The Raiders have been mentioned as a suitor for one of the draft’s top-three quarterbacks, and the buzz is only getting louder. The Raiders are “expected to be aggressive” in trading up from pick No. 13 in pursuit of a quarterback, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Albert Breer of SI.com passes along a similar sentiment, writing that the Raiders are among the teams inquiring “on a trade-up for a quarterback.”
[RELATED: Raiders Interested In Acquiring No. 1 Overall Pick]
The organization left no stone unturned at last week’s combine, meeting with the majority of the draft’s quarterback prospects. As Bonsignore passes along, the team interviewed a range of QBs, including top prospects like USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. The team is especially enamored with Daniels, who was at Arizona State when Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was on the staff.
A trade for any of those three quarterbacks would likely require a massive haul; the Bears are reportedly seeking a historic bounty for the No. 1 selection. As a result, the Raiders may need to pivot to one of the second-tier prospects like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr..
Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic believe one of those non-top-three QBs may be a more reasonable expectation, with the duo writing that a trade into the top-three “may be unrealistic.” Tafur and Reed also pass along that the organization has explored trades into the No. 5 to No. 7 range.
“You have to weigh how bad you want the player and how much you’re giving up,” general manager Tom Telesco said last week. “It’s just a judgment decision. Part of that is we may think we know the player is going to hit, but we really don’t. You never 100 percent know.”
While the quarterback prospects won’t have much (if any) say in their destination, it sounds like the incoming rookies were all impressed by Pierce and the organization.
“What a great job he did this past year,” Maye told Bonsignore. “So much respect for him for earning the respect of the guys.”
On the one hand, having Adams, Meyers, and Mayer would be nifty for a rookie quarterback. On the other hand, they’re losing 3/5 of their offensive line in free agency, would be missing some draft picks in this scenario, and have an offensive coordinator who sure didn’t seem to help his last young QB much.
They needed to upgrade that line anyway. They should be heavy spenders on guards especially in the free agent class, which is historically a place you can fix that spot, tackle not so much.
Losing 3/5 of an atrocious OL sounds like a good time
To me
They could do much worse than both Andre James and Jermaine Eluemunor.
Bills GM summed it up perfectly at the combine: “If [trading up for Allen] didn’t work out, I wouldn’t be here anyway,” Beane said. “If it does work out, then who gives a (bleep)?”
I don’t think the Raiders should, but…..
A guy made a youtube video talking about the value of first rd picks. I didnt like all his model inputs or some conclusions, but one point he mentioned was the same as yours.
GM’s and coachs have 3 yrs (if lucky) to make progress or they are gone. Frank Reich had a few games. Are the steelers and packers always in the hunt for the playoffs because they are stable, or are they stable because they are in the hunt.
As a lifelong Packers fan I know we’ve been blessed with unlikely quarterback play. But a BIG part of that has been that the Packers have consistently had a top 10 offensive line the last 30 years. Build your line. Build stability. Then go for the quarterback. Qb talent obviously is a factor but a great offensive line does more for continued success than elite qb talent with no protection. Raiders aren’t a quarterback away. Build the rest of the team and then get your quarterback
Amen to that!!!! It always amazes me how so few talking heads, and the audiences they talk to and influence, don’t understand that basic truth about football. They get so wrapped up with players at the so-called “skill positions,” (as if playing offensive line doesn’t require any skill) and ignore the importance of offensive line play, then get indignant when a line doesn’t play well, as if line play is a factor that no fan or analyst should ever have to consider. Thank for knowing and appreciating the truth.
That logic has been the last 25 yrs for us
Nobody’s wrong for themselves, but there’s never a plan for the greater good
The Davis family has a strong strong lack of vision.
It’s almost as if it doesn’t even exist until some shiny new object comes within 6 inches from their noses; like a child on Christmas
All draft picks carry risk. It doesn’t have to be a QB.
But, that shouldn’t hinder you from trying to get your guy. If you get it right, its the most important position in sports.
Its worse if you never take a shot. If you dont take a shot, you are never truly in the conversation. Sure, you might have a good year, but your ceiling is so much lower.
