after quarterbacks of all time? It may just be worth it.