Rumors have started swirling around the NFL that the Las Vegas Raiders want to trade up in the draft. With only two weeks until the draft, it seems like the Raiders have their eye on Jayden Daniels. Here is why Las Vegas should not be trading up for a quarterback in this year’s draft.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are amidst a complete rebuild of their organization. Last offseason the Raiders moved on from quarterback Derek Carr and, in the middle of the 2023 season, they fired head coach Josh McDaniels. Antonio Pierce then served as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season. Pierce brought a new energy to the Raiders after a depressing first half of the season.
The Raiders and Peirce ended the season very strong going 5-4 through the last nine weeks and finished with an overall record of 8-9. Antonio Pierce was announced as the future head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders during the offseason. Many top players like Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams made it known that they wanted Pierce as their head coach.
Las Vegas hasn’t made a lot of offseason moves but they did make a couple of big signings. They let running back Josh Jacobs walk in free agency but added Alexander Mattison to try to replace him. They also signed defensive tackle Christan Wilkins to pair with Maxx Crosby. After releasing Jimmy Garoppolo, the Raiders signed quarterback Gardner Minshew.
QBs Currently on the Roster
Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell started a majority of games for the Raiders in 2023. O’Connell showed that with the right players around him, he could be a decent starting quarterback in the NFL. In 10 games O’Connell threw for over 2,200 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The Las Vegas Raiders also signed Gardner Minshew. Minshew has shown success everywhere he has been in his short career. Minshew played his first two seasons with Jacksonville, then went to Philadelphia to be a backup and in 2023 Minshew played for the Colts. Minshew was expected to be the backup for the Colts, but after Anthony Richardson was injured, Minshew took over the starting role. Minshew threw for over 3,300 yards last season and left Indianapolis just short of the playoffs. Now, Minshew hopes to start the next chapter of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Draft
So, heading into the draft, the Raiders have two quarterbacks on their roster that should be competing for the starting job. The Raiders currently hold the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The rumors say that if the Raiders are going to trade up for a quarterback, it would be Jayden Daniels. Daniels is currently projected to be the second or third overall pick. That would mean it would likely take three first-round picks for the Raiders to move from 13th to second or third overall.
This is why the Las Vegas Raiders should not trade up for a quarterback. They already have two quarterbacks and don’t need to get rid of their future picks to get another one. Instead, The Raiders should look to draft another tackle to solidify their offensive line or another cornerback to add to their strong defense.
They could even draft a quarterback at number 13 if they want to draft a quarterback. Either way, it feels like a bad idea for the Raiders to trade up for a quarterback.
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