Friday saw the Panthers shake up this year’s draft when they traded up with the Bears to acquire the number one overall pick. No team’s draft plans could be more affected by the move more than the Raiders.
Four quarterbacks are considered worthy of being selected near the top of this year’s draft; Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis.
With the Raiders sitting at seven overall, they were considered to be in a position to get one of them, if not one of the top three. The Panthers trade up to number one has changed all of that.
Previously, the Panthers picked at nine overall, after the Raiders. Both teams have a need at quarterback and the Panthers weren’t willing to take their chances, so they put themselves in the catbird seat to have their pick of any of them.
Just behind the Panthers at two overall is the Texans who also figure to be looking for a quarterback. And two spots later, at fourth overall, are the Colts who are in the same boat.
That means, even if no more teams trade up, the Raiders would be looking at whoever is left from the four after the top three are gone.
Again, that’s if no other teams trade up. And that’s a very big if.
Right behind the Raiders in this draft are the Falcons at eight overall. They too need a quarterback and thus are in play to move up to try and get one.
Even if the Falcons don’t trade up, are the Raiders satisfied with putting their fate in the hands of other teams while they just selecting whichever QB they don’t take? Keep in mind, even that would be the best case scenario.
There is one obvious solution to all this — trade up to three with the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have their QB. With the jockeying for position to get a QB happening, a move down four picks would still figure to yield them one of the top three non-quarterbacks in this draft. And they could pick up some nice draft capital in the process.
For the Raiders, it would guarantee they get one of the top three quarterbacks in this draft, which is better than settling for whomever other teams don’t take, or, more likely, missing out on a quarterback altogether at the top of this draft. There is a sizable drop off after those four.
You can bet several other teams will have the same idea. The Colts and Falcons foremost among them.
It’s not as if the Raiders don’t have the assets to make such a trade. They have 11 picks in this year’s draft and can also offer up future picks.
The only question would be if they do it before the draft or wait until the Cardinals are on the clock after the first two selections are made. And would waiting risk the possibility another team could make that trade before the draft?
If they don’t make the aggressive move to trade up to three to get one of the top quarterbacks, they would have to take their chances later in the draft. Which could be just as risky as hoping one of the top four falls to them at seven.