Raiders mailbag: Will Antonio Pierce, Champ Kelly be hired full time?

The Raiders face a must-win Monday at Kansas City. With three games left for the 6-8 team, nothing less than a sweep is required to give them any chance to make the playoffs.

Their fans have plenty of questions.

Here is a sample of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

Raiderette T. (@Renee_1393): I know we’ve seen a difference in the locker room with interim coach Antonio Pierce. Has there been a noticeable change throughout the building besides the players to suggest he and general manager Champ Kelly can solidify their chances to be hired permanently?

Vincent Bonsignore: It’s safe to say there is support for Pierce and Kelly to be hired as the full-time coach and general manager. They are well respected in the organization and have ties and relationships in place. And while owner Mark Davis has indicated he is open to allowing the process to guide him to a final decision, you get the feeling he would prefer that things work out with Pierce and Kelly. After all, there is a reason he elevated them when he fired Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler.

Matt Berger (@matt_berger): Who most likely will be the starting quarterback for the Raiders next season? Aidan O’Connell, Justin Fields, Jake Browning, or whoever they draft?

VB: Still too early to tell.

O’Connell has three games left to state his case, and it would help his cause if he can string together consistently good performances. That has been a major issue for him, as three of his starts have produced 77 or better adjusted quarterback ratings (QBR), but four others have resulted in sub-35 QBRs. As an example, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s 14-game QBR is 76.0, and he’s fallen below the 40.0 mark just once. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for NFL teams to compete at a high level with O’Connell’s level of inconsistency.

Caleb Williams SZN (@theblakkmamba24): What are the chances that Champ Kelly retains the general manager title after the season? Also, what are the chances Kelly keeps Antonio Pierce if he keeps the job, regardless of our wins or losses to finish the season?

VB: Regarding Kelly, the sense is he has a legitimate shot. But don’t be surprised if the Raiders create a director of football operations position and fill it with an experienced, proven executive to oversee the entire operation, including Kelly.

Pierce continues to make a strong case for himself.

bill townsend (@realdeal2525): Where do you think the Raiders will end up in the NFL draft?

VB: This can go either way, with Monday’s game against the Chiefs setting the tone for the rest of the way. As of right now, let’s say ninth.

Dat Raider (@DatRaider): Would a loss to Kansas City seal Antonio Pierce’s fate?

VB: No.

BR37 (@BrandonR37): No questions, Vinny. It’s holiday time. Have a great one with you and yours.

VB: You as well, Brandon, and to everyone else who takes part in this every week. Happy holidays.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.