Las Vegas Raiders 'make the most sense' to trade up for a first-round QB

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After signing Gardner Minshew in free agency, some may feel like the Las Vegas Raiders have already addressed their need for a new quarterback. But there’s a reason why Minshew, even after his mild success with the Colts last season, is viewed as a high-end backup QB.

Minshew showed he can help get a team to the playoffs, but expecting anything more out of the 27-year-old may be asking too much out of the former sixth-round pick. The only other option on the roster is 25-year-old former undrafted quarterback Anthony Brown Jr., who’s made two appearances in the NFL.

In other words, the Raiders will be drafting a quarterback, it’s only a mater of when. Even after adding Minshew, the Raiders’ biggest need still revolves around finding a potential QB of the future instead of soldiering on with a couple stopgap solutions like they currently have. But to find a QB with high upside, they may have to trade up.

The Raiders are far from the only team still looking to find a new starting QB for the 2024 season. Making matters worse, they’re not even the only team in the AFC West desperate for an upgrade. And the worst part? The Raiders are behind both the Vikings and Broncos in the NFL draft order.

While most of the NFL Draft rumors focus on whether or how high the Minnesota Vikings will have to trade up, what about the Broncos and Raiders?

Between the Broncos at 12 and the Raiders at 13, which of the teams make the most sense to trade up for a quarterback? Here’s what NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had to offer on the subject.

“The Raiders probably make the most sense in getting a quarterback. Sean Payton has won with a lot of quarterbacks that are not as good as Jarrett Stidham. I do think they’ll add a quarterback but I don’t know that the urgency is there because he’s so good that I think they’ll say you know what, we can take some raw materials and he will get that person to perform. It feels like the Raiders, with Antonio Pierce, the urgency is there with the head coach. Getting a quarterback makes sense, because whatever happens this year if you get a guy, you can at least say we got a guy for the next ten years. I don’t know where it’s gonna be, but to me I think it’s gonna be pretty hard to trade up. But I think they’ll give it a shot.”
Ian Rapoport on Las Vegas Raiders’ NFL Draft trade interest

From DJ’s Draft Show on NFL+: I joined @MoveTheSticks to break down how badly the #Raiders or #Broncos want to trade up for a QB. pic.twitter.com/8LGgVPNmKy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 22, 2024

After moving on from Derek Carr and now Jimmy Garoppolo, plus hiring a new coach, the Raiders may feel that sense of urgency to make a big move. Yet, for some of those same reasons (moving on from Russell Wilson, pressure to win under Coach Payton), the Broncos may feel compelled to swing for the fences too. With so much uncertainty ahead, draft day will be really exciting for fans of the Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings.