The Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, and it’s not difficult to envision drastic changes coming to the organization in 2023.
One year after finishing 10-7 to snag the franchise’s first playoff berth in five years, the Raiders tried to reach the next step by hiring Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels as the new general manager and head coach, respectively.
Ziegler made two blockbuster moves by trading for Green Bay Packers superstar wideout Davante Adams, and by signing Pro Bowl pass rusher Chandler Jones in free agency. Yet instead of competing for a playoff berth, the Raiders are simply fighting to avoid a last-place finish in the AFC West.
If Ziegler and McDaniels decide to make changes, it could start at the quarterback position. They could decide that the team has reached its peak with Derek Carr, not to mention that the 2023 draft class is loaded with quarterbacks.
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic proposed an enticing trade that would see the Raiders draft Carr’s successor by landing the No. 1 pick from the Houston Texans in a blockbuster trade. More specifically, Baumgardner pitched the Texans dealing the top selection in exchange for the fourth, 41st and 109th overall picks plus a 2024 second-rounder:
“I hated this for Vegas before I even finished it. I’m not totally convinced the Raiders need to go all-in on a quarterback for 2023 with what should be a pretty valuable first-round pick. However, Josh McDaniels didn’t draft Derek Carr, and Carr is hardly an untouchable talent.
The Raiders have a lot of draft capital to work with right now: 10 total picks, including three currently slotted in the top 75. It would make a lot more sense for Vegas to stand where it’s at, use this draft to rebuild the offensive and defensive fronts and worry about QB later. But I’m not Mark Davis.”
Baumgardner then proposes that the Raiders draft Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick, while Houston uses the No. 4 selection on George defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
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In April, the Raiders handed Carr a three-year contract extension worth $121.5 million. But as ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently noted, the Raiders could release Carr in the offseason and take in just $5.625 million in dead money.
The Raiders defeated the Seattle Seahawks 40-34 in overtime in Week 12 to improve their record to 4-7. Needless to say, it could require a very strong finish on Carr’s end to buy himself another season in Sin City.
