Some moves just seem to make obvious sense. For instance, if we’re looking at the Raiders situation at QB right this moment and comparing it to their position atop the draft, there is one move that would seem to make a good deal of sense — they may need to trade up.
This is a conversation I had with a friend and former colleague just a few days ago. He was analyzing the talent at every position atop this draft and what would seem like the most realistic scenario as to how things would play out. What we came to was that Shedeur Sanders may very well make it out of the top three, perhaps even the top four. But may not make it to six.
And, like I said, if the Raiders are unable to secure a viable QB in free agency — and there aren’t many of those — the team will be in no position to risk missing out on a QB in the draft by sitting tight at six and hoping one falls to them.
Then you look at the fact that they have two high third round picks (their original pick at 68 and pick 73 from the Davante Adams trade) and the answer would seem to be staring you in the face — trade one of those third round picks to jump two spots to land your quarterback.
Thursday morning, The Athletic released their beat writer mock draft in which Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed see the logic in such a move as well.
After the top three picks went WR Travis Hunter (Titans), DE Abdul Carter (Browns), and QB Cam Ward (Giants), they had the Raiders make a deal with the Patriots at four, sending the Raiders original third round pick at 68 to New England in order to jump up and take Sanders.
Sanders has a strong relationship (and had an NIL deal in college) with minority owner Tom Brady, has already met owner Mark Davis and should be comfortable in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s system, which blends NFL and college concepts. He doesn’t have dynamic physical traits, but he’s mobile, accurate, has a good arm and displayed important intangibles such as leadership, poise and the ability to navigate adversity during his time at Jackson State and Colorado. In drafting him, Las Vegas hopes to end the revolving door it has had at QB since releasing Derek Carr in 2023.
Some might wonder why the Raiders would leapfrog the Jaguars — who don’t need a quarterback — at five in order to move up to get Sanders. Well, because if they don’t, someone else will. For instance, the equally QB-needy Jets at pick seven.
What the Patriots get is two-fold here. They ensure their division rival doesn’t get a shot at a franchise QB atop this draft, while still picking ahead of them and adding a third round pick. Everyone wins. At least between the Raiders and Patriots, anyway.
Patriots beat writer Chad Graff said as much in his write-up, when he had the Patriots selecting OT Will Campbell at six overall.
Sure, this isn’t the kind of one-sided trade it sometimes takes to move into the top-5 and take a quarterback. But we were stuck trying to pick between Mason Graham and Will Campbell at No. 4, so when the Raiders offered a fair deal (according to draft charts), it was a no-brainer to move back, add another third-round pick and take whichever of Graham or Campbell fell. The goal for the Patriots is to build through the trenches, and Campbell (like Graham would’ve done) fills an immediate need.
Granted, this trade would require one of either Ward or Sanders to come out of the top three. Which would mean the top two teams — who both also need quarterbacks — do what these beat writers predict and draft best player available rather than reach for need. And with the immense talent of Hunter and Carter, that’s very possible. Either of them would be hard to pass up.