While there has been plenty of speculation regarding the Oakland Raiders plans for the 2019 NFL Draft, it appears they will not commit to selecting a quarterback this offseason.
Rumors have been swirling about what the Raiders plan to do with their bevy of quality picks in this year’s draft. Head coach Jon Gruden has fanned the flames of these rumors by insinuating that nothing is out of the question for the team moving forward.
The fact that Oakland still has yet to verbally commit to Derek Carr as their franchise quarterback has seemingly solidified this notion. As a result, many assumed Oakland was among those interested in potentially selecting Kyler Murray with the fourth pick.
According to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders will reportedly look to fill the other voids on their roster:
Rather than draft a quarterback like Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray or Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, the Raiders are expected to look elsewhere.
This is certainly an interesting development on the state of the Raiders’ plans for the upcoming draft. Although there had been a number of reports regarding the front office’s potential approach, the prospect of them taking a quarterback had dominated the headlines all offseason.
The idea of the Raiders selecting a quarterback like Murray did not seem too far-fetched given all the significant changes Gruden has made since his arrival. They were certainly in a position to make a splash with three picks in the first round.
Fortunately, it appears that Oakland will move ahead with Carr as their franchise quarterback as they look to land a number of elite talents in the draft. He is certainly more than deserving of the Raiders’ trust given all that he has accomplished early in his career and for navigating them through their dumpster fire last season.