In his first offseason as Las Vegas Raiders general manager, Dave Ziegler hit a home run by acquiring All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. In what’s shaping up to be a monumental and pivotal offseason in Year 2, could Ziegler make another blockbuster move? By “blockbuster,” we’re referring to the possibility of the Raiders’ boss moving up in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Qiant “Your Boy Q” Myers, host of Locked On Raiders, recently appeared on Up & Adams, where he dropped an interesting tidbit. Interesting because it adds fuel to the speculation that the Raiders could be looking to make a trade later this month. When asked about this plausible scenario, Myers spoke candidly, citing that such a trade would hinge on how the first two player selections play out.
“It depends on who’s actually there at No. 3. This is a discussion we’ve had quite a bit. It’s really coming down to, from everything I’ve heard, if C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young happen to be there and if one of those two guys is available, I think there’s a real possibility that the Raiders go make a move for them. Outside of Stroud or Young, I don’t think they will because they have so many holes to fill, mainly on the defensive side of things.”
Should Dave Ziegler and the Raiders make a move up to No. 3?
If either Stroud or Young are available by the time the Arizona Cardinals have their turn, the pick suddenly carries immense value. Technically speaking, the Cardinals don’t need a quarterback; naturally, they’d go with the best defensive player on the board, which to many is Will Anderson Jr. However, if the Raiders are convinced either quarterback is their future leader and franchise signal-caller, how much would they be willing to surrender? As Myers mentioned, the roster has a litany of holes, especially on defense.
Unless the Raiders feel Anderson is a potential franchise player, giving up pivotal draft picks for a pass rusher will be a move that comes under much scrutiny. More so when you consider that the team still has Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones under contract. Anyone who’s familiar with the Raiders knows that what the defense lacks is a presence in the interior. Luckily for Ziegler and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, they can upgrade that area on Days 2 and 3.
Suffice to say, a trade for the Raiders will depend on whether the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers are just as sold on Stroud and Young as the Raiders appear to be. Then again, who knows with this current regime? It could all be a smokescreen; after all, it’s that time of the year.
*Top Photo: Official Raiders YouTube Channel
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