Gardner Minshew suffered a fall from grace from 2023 to 2024. Riding on the average success he had with the Colts in 2023, he came to the Raiders with a great hope of reviving his status among the NFL QBs. Alas, his plan failed. In 10 games (9 as a starter) in the 2024 season, he finished with a 2-7 win-loss record. Meanwhile, things changed at the Raiders. GOAT Tom Brady arrived as a minority owner. He is looking to change things at the franchise. They are aiming for Matthew Stafford, who would come with loads of experience.

In 2024, when the Raiders signed Minshew, they signed a 2-year $25 million contract with $15 million guaranteed. But X account, NFL rumors, claims they will break the deal and release him. The only concern about the change is the timing of the release. With a post June 1 release, they will save $9.3 million in cap space with only $4.6 million dead money. In case they expedite the release to before June 1, the savings reduce to $6.3 million in cap space with $7.6 million dead money hit.

It’s not about the performance alone. Tom Brady’s side doesn’t want to deal with an injury-ridden signal caller. Broncos LB Cody Barton drove Gardner Minshew to the ground, breaking the QB’s collarbone, effectively ending his season. It was painful. But the Raiders struggle was even more heartbreaking to watch.

Backup QBs like Desmond Ridder and Aidan O’Connell tried hard to get them wins. But a lot of things were off track. So, a quarterback change was always incoming. Tom Brady has been tasked with making the changes. He started with a new GM, John Spytek, and a new HC, Pete Carroll. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

Overall, they are now looking to sort out the most important situation in the roster. The signal caller! And with the GOAT supervising the changes, they have a hawk’s view of the different players available.

Tom Brady aims to snap up a Super Bowl winning QB

The AFC West is one of the toughest divisions in the league. With the Chiefs around, it’s hard to grab the top spot. So, you need someone who has walked that path and won the Trophy. That’s the mindset of Tom Brady. As rumors fly that the LA Rams might part ways with Matthew Stafford, the Raiders are among the top contenders.

The 37-year-old QB won the Super Bowl LVI in 2021. That was his peak. But he hasn’t slowed down. Even in 2024, he had a 10-6 record with 340 of 517 passes (65.8% completion rate) in 3,762 passing yards with 20 TDs and 8 interceptions.

Their strategy is also the same as the Raiders. With a post-June 1 release, they can split the $45.3 cap charge into two parts. That would also give them some breathing space. Tom Brady would definitely like to trade for him. However, there’s a twist. The situation about Stafford came after the Rams announced WR Cooper Kupp‘s trade availability.

Will the Raiders have to sign the receiver as well? According to NFL analyst Albert Breer, many other teams including the Steelers, Giants, and Browns are in the race too. HC Pete Carroll could also pressure the Raiders to talk with Russell Wilson, currently looking for a deal. So, the race is on. In this context, what happens in Vegas will definitely have repercussions far beyond.