The Las Vegas Raiders have a starting quarterback in Derek Carr, but if they decide to upgrade the position, they shouldn’t hesitate to part with draft picks.
After being linked to Tom Brady for months, the Raiders stayed put at quarterback and ended up signing Marcus Mariota in free agency. Even though the former Titans signal-caller may have a chance to claim the starting job, it’s uncertain if he will be able to seize the opportunity. Meanwhile, the Silver and Black have been linked to Jalen Hurts and will hold a video conference with Justin Herbert.
The team would likely have to move around
If Las Vegas really likes one of them -the vast majority of us don’t know- they could use one of their two first-round picks. They could wait until later rounds to select a quarterback, but the fourth round is littered with more Connor Cooks than Dak Prescott’s. Also, both Herbert and Hurts are viewed as first rounders at best and second-round picks at worst and the Raiders lack a second round pick meaning they could get one of them in the first round or run the risk of losing on both by the time the third round arrives.
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If the Raiders want Herbert, they need to draft him in the first round as it’s unlikely he will remain available after that. On the other hand, if they like Hurts they shouldn’t wait. They could also trade down, but they would run the risk of missing on him if another team gets ahead of them. Another scenario is they have a higher-graded prospect in mind with their second first-round pick but still want the Oklahoma product. If that’s the case, they could trade up from the third round as they have three third-rounders. It’s that or trading their 2021 first-round pick.
That is only taking Herbert or Hurts into account because if they wanted to draft Tua Tagovailoa or Joe Burrows, they would definitely have to trade up and part ways with more than a couple of selections. They would pass on getting roster depth and potential starters in the third and later rounds, but they would get the player they covet.
At the end of the day, the Raiders have a quarterback in Carr, but if they decided to select one early in the draft, they have the means to do so.
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