Except for Shanahan, for some reason.
arty! • 18 hours ago
Bills GM summed it up perfectly at the combine: “If [trading up for Allen] didn’t work out, I wouldn’t be here anyway,”
=====================
Sure, all trades that work out well are good trades.
But once you add in Trubisky, Trey Lance, Wilson, maybe Young, maybe Watson, those trades can do a lot of damage.
I remember the last time the Raiders drafted a QB from LSU…
The purple drink!
Purple drank!
Well they certainly don’t have to worry about this one being way too heavy.
When you draft a player that has conditioning issues in college, you should expect conditioning issues in the pros.
Worked out great for the raiders. We loved him. Such an awesome QB. Should have kept him longer.
-signed Chargers Chiefs Broncos
The Bears are happy to talk to them about 1.1
Unbelievably disturbing news as a fan.
Some could argue {us} Raiders fans should start believing after a lifetime’s worth of this bs but I’m still disturbed each and every new time
F@#K, build the O-line and D up to build an identity , trade Adams, give AOC and Jacoby Biscuits a year to keep the cap fresh and be in a better place 365 days from now. This friggin team
Counter: They cant draft worth a sh@t neways so throw all the loot on the Hard 2’s and pray they don’t roll craps on the QB.
Cap & Crunch I would not put too much into this article.
As a rule the Raiders have never confirmed or denied any rumor, so writers and agents take advantage of this.
Are we supposed to believe that the Raiders were the only team at the combine that met with all of the top QB prospects? “A trade for them would be a massive haul, causing a look at second tier QB” applies to every team? This sounds like 25 of the NFL teams that are involved in the 2024 draft.
This is a basic article that says nothing and quotes no one as breaking news.
“A trade for them would be a massive haul,”
=====================
A worthless statement if ever I heard one.
The cost to trade up to #3 might be half of what it would cost for the #1. So maybe that’s a half-massive haul.
Josh McDaniels inherited a team that squeaked into the playoffs. Now look at them.
Should just sign someone like Josh Dobbs and draft someone like Milton lll out of Tennessee in later rounds.
Or maybe work out trade with Detroit for Hendon Hooker if they re up Goff on a long term deal.
Feel like there’s other options besides put all your eggs in one basket and trade premium draft picks.
I would strongly bet against any of those people being future starters. I can see not trading up and seeing who falls to them at 13 or 44 (maybe even lower, if you think Rattler will fall), but those are some very long longshots you’re suggesting.
Id avoid Spencer Rattler like a plague. He did not handle himself well at all at Oklahoma and definitely didnt play very well at South Carolina to warrant being a 1st or 2nd round pick. Certainly wouldnt spend #44 on him.
I’d for sure bet Hendon Hooker being a better starter than Spencer Rattler
I would wait until after the second to take Rattler, but by all accounts he matured a great deal after Oklahoma, and he has the ability level. But Hooker is a year younger than Lamar Jackson and has never taken an NFL snap, he ran an offense that didn’t require several necessary NFL skills, and he’s torn his ACL in between. I think he has a much better chance of being a starting NFL QB than Dobbs or Milton (not saying a ton), but I wouldn’t trade meaningful draft capital to get Hooker and plan on him. Heck, trade for Fields at that point.
Hooker was a 3rd round pick and at best he’d cost a comp 3rd or 4th rounder somewhere or later round pick.
Trade our #4 for Hooker and sign Wilson for a one-year deal.
Spencer handled himself great at SC. He grew up from his time at Oklahoma. Overcame adversity and performed well at the combine and senior bow.
Remember he was a 5 star recruit, beat out Caleb (until he didn’t) and then went on to the SEC and faired very well considering his past. His teammates loved him. I can see him going anywhere from the 3rd-4th in terms of being drafted.
Russell Wilson as a stop gap QB for LV???
A QB named Hooker just feels right for Las Vegas.
Jetsy comes from Hackett’s tree. Did you think Wilson looked comfortable in that system last year?
I’m not a Michigan fan but I think JJ McCarthy might have the best career out of all the QB’s. The guy is a winner. He was coached by Jim Harbaugh and mentored by Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes was overlooked as well..
