Expert Weighs in On Possibility of Raiders Trading Top Pick

The offseason is officially underway for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Super Bowl has wrapped up, and now that the Seattle Seahawks are the champions, Klint Kubiak can take over as the next head coach of the Silver and Black – which he confirmed after the game.

Kubiak joins a Raiders team with lots of young talent on the offensive side of the ball, a wealth of cap space, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. It is widely expected that Las Vegas will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with that pick.

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) before the Indiana versus Illinois football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, the Raiders should – and will – do their due diligence around the league and evaluate all team-building options to become a contender. Could that mean moving out of the top spot and acquiring more assets? For a team looking to rebuild and create a foundation, it’s an appealing option. But taking the best quarterback with the top pick is also an excellent way to rebuild, so General Manager John Spytek must do his homework.

One NFL analyst, Todd McShay, broke down what the Raiders might be thinking regarding the top pick on ‘The Todd McShay Show.’

Todd McShay on Raiders possibly trading down

“It would have to be twofold,” McShay said. “[Minority owner] Tom [Brady] would have to put his ‘hands on’ Fernando, and the people making those decisions, including John Spytek, especially John Spytek, the general manager, would have to have some trepidation about Fernando. Is it really worth it? It would have to offset the concern of, ‘Where will we be picking next year? Because we don’t plan to be picking No. 1 overall.’”

On the other side, McShay doesn’t think it makes sense for teams to want to give up draft compensation in next year’s class, which many expect to be stacked with talent, for the top pick in this year’s class.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“You should be put in a loony bin,” McShay joked. “Like, straight to the psych ward if you’re willing to give up 2027 compensation for 2026.”

The last blockbuster trade a team made to move up to No. 1 to get their franchise quarterback was in 2023, when the Carolina Panthers traded the No. 9 pick, a 2023 second-rounder, a 2024 first-rounder, and a 2025 second-rounder to move up to select Bryce Young.

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Would the Raiders accept a deal with a similar haul? The Bears were able to land Caleb Williams in the following draft, so they might feel that moving out of the top spot was worth it.

The offseason is just getting underway for the Raiders, and the front office has much to think about.

Follow us on: X/Twitter @HondoCarpenter, @EZTrez_SI ,and IG @HondoSr . We also invite you to visit our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. There, you can discuss if you think the Raiders shouls trade out of the No. 1 pick.

Have every Raiders story straight to your email with the latest news. Our newsletter is completely FREE. We will not spam you or sell your information. SIGN UP HERE NOW.