The Las Vegas Raiders, demonstrating their strategic prowess, refrained from selecting a quarterback from the deep 2024 NFL draft class with their eight picks this weekend. Instead, they bolstered their roster with Pro Bowl quarterback Gardner Minshew, released last year’s starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, and retained Aidan O’Connell, who showed promise in 2023. Undeterred by their offseason moves, the Raiders swiftly secured an undrafted free-agent quarterback after the league draft.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Raiders have added former South Alabama Jaguars gunslinger Carter Bradley, the son of longtime NFL coach Gus Bradley, to their team as a UDFA. Bradley, alongside former Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Anthony Brown, round out the current QB room in Las Vegas.Ezoic
South Alabama QB Carter Bradley: College Career
C. Bradley
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 17: C. Bradley, #2 of the South Alabama Jaguars, passes against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at Rose Bowl on September 17, 2022, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
A three-star prospect in the class of 2018 from Jacksonville, Florida, quarterback Carter Bradley signed with the Toledo Rockets out of Providence High School. Bradley mainly played behind fellow passer Eli Peters for three seasons, throwing for ten touchdowns against seven picks. Bradley again played a secondary role in 2021, with DeQuan Finn throwing for 18 touchdowns against two picks. With Finn entrenched as the starter, Bradley transferred to South Alabama for the 2022 season.
Former South Alabama QB Carter Bradley — the son of longtime NFL coach Gus Bradley — is signing with the #Raiders, per source. pic.twitter.com/XvKQXDtaQw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 27, 2024
Bradley took over signal-caller duties in 2022, helping lead the Jaguars to a five-win improvement. He threw for 3,335 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 12 picks, earning second-team All-Sun Belt honors. The six-foot-three, 215-pound passer continued his elite passing in 2024, his final college season. Bradley finished the year with 2,660 passing yards and 19 touchdowns against seven picks.
Carter Bradley: NFL Profile
At 24 years old, Bradley entered the 2024 NFL draft as one of the older quarterbacks. According to NFL Draft Buzz, Bradley graded out as the 13th-best quarterback in the class and a potential undrafted free agent. A prolific passer in his final two seasons, Bradley has excellent touch in the short and intermediate levels. However, as seen on most draft sites, he lacks deep ball touch.
Carter Bradley is the son of former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley. As the defensive coordinator, the elder Bradley coached for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. He has spent the past two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts under the same job title.
Las Vegas Raiders: QB Depth Chart
Barring an unexpected move, the Raiders will enter next fall with Gardner Minshew as their starting quarterback. Minshew earned Pro Bowl honors last season, throwing for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine picks as a near-season-long replacement for the injured Anthony Richardson. Minshew has posted solid numbers as an NFL passer despite only starting double-digit games twice in his five-year professional career. Minshew owns a career 90.2 quarterback rating with 59 touchdowns against 24 picks.
Alongside Minshew, the Raiders will have Aidan O’Connell as a potential backup. O’Connell started ten games for Las Vegas last year, going 5-5 while throwing for 12 touchdowns against seven picks. A fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, O’Connell posted solid numbers at Purdue from 2019 to 2022.