JJ reminds me too much of Zach Wilson (appearance demeanor) that alone is enough to pass on him until the 2nd round I bet.
Mahomes got overlooked because he played under Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid system at Texas Tech. I think Mahomes got knocked a bit because his profile was “big arm, Big 12 QB who played in the Air Raid” while the past 5-10 years had multiple QBs with the same/similar draft profiles that flopped. Besides that, Mahomes’ arm talent and stats jumped off the page.
McCarthy is getting overlooked because his college stats don’t jump off the page and his skillset seems to be more accuracy/finesse rather than a big arm…and teams aren’t sure if that’s because Michigan didn’t need him to play like that or if its because they knew they couldn’t reliably expect that of him. He’s a winner, but just because you won in college doesn’t mean you’ll be a winner in the pros.
Pat Mahomes was not overlooked. There’s a reason KC traded into the top 10 to acquire him. Plus, Mahomes had a FAR better career (numbers wise) than JJ. FAR greater. Pat Mahomes was the offense for Texas Tech.. JJ was the guy who was asked to not lose the game for Mich. Huge difference. Plus I think Tech was top 20 offense in the land with Mahomes chucking it almost every play. The defense was awful though. I think they were ranked at 119 or 120 in the land.
Pierce is clearly driving this desire. Telesco never traded up in ten years with the Chargers. If they can hit on a QB, the Raiders are a team to watch out for because like the Bengals, they are one of the few teams that can play with the Chiefs consistently. Everyone points to the win last year, but they’ve played them well for years now even when losing close games.
Telesco traded up for Melvin Gordon and Kenneth Murray, just off the top of my head.
Patrick Mahomes was taken 10th overall in 2017, much higher than most people expected. In that draft, T. J. Watt (30th overall), Cooper Krupp (3rd round), and George Kittle (5th round), Austin Eckler and Taysom Hill (both undrafted) would all be better described as “overlooked.”
Pierce wants Jayden Daniels, but that would mean they have to convince WAS to trade the 2nd pick. Kliff Kingsbury has only coached dual threat QB’s the last few years and his play sheet is limited even with the run option (WAS is targeting Daniels). There is no way WAS is taking Maye at #2, so now LV has to sell the farm to get the 2nd pick. Maye will be available at #3 if NE wants him, otherwise Maye could be there at #6 for the NYG.
Good Luck LV
P.S. Giants should jump at the opportunity to grab Maye at #6.
P.S.S. if WAS wants to trade the 2nd pick then they should go after Justin Fields, Fields would do well in WAS with Scary Terry, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel. Plus Kliff needs a Duel threat QB and Fields fits that role very well.
Just some fun thoughts to toss around. Thanks for reading.
I like this. Solid read for what we “know”. The raiders have tremendous pressure though. A lot like W. The raiders remind me of when LA dodgers bought the whole Red Sox team just to fill tv rights. Raiders have to get a seat filler. Nothing better than the hype guy out of usc.
Imo, Washington wants Williams. If they can’t trade up for him, they will be open to trade. Daniels isn’t anything like the QBs that Kingsbury has coached from Kyler Murray to Mayfield to Mahomes to Williams. He’s a more polished passing, worse running version of Lamar Jackson.
Okay I respect your opinion. So WAS trades up to #1 for Williams and the Bears run it back with Fields? I guess if CHI wants Marvin Harrison at #2 but now that I am typing I mean heck lets kick it up a notch…so
Bears trade #1 pick to WAS. Bears then trade newly acquired #2 pick to whomever wants it (possibly LV) and the Bears get a massive haul of picks for 2024 and 2025.
CHI drafts WR’s, O-line and D-linemen in 2024 giving Justin Fields all the support he could ever want. Fields then has 1 year to prove himself before the 2025 draft. 2025 draft comes along and the Bears decide that Fields isn’t the guy so now they have to trade up to #1 to select current #1 QB prospect Shedeur Sanders (for now).
However the team holding the #1 pick in the 2025 draft (most likely NYJ) doesn’t want to trade it, they want Sanders. So hypothetically in 2025 CHI is going to be entering the draft with a bunch of picks, a good offense, a good defense and still a question mark at QB.
