Getty Las Vegas Raiders GM Tom Telesco.
The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t likely to have an easy time finding their next franchise quarterback. The roster is too good to bottom out and get a top-three draft pick but also not good enough to compete for a Super Bowl.
Regardless of where they end up in the standings, the Raiders may need to make a trade if they want to upgrade at quarterback. In a recent 2025 mock draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller pitched a deal that would have the Raiders send the Carolina Panthers a 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to move up to No. 2.
With the No. 2 pick, the team would select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“The Raiders went 8-9 last season, and the late-season 5-4 surge under coach Antonio Pierce didn’t have much to do with the quarterback play,” Miller wrote in a July 2 column. “The team had 20 passing touchdowns to 18 interceptions, as rookie Aidan O’Connell replaced Jimmy Garoppolo for 11 games. O’Connell may prove his status in Year 2, but the early read on Las Vegas is that it needs a quarterback. Sanders is a legitimate Heisman contender if Colorado can string together some wins. His accuracy, toughness and poise would make him a rookie starter for the Raiders and give the offense some much-needed swagger. He threw 27 touchdown passes to three interceptions for the Buffaloes last year.”
Would This Trade Be Worth It for Las Vegas Raiders?
The trade that Miller is pitching would be a steep price to pay but not having to give up three first-round picks could be good value depending on how well Sanders plays this season. The 22-year-old quarterback was excellent for Colorado last season as he threw 27 touchdowns to three interceptions despite a limited supporting cast.
With another year of experience under his belt, Sanders could be even better in 2024. If he takes a leap this season, he could be in the running to be the No. 1 pick. In that event, it may take three first-round picks to trade up and take him.
Whether or not this would be a worthwhile trade for the Raiders really depends on how the quarterback prospects play in 2024. The team can’t trade up for a quarterback just to take a quarterback. They need to find the right one.
What About a Veteran?
There is also a scenario next year where the Raiders would prefer to add a veteran over trading up to draft a quarterback. That would likely be the case if the team makes the playoffs are nearly makes the playoffs but is held back by poor quarterback play.
In that scenario, it’s easy to see a quarterback like Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott being a logical fit. Prescott is the only potentially available veteran quarterback who would be very appealing. There could be names like Tua Tagovailoa or Geno Smith but they wouldn’t be huge upgrades.
If the Raiders falter and have a bad 2024 season, it’s more likely that they’d rather build around a young quarterback. It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where it’s either Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew starting next season but anything is possible, especially if they play well this season.
