Raiders could and should be at the top of the list of candidates to trade for a former starter looking for a new situation
The Las Vegas Raiders should be one of the teams to try and trade for Anthony Richardson, if the price is right.
When you talk about the last 20 years of the Las Vegas Raiders and even the Oakland Raiders, it’s hard not to talk about how much they have come up short on their quarterback decisions. You have to mention the position while focusing on the last two decades.
The Raiders have arguably the biggest draft bust of all time in JaMarcus Russell. Derek Carr was a franchise guy, but he was never good enough to win a postseason game, let alone get them there more than twice. So, it’s a position that has been pretty polarizing during the last two decades, but not for the right reasons.
Getting Geno Smith is about as smart a thing as the Raiders could have done this offseason, considering what the QB market was in free agency and the NFL Draft. However, he’s getting up there in age. Sure, his body doesn’t have a ton of wear and tear on it, but it still ages. Smith can’t play forever, so while he may be the guy this year and next year, the Raiders will eventually have to address the position again.
And that could end up being next offseason, or the one after that, for all we know. When that time comes, do we know if the Raiders will be bad enough to have a top pick in the draft to get their next quarterback, and do we want them to continue to get older quarterbacks that will be gone in two to three years?
The answer is no. So, they could, and should, be a candidate to trade for a quarterback who is in a very unique situation right now, and just needs a new start.
Raiders should trade for Colts QB Anthony Richardson
I already know what everyone is thinking – don’t you think I know he can’t throw the ball and has made some very questionable plays over the last few years? Yes, I know that, but I’m not asking the Raiders to trade for a guy who will be the starter right away. I’m asking them to trade for a player who needs to sit behind a veteran and learn some more.
Anthony Richardson was the former No. 4 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts. He started four games in his first year after getting hurt and started 11 games last year before getting benched and eventually returning to the lineup later. Still, he was drafted that high for a reason, and anyone in their right mind can see his potential, but everyone can also see the work he needs to do.
How did we get here with Richardson in the first place? And, can the Raiders even trade for him?
The Colts made a puzzling decision by naming Daniel Jones the starter over Anthony Richardson ahead of the 2025 season. Now the question everyone around the league will ask is: “Will Anthony Richardson be made available via trade?” It’s a good question, and I think normally the player would be, but the Colts don’t seem to want to do that. Richardson could force their hand by requesting a trade. If he does, the Colts would have to at least listen to offers. The Raiders would make a lot of sense as a destination, given Pete Carroll was someone who many believed was high on Richardson during the draft process. It would still take more draft capital than people realize, just due to the stubbornness of the Colts’ decision-makers. If I had to guess a fourth-round pick and perhaps a player at a position of need, like S, LB, or a depth offensive lineman. – Destin Adams, A to Z Sports Indianapolis
Hear me out: The Raiders want to trade Aidan O’Connell, and he has shown that he could have some untapped potential. But, he will also probably be a career backup, and it seems like that is a position the Colts need. Maybe you test the waters with O’Connell, so they are still getting a backup in return, along with another player of sorts, and then a pick, not one too high, though.
This trade makes sense from the standpoint of everything I have already explained about needing a future franchise guy, letting him sit and learn, but also that Pete Carroll is a huge fan of Richardson. And, he has a track record of turning guys around and finding that untapped potential.
Now, if the asking price is too outrageous, of course, you don’t do this trade. But if it’s just right, there’s no reason why general manager John Spytek shouldn’t do it. Richardson played a handful of college football games at Florida, and he still needs some time to develop. He’ll get to do that behind one of the best pure passers this game has: Geno Smith.
