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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders hired former Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco as their new GM, it was announced on Tuesday.
This comes less than six weeks after the Raiders beat the Chargers 63-21 at Allegiant Stadium on Dec. 14 and Telesco and coach Brandon Staley paid for the historic loss with their jobs the next day.
Telesco, 51, had been the Chargers’ general manager since 2013 and was the architect of some great rosters that underachieved in the AFC West. He drafted the likes of receiver Keenan Allen, running back Melvin Gordon III, defensive end Joey Bosa, safety Derwin James Jr., quarterback Justin Herbert, linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. and defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu.
For the past three seasons, with Staley as coach, Telesco was aggressive in free agency and the trade market. Telesco traded for edge rusher Khalil Mack; signed All-Pro cornerback J.C. Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract; and added defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day and Morgan Fox.
But some of that aggressiveness led to missteps, with the most notable being Jackson. He played just seven games for the Chargers, earning $38.5 million over that span. The Jackson signing was among the worst of Telesco’s time as GM, an error he acknowledged. Telesco apologized to the team’s defensive backs for signing Jackson, calling the move a “swing and a miss.” The Jackson signing was Telesco’s final major move with the Chargers.
The Chargers went just 84-92 with Telesco as GM, including 2-3 in three playoff appearances. Telesco had three different head coaches with the Chargers, who moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017, in Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Staley.
With the Raiders, Telesco is joining coach Antonio Pierce, who had the interim tag removed Friday to become Las Vegas’ full-time head coach. Telesco is replacing interim GM Champ Kelly, who had still been working in the Raiders facility this week.
Pierce and Kelly replaced Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, respectively, both of whom were fired by Raiders owner Mark Davis on Halloween. Pierce and Kelly led a team that finished 5-4 (3-1 in the AFC West), with the win against the Chargers, the Raiders’ second victory against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium since 2013, and a win in the season finale against the Denver Broncos.
But Davis leaned against pairing a rookie general manager with a rookie head coach again, as he did in 2012 with Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen.
Telesco is the fifth GM (regular and interim) to work for the Raiders since Davis assumed control of the team upon his father Al Davis’ passing in 2011, along with McKenzie, Mike Mayock, Ziegler and Kelly.
Mark Davis has said the GM will have final say in personnel decisions, and Telesco would have some immediate issues to confront for a team that finished 8-9 and has been to the playoffs just twice since appearing in Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 season.
Foremost is the offense, and what to do at the quarterback position.
Oft-injured vet Jimmy Garoppolo was benched by Pierce upon being promoted. The high-priced quarterback played just once thereafter, a three-snap appearance in the finale, and is a cut or trade candidate. And while rookie Aidan O’Connell finished with a flourish, with eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in the Raiders’ final four games, he is probably too immobile and too erratic to pencil in as the starter going forward.
The Raiders have the No. 13 draft pick, but the top QB prospects — USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who is tight with Pierce from their time together at Arizona State and was in the Raiders’ locker room after the season finale — all figure to be long gone before their selection comes up.
Telesco will also have to weigh in on whom the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator will be and whether they need to trade for a veteran quarterback or sign one in free agency, with the likes of Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Jameis Winston due to hit the open market.
And at running back, Telesco would have to make a decision on 2022 All-Pro Josh Jacobs, who suffered through his worst season as a pro in finishing with career lows in rushing yards (805), yards per carry (3.5), touchdowns (6) and games played (13). He held out and missed the entirety of Las Vegas’ offseason program, training camp and exhibition season after he was slapped with the franchise tag.
Jacobs is a favorite of Davis and Pierce.
Telesco played receiver in college at John Carroll University and has also worked in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts.
ESPN Chargers reporter Kris Rhim contributed to this report.
