Las Vegas Raiders fans hate the idea of trading away the top pick in this year’s NFL draft for one simple reason: it sounds like the same movie, just in higher definition. It’s not too far-fetched but the fact is, there could be something to it.
Trade the No. 1 overall pick? Punt on a quarterback until 2027 or 2028? Build the “real team” first? On paper, it sounds like the rare moment of adult supervision in Raiders land—hoard premium picks, fix the trenches, and stop asking a rookie to play superhero behind a leaky line while the defense can’t get off the field.
Copy what the Chicago Bears did, the argument goes, and you’ll finally have a foundation sturdy enough to support a real franchise quarterback, not just another weekly emergency.
The problem is that “copy the Bears” is not a plan. It’s a vibe. It’s also not a guaranteed path to success; just because it worked for them doesn’t mean the Silver and Black would benefit.
Would you trust the Raiders with all of these picks?
This debate isn’t really about patience. It’s about trust. And the Raiders haven’t earned any. Have we forgotten how much draft capital was wasted under Jon Gruden’s second regime? The pro-trade crowd is basically asking Raider Nation to believe the organization can execute a two-year, multi-draft, multi-coaching-cycle build without panicking, misfiring on premium selections, or turning the next bridge quarterback into the next scapegoat. That is a tall ask from a franchise that has made “bridge quarterback” feel like a permanent job title.
This is retarded. We’re tired of the Jimmy G’s, Minshew’s, and Geno Smith’s. Raiders need a young franchise QB or Joe Burrow if they can get him.
— Cullenfornia (@Cullenfornia) December 28, 2025
Here’s the uncomfortable truth that both sides keep circling: a quarterback doesn’t fix everything, but everything eventually gets blamed on the quarterback. Fans screaming “we’re tired of Jimmy Gs and Minshews” aren’t just quarterback-shopping—they’re trauma-reporting. They want the one position that can change the temperature of the building. The face. The excuse eliminator. The player you don’t have to apologize for when the season turns ugly.
But the anti-trade side also has a point that should make everyone uneasy: if the Raiders pass on a quarterback at No. 1, they are not guaranteed another No. 1 when the next shiny prospect arrives. “Just wait” assumes two miracles—that a better option emerges later and that Las Vegas is positioned to take him. That’s not strategy. That’s gambling with worse odds than the casino floor.
Yes, trading No. 1 could bring a haul—and moving Maxx Crosby could speed a rebuild. But you’d better be right, because if a rival drafts the next star, “patient rebuild” becomes “all-time mistake.”
It’ll be an “all-time blunder.” If that happens, we’ll be back at square one when John Spytek is dismissed and another regime comes in.
*Top Photo: Getty Images