ESPN proposes massive Raiders trade
This is a crucial off-season for the Las Vegas Raiders. After a fairly disastrous 2022 season, it is essential that the Raiders hit on this draft class. Now enter Josh McDaniels. McDaniels always seems to have an eye on his next QB, and while Jimmy Garoppolo is a solid short-term piece, he is probably not the Raiders' long-term […]
This is a crucial off-season for the Las Vegas Raiders. After a fairly disastrous 2022 season, it is essential that the Raiders hit on this draft class.
Now enter Josh McDaniels. McDaniels always seems to have an eye on his next QB, and while Jimmy Garoppolo is a solid short-term piece, he is probably not the Raiders' long-term answer at QB. That is why ESPN believes the Raiders could look at trading into the end of the first round.
ESPN recently released a mock draft that proposes one trade per first-round pick. In it, they suggest that the Raiders would trade pick 2-38 and a 2024 second-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for pick 1-22 and a 2024 fifth-round pick. This would allow the Raiders to jump in front of the Vikings and select QB Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee. Here is what ESPN had to say about the deal:
Josh McDaniels once traded up for Tim Tebow. He's always thinking about quarterbacks. The Raiders just signed Jimmy Garoppolo to what amounts to either a one-year, $35 million deal or a two-year, $48 million pact, but he is 31 and has a significant injury history. Vegas signed former New England passer Brian Hoyer to serve as Garoppolo's backup, but this is a team that has a quarterback for now, not one for the future.
Enter Hendon Hooker, who would be snatched up just ahead of the Vikings. Hooker is already 25 years old and is coming off a torn ACL in his left knee, a combination that will certainly scare away some teams. I'm not sure the Raiders are one of them, especially given the likelihood that 2023 would serve as a redshirt year for him. Hooker led the nation in Total QBR last season.
Even if Hooker needs to sit a year behind Garoppolo, having a young QB to develop is something the Raiders desperately need. It would be both a long and short-term play, as Garoppolo has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career. If the Raiders can add an impact defensive player with their first pick, then trade back into the first round and get a solid QB prospect, I would call that a massive win for the franchise.
