It’s not much of a secret that the Las Vegas Raiders will likely consider drafting a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Gardner Minshew played very poorly before getting injured while Aidan O’Connell doesn’t have enough upside for the team to expect him to be a franchise quarterback.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently suggested that Raiders ownership may have a mandate for the front office to draft a quarterback with their first-round pick in 2025. However, the team has pushed back against the rumor, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.

“And the reemerging rumors of [Mark] Davis issuing a mandate that general manager Tom Telesco must draft a quarterback?” Gutierrez wrote in a Dec. 7 column.

“Simply not true, said a team source with knowledge of the situation.”

The Raiders do need a quarterback and will likely try to add one, but it doesn’t appear that ownership is going to step in. Owner Mark Davis has never been known to meddle in football personnel moves and there’s no indication he’s changing. That said, Tom Brady is now part of the ownership group and could push for a quarterback but for now, it appears the Raiders will give Telesco the power to select the quarterback.