Will Raiders claim quarterback Ryan Finley?

Ryan Finley is available and it wouldn’t be a shock if Jon Gruden grabs him.

Finley will go on waivers on Tuesday. If he goes unclaimed, he will be a free agent.

Would the Raiders be interested in Finley? I would think Gruden will consider it. He coached Finley in the 2019 Senior Bowl and there were reports that the Raiders were considering drafting him, however, he went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round.

Gruden said this about Finley in a 2019 conference call with Cincinnati media prior to a game against the Bengals:

“Greg Olson, who is our offensive coordinator, and I really liked him (at the Senior Bowl). “He’s got a real good football mind. He had a lot of playing experience at North Carolina State. He’s more athletic than you think. He’s an accurate passer. He’s tough. He can make tight window throws. We have a lot of respect for Finley and I know they’re not going to treat him like a rookie. They’re going to ask him to do a lot of things and he’s capable of doing it.”

Gruden is famous for adding quarterbacks. Yes, he is happy with the current quarterback room with Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota and Nathan Peterman. But there is no risk in adding a quarterback at this point of the year. If Finley can flourish under Gruden and push Peterman for the No. 3 spot, it could be a worthwhile endeavor for Las Vegas.

Finley, 26, has started four games in two seasons with Cincinnati. He was traded to the Houston Texans this March.