Report: Raiders Could Trade Back in Draft, Still Get QB

The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of options in this year's NFL Draft. An NFL expert predicts they will make a significant move that could address multiple needs in just one round.

Feb 5, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; A helmet with the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit logo at the Super Bowl / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have done an admirable job filling out their roster in the first few weeks of general manager Tom Telesco’s tenure with the team. He has solidified many critical positions on the roster with a flurry of under-the-radar free-agent signings that will likely pair well with whatever moves the Raiders decide to make during the NFL Draft.

Las Vegas has been rumored to be interested in trading up for one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. If they did so, it would likely be for quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The Raiders have been open about wanting to add another quarterback to their roster. However, they could do so without trading away multiple draft picks they will need to contend in the future. 

The Raiders could still get one of the best quarterbacks available while doing the opposite of trading away future picks. They could find a talented signal-caller while adding draft capital by trading back in the draft, allowing them to get a talented quarterback and adding draft capital simultaneously. 

NFL executive Rick Spielman believes Telesco and the Raiders could take a conservative approach to the draft this year that could set the organization up for a bright future. Instead of trading away valuable draft assets, the Raiders can gain some.

“The Raiders trade down, then make Michael Penix Jr. the fifth QB off the board in Round 1 Speilman said. "He is the best-deep ball throwing in this year's draft class. Very experienced, six-year player. I have Davante Adams, and now I've got a quarterback that can actually get the ball 30-plus down the field to him? This was a no-brainer for me."

The Raiders' offseason moves give them a wide array of options in the draft and for the rest of the free agency period. So far, the Raiders have made sensible moves that give insight into how Telesco will address adding to the roster. It would be huge if the Raiders could gain additional draft picks while also selecting a quarterback like Penix.

Trading back and drafting Penix gives the Raiders one of the best quarterbacks available for a low first-round pick and additional picks. This would be a high-value move for the Raiders in the short and long term. 

The additional picks would help the Raiders fill other roster holes and lessen the investment made in Penix, as he would be drafted later in the first round and not near the top. Lastly, gaining additional draft picks and drafting a quarterback would also soften the blow should Penix not pan out for whatever reason, as they would have extra picks from trading back instead of fewer picks because they traded up. The move suggested by Speilman makes sense on many levels.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again. Sign up RIGHT HERE for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes thrice a week and delivers all our best stories.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.