The Las Vegas Raiders made a splash Sunday, agreeing to terms with Chip Kelly as their new offensive coordinator.
Kelly comes from Ohio State, where he led the 12th-ranked scoring offense to a national title. In three of his last four seasons as UCLA’s head coach, his offenses ranked 20th or higher in scoring. Now, he faces the challenge of elevating a Raiders unit that has finished 23rd or worse in points for consecutive seasons.
Seven years after his head-coaching stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Kelly returns to the NFL with creative run schemes and a track record of optimizing athletic, dual-threat quarterbacks.
Given Kelly’s history with mobile quarterbacks at the collegiate level, his arrival may not bode well for current Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who has athletic limitations. The Raiders could revamp their entire quarterback room. Here are five realistic options via free agency, the draft, or trade:
Jaxson Dart
While at UCLA, Kelly recruited Jaxson Dart before the quarterback chose USC in 2021, according to Greg Beacham of The Associated Press.
“With plenty of attention late in the recruiting cycle, he ended up choosing USC over suitors including UCLA,” Beacham wrote. “Dart was impressed by Chip Kelly and by Jason Kaufusi, the Bruins’ outside linebackers coach, who played at the University of Utah alongside Dart’s father, safety Brandon Dart.”
If the Raiders don’t trade up and neither Cam Ward nor Shedeur Sanders falls to them at No. 6, Dart could be an option on Day 2.
Kelly’s previous interest in Dart could be rekindled after the Ole Miss product threw for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 69.7% completion rate last season. The athletic signal-caller has also rushed for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns in his collegiate career.
Dart’s accuracy and quick release could make him effective in Kelly’s offense, which spreads defenses thin and requires quick decision-making.
Justin Fields
Dating back to his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelly has utilized run-pass-option (RPO) packages to keep defenders off balance. While he doesn’t need the most athletic quarterback to run these schemes, a signal-caller who can run downfield for 15-20 yards presents a much greater challenge for defensive fronts.
In 2022 with the Chicago Bears, Justin Fields thrived in Luke Getsy’s RPO-heavy offense. That season, Bears quarterbacks ranked eighth in pass attempts (68) and fifth in rushing yards (171) on RPO-designed plays. Fields also rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns.
According to Spotrac.com, Fields has a $6.4 million market value — a bargain price for a quarterback with his starting experience. This past season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he went 4-2 as a starter, throwing for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and one interception with a 65.8% completion rate.
Will Howard
Will Howard’s connection to Kelly is clear: The Ohio State product helped lead the program to a national title in Kelly’s offense. He threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 73% completion rate while adding 226 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Though Howard isn’t generating as much pre-draft buzz as Dart, he may be a more realistic Day 2 option for the Raiders given his experience in Kelly’s offense.
Despite playing only one season under Kelly, Howard showed significant improvement in his passing numbers compared to his time at Kansas State. Slightly bigger than Dart but equally athletic, Howard can move the chains and finish drives in short-yardage situations.
His familiarity with Kelly’s system likely elevates his position on the Raiders’ draft board, possibly above Dart.
Jalen Milroe
Jalen Milroe struggled during Senior Bowl week, with his accuracy raising particular concerns.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay highlighted Milroe’s inconsistencies during Senior Bowl practices.
“He’s not accurate short to intermediate,” McShay said, via AL.com’s Matt Stahl. “He’s missing and he’s missing by sizable amounts and it’s concerning.”
Kelly’s offense fundamentally requires an accurate quarterback who can connect with receivers on defined short to intermediate routes.
However, Milroe’s arm strength forces defenders to cover all three levels of the field, though he needs to demonstrate more consistency at the professional level. The Alabama product’s dual-threat capabilities could fit well in Kelly’s RPO-friendly system, but the Raiders would need to see improved ball placement and accuracy.
Geno Smith
Geno Smith represents an intriguing trade option, with the possibility potentially hinging on head coach Pete Carroll’s influence and Smith’s contract demands.
Entering the final year of his deal with the Seattle Seahawks, Smith has no guaranteed money remaining and will likely seek a new contract before playing another down.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson suggests Carroll might push for a reunion with Smith if contract negotiations with Seattle stall this offseason.
Since taking over as starter after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, Smith has excelled in Seattle, winning 2022 Comeback Player of the Year and earning two Pro Bowl selections.
Smith completed 70.4% of his passes this past season. Even at 34, he maintains functional mobility, rushing for 272 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Additionally, the Seahawks ranked 11th in RPO-designed pass attempts (63) this past season, suggesting Smith could operate effectively in Kelly’s offense if the Raiders pursue a veteran signal-caller via free agency or trade.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.