IDK, CHI better grab Williams at #1 and roll with that. What WAS is going to do is a mystery at this point but I know what CHI needs to do. Playing the pick game looks great but you can’t be the team that passed on C.J. Stroud and Caleb Williams in back-to-back years. That’s how people lose jobs in the front office.
Thanks for reading my mindless rant, should have had coffee before I started typing.
The Jets only got the 10th pick overall last season with an extremely bad offensive line, quarterback situation, and pass catchers other than Wilson. They’re not one of the favorites for the top pick.
I’d be stunned if Chicago trades 1:1. If they roll with Fields another year, they’re missing their best chance to replace him. Both because they have the top pick and because Williams is a better prospect than anyone in next year’s class.
It is just a hypothetical, what does it matter what team I said was #1 in 2025. I just needed a crappy team that had QB needs. I am not trying to offend NYJ fans.
I’m just a Jets fan who hasn’t had enough coffee yet.
I thought they might do that, but they seem to be leaning toward taking Williams. That’s why I think Washington will be open to trade, but the Raiders will have to give them a lot. I think Washington already has a lot of high picks this year inside the top 100, so they won’t take anything.
“There is no way WAS is taking Maye at #2.” Remember you said that. They might trade down, but I would be very surprised if Maye goes ahead of Daniels.
Hey Oooof,
I didn’t say Daniels is better then Maye, I said WAS is going to take Daniels over Maye. Maye is my guy, I think he is going to be great to watch in the NFL (I may be wrong). I just don’t see Kliff taking Maye over Daniels for his offense, but I may be wrong. I had Maye going #2 for the last 4 months or better and I just changed my opinion last week once my buddy broke down some things for me. I doubt anything I say will matter next week let alone a month from now. Just tossing ideas around for fun.
Understood. That’s what we’re all doing. I just have a really hard time seeing Daniels going ahead of Maye, and Kliff ain’t the one making personnel decisions.
I see the bears trading down to the Raiders. This is the best possible scenario. Raiders getting a chance at the hype. Otherwise they draft the combined guy in a spot less than 5. Bears will draft Marvin jr. giants could be a play. If the bears keep the pick they are dumb. But they also make terrible draft decisions. The hype on this guy is worth 3 1sts and extras. They can get the raiders QB and have a comp in trading camp with fields. The play is to trade fields too. And get a compensation QB. Leading to next year they will have the ability to go after sanders. All these guys are builders. The only way you are nfl ready this year is with a good defense and top 5 running.
Chicago isn’t trading down, and if they did, it wouldn’t be out of the top ten.
this might be the worst comment I’ve read in years.
Just started aye? Lol
If you’re going to trade that far up you might as well see what the Bears want for that first pick. You have the WR weapons in place, your getting a QB at a rookie scale and you get salary cap which with the lose of draft picks you’d have to build your team through free agency.
Top Three? If I were CHI, WAS, NE I wouldn’t budge from all talks starting with Maxx Crosby.
Too big an ask?
Oh well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Starting with Maxx?
He alone is worth at least two first round picks and then some.
He plays arguably the most important position on defense.
He is barely coming into his prime and he is already a top 2-3 already at his position. While the others such as Bosa, Watt, Paarsons have help….Maxx doesn’t. Imagine Maxx with help?
If I’m the Raiders I’d just stay at 13 and draft some help for Maxx. The DT out of Texas would be my choice.
I’d love to see Turner fall, and maybe go Turner/CB/Sweat, though that might take some doing.
That’s a joke..if the Bears would take Maxx for the number 1 pick there isn’t a GM that wouldn’t do that deal! You’d draft Williams and Turner/Verse at #13.
I agree, but I’d also say Maxx is probably the only one on the Raiders that is untouchable. The dude is a Raider and as loyal as the come to the organization. I just dont see it happening.
Daniels
Swap 1st Rd with NE,,,,and give them a 1st next yr and a 2nd this yr…..new England takes JJ mcCarthy…or pennix…then XAVIER LEGATE top of the second, then an OL with the 2nd (raiders) pick.
I look forward to seeing how the Raiders blow this.