Raiders might just have the next Daniel Jones sitting on their bench
Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and now, Daniel Jones. The NFL quarterback reclamation project is shifting from a mere fad to a trend that teams will no doubt look to replicate in the coming years.
Former draft "busts" are thriving in better environments, making their new general managers look like geniuses in the process. Finding low-cost passers capable of leading a functional offense is one of the most direct paths to contention, so these gambles aren't going away any time soon.
This season, Jones has taken the league by storm in a way that nobody expected. His Indianapolis Colts are blowing preseason projections out of the water, riding an efficient offense to the top of the league standings.
While the former New York Giants' flameout still has some of the limitations that hindered him at his previous stop, the coaching staff in Indiana has been able to support him in a way that allows him to thrive.
Believe it or not, the Las Vegas Raiders already have one of the top candidates for the next comeback quarterback on their roster. As crazy as it may sound, Kenny Pickett has a real chance to become the next Daniel Jones.
Raiders' QB Kenny Pickett could become the next Daniel Jones
At first glance, this notion seems impossible. Pickett has bounced around multiple NFL rosters over the last year, seemingly unable to prove himself capable of contributing in the league. His time with the Pittsburgh Steelers was inconsistent at best, and they've generally looked better since moving on from him.
But consider that, just last season, Jones was playing safety on the Giants' practice squad. Mayfield and Darnold found themselves in similar situations, so a player's situation can change rapidly in the NFL.
Now, Pickett does have some important limitations that the revitalized quarterbacks of recent years don't all share. His undersized hands and mediocre arm talent lead to accuracy issues and offensive constraints that can't necessarily be fixed.
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His processing ability, though, is good enough to succeed in the right system. He's far from being the most talented quarterback in the league, but he may be able to reach Daniel Jones' levels of production if he has enough support around him.
If he gets another chance to prove himself, it may not come with the Raiders. While Geno Smith has been disappointing this season, it seems more likely that the team would opt to draft his successor than promote Pickett into a starting role.
However, if Pickett does end up saving his career with a new team, Raiders fans will be stuck wondering what could have been, just like so many NFL teams in recent years.
C.J. Stroud reveals how he knew Jaxon Smith-Njigba was going to be special
There have been a lot of pleasant surprises for the Seattle Seahawks this year, especially on offense. Sam Darnold is not only living up to expectations, he's playing better than ever before - including last year's breakout campaign with the Minnesota Vikings.
Darnold's primary target has been the team's new No. 1 wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is by far the biggest surprise of all. Heading into Week 7, JSN leads the NFL with 696 receiving yards - and he's getting buzz as an Offensive Player of the Year candidate.
One guy who isn't surprised by JSN blowing up is this week's opponent, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud - who played with him at Ohio State.
Stroud told reporters earlier this week that he knew Smith-Njigba was going to be special when he made a crazy one-handed catch in his very first college practice.
C.J. Stroud on Jaxon Smith-Njigba
JSN's traditional numbers are impressive enough, but the advanced stats show that he's blowing away the competition - breaking nearly every chart there is to measure receiving production this season.
This week Smith-Njigba will face his toughest test yet of 2025. The Texans will have him shadowed by star DB Derek Stingley, who has the second-biggest cornerback contract in the league.
So far Stingley has lived up to the Houston's big offseason investment, allowing just a 50% completion rate, zero touchdowns and a 60.6 passer rating when targeted.
Not everyone is a fan of Stingley's body of work this season, though. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus has Stingley graded out at 51.2 in coverage and 47.6 overall, which ranks 145th out of cornerbacks with enough snaps to qualify.
By comparison, JSN is thriving according to PFF's grading system. Only LA Rams star Puka Nacua has a higher grade at wide receiver through six games.
Either way, whoever gets the best of this particular one on one matchup will go a long way towards securing a win for their team.
