The Las Vegas Raiders have their general manager and head coach in place and they are not shy about the team’s need at quarterback. Both John Spytek and Pete Carroll have already been vocal about how important the position is, which means the team could be aggressive in addressing the position.
The best way to find a quarterback is to draft one but that will prove difficult with the Raiders not picking until No. 6 in the first round. The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 pick and they also need a quarterback. However, they have needs all over the roster and could consider trading down to add a few more picks.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that would have the Raiders send Tennessee their 2025 No. 6 pick, 2026 first-round pick and 2025 third-round pick. In return, Las Vegas would get the No. 1 pick.
“Just two years ago, the Panthers parted with a first and two seconds for the ability to move up eight spots from ninth overall and select Bryce Young,” Gagnon wrote in a Jan. 29 column.
“In this case, we’re definitely still dealing with a future first-rounder, as well as an immediate Day 2 pick. It just so happens that Las Vegas has an extra third-rounder courtesy of the Davante Adams trade.”
Who Would Raiders Target With No. 1 Pick?
Giving up three valuable picks to move up five spots in the draft is a steep price but not the steepest. If the Raiders have a quarterback they really like, it’s easy to see them being happy with only essentially losing a first and third-round pick.
Las Vegas likely only makes a trade like this for a quarterback. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are considered the top quarterbacks in the draft class. Sanders seems like he would be the preferred option. He has a relationship with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and could be a better fit with what Carroll wants to do.
Ward has a higher upside but Sanders is more pro-ready. It sounds like Carroll wants to try to build a winner quickly so he could favor a quarterback who is more ready to make an impact in 2025.
John Spytek Talks What Raiders Need at QB
Spytek has been around some good quarterbacks in recent years as he worked closely with Brady in Tampa Bay and also with Baker Mayfield.
He’s seen first-hand what a quarterback needs to do to be successful. He made it clear that the Raiders are going to do everything possible to find the right leader for the team going forward.
“I had a chance to be around in my opinion the greatest player ever, and it was a love of the game and a competitive desire that just didn’t allow him to quit,” Spytek said during his Jan. 27 press conference. “He was never out of a fight. He was willing to do things that the ordinary football player or person wasn’t willing to do. We’re going to turn over every stone to find that leader for this team, too.”
As the Raiders know, finding a franchise quarterback isn’t easy so Spytek will have his work cut out for him.
