The Las Vegas Raiders will be hoping that Tom Brady puts his whole focus on their team this offseason as they prepare to make a few big moves in the NFL Draft.
The former New England Patriots quarterback recently became a minority owner of the AFC West team and is expected to have a big influence in the hiring process of a new head coach in the coming weeks. The Athletic reported that Brady will have “a lot” of say in the coaching search, as the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce after one season at the helm.
The team faltered to a 4-13 record in the regular season and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. Raiders fans will be hoping Brady is able to sprinkle some of his quality over the squad as he heads up yet another NFL franchise.
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However, the 41-year-old is in his first year of a decade-long deal with FOX Sports to work as an analyst, where he will be paid an eye-watering total of $375 million. Due to this split responsibility, ex-MLB executive David Samson believes managing both jobs is an “absolute insult” and thinks Brady will have to decide on one or the other.
Speaking on the Dan Le Batard Show, Samson said: “Tom Brady is running that team right now – the NFL knows it and Fox knows it and something has got to give. So enjoy Tom in the booth because you’re not going to see him there next year.
“He will be in the Raiders’ front office, he will not return as an analyst for Fox – you cannot be this involved in the operation of a team and be the No 1 analyst. It’s an absolute insult to analysts what he’s doing. And it’s an insult to team president what he’s doing. You end up doing both of them in a mediocre way… and I promise you he will choose the Raiders.”
Samson added: “Tom Brady will not be with Fox next season, he’ll be full-time in the Raiders’ front office running that team. Period.”
So, what would be the dream scenario for Tom Brady and the Raiders this offseason? Here, Mirror US Sport has detailed the plans that could be put in place to best suit both parties.
Big-12 NFL Draft pick to lead the offense
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Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
The Raiders are number six in round one of the NFL Draft this year, after they looked poised to be in the top three. However, beating the New Orleans Saints and the Jacksonville Jaguars severely affected the order, meaning they dropped from number one to number six.
Many would believe winning games is more important, but with a negative record already on the books the Raiders would have preferred a few losses in order to win in the Draft. Due to Davante Adams heading to New York over the regular season, PFF suggested that Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan may be the most obvious pick to bolster their skills player roster.
But a young quarterback would be the fans’ choice for the Draft, and the Raiders may be able to secure the talented Shedeur Sanders if he lasts until the sixth pick. The Colorado Buffaloes player was named the Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, and has also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for being the nation’s top college quarterback in his final year.
Other options include Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cameron Ward, Michigan Wolverines’ star cornerback Will Johnson and running back Ashton Jeanty, who plays for the Boise State Broncos.
Movement in the roster to bring in NFL talent
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Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The Raider Ramble reported that the Las Vegas team needs a big offseason to improve its chances of making the playoffs next year – and its wage cap could help. The Raiders’ cap space has been estimated at around $91.2 million for 2025, which allows the team to make some big moves in free agency.
The budget also allows the team to retain their best players, which can be crucial in the success of Brady’s newest squad. The Raiders’ defense allowed 46 touchdowns against them this season, placing 17th out of 32 teams in the entire league.
FOX Sports also reported that the team allowed an average of 25.5 points scored per game against them, and also 333.1 yards on average each game, ranking them 26th and 15th out of 32 respectively. These damning statistics could lead people to argue that they need to improve on their defense over the offseason – but their offense also paints a bleak picture.
The Raiders had the worst rushing offense and the 13th best passing in the NFL this season, with 79.8 and 223.4 yards on average respectively. This means the team required more on the passing game over the regular season, but Gardner Minshew was intercepted 10 times in total, tying him as the 16th-most picked off quarterback across the league.
So improvements have to be made across both sides of the ball for the Raiders this season – the good thing is, they have the cap space and draft picks to be able to do so.
Easy scheduling to boost playoff chances
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