3 trade scenarios Raiders could explore during NFL draft
A deep quarterback class gives the Raiders some options with the NFL draft a little more than three weeks away.
Louisiana State star Jayden Daniels appears to be the team’s top target. The Raiders are going to have to move up from the 13th overall pick to take the Heisman Trophy winner. That could take a king’s ransom. The Raiders could also look to get aggressive for other quarterback prospects like North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
There’s another group of passers the team may move around to get. Prospects like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., while a reach at No. 13, could be a strong option if the Raiders trade down in the first round while gathering more picks.
Everything should be on the table. Here are some options the Raiders need to consider:
1. The Godfather offer
General manager Tom Telesco wants to build the Raiders in the image of their coach.
That means Antonio Pierce’s strong desire to draft Daniels could lead Telesco to make the Commanders an offer for the No. 2 overall pick they can’t refuse.
One scenario would involve the Raiders sending Washington the 13th pick, their second-round pick, their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks and a 2026 third-round pick.
It’s a potentially daring move with high stakes.
It would place an immense amount of pressure on Daniels to justify the price the Raiders paid to get him. It would also put Pierce under scrutiny to make it work.
On the other hand, no one will care about what the Raiders surrendered for Daniels if he turns into the franchise quarterback the team has lacked for decades.
2. The fall scenario
Daniels isn’t the only quarterback the Raiders should consider trading up for.
Pierce made it clear at the NFL owners meetings that there are a handful of high-end prospects worth the team’s attention.
McCarthy has been generating buzz for a while. Maye has been considered one of the best three quarterbacks in the draft since the fall. But the draft has been known to take surprising turns. It’s not inconceivable that McCarthy, Maye or both could be available longer than expected in the first round.
The Raiders need to pounce if that’s the case.
They could try to acquire the sixth overall pick from the Titans by offering the 13th pick, their second-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick. That should be enough to move up the board and end the fall of whichever quarterback the Raiders prefer.
3. Trading down
The Raiders should be open to trading down as well as up.
That could allow them to target one of the draft’s second-tier quarterbacks, like Penix. The 23-year-old’s injury concerns would make him a gamble at 13th overall. Moving down could allow the Raiders to pick up more draft assets in addition to a talented passer.
One potential deal could involve getting the 19th overall pick from the Rams as well as a third- and a fifth-round pick in exchange for No. 13.
That would keep the Raiders in a comfortable range to draft Penix while giving them picks to address some of their other needs like offensive line and cornerback.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore atvbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
