One of the most intriguing teams to watch in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft is undoubtedly the Las Vegas Raiders. GM Dave Ziegler and the front office have already made some big moves this offseason including signing QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal. But the team has still continually been linked with quarterbacks in the draft.
Currently armed with the seventh overall pick, there were reports linking the Raiders with Florida QB Anthony Richardson, the most impressive physical specimen at the position in quite some time. But with rumors of Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud potentially falling past the second overall pick, the Raiders are viewed as a team to watch about possibly trading up for him as well.
Signing a veteran starter like Garoppolo and then drafting a quarterback in the first round would be an interesting strategy, to say the least, but Ziegler isn’t ruling out the possibility.
“I think that any time you can find a young player at that position that’s gonna have an impact on your team, you have to keep an open mind to that,” Ziegler said during a recent media availability. “Of course we’re excited to have Jimmy and having Jimmy does supply us with a very high-quality starting player at the position. We feel comfortable with that.
“But, I think to close that door and just say that that’s not something you would do because of X,Y, and Z, that’s not the business we’re in.”
This is definitely the right mindset to have overall, especially with players who aren’t superstar caliber or true building blocks for the franchise. Garoppolo is a solid player who can make the Raiders better, but he is not the team’s long-term answer at quarterback and thus shouldn’t prevent the team from looking for that player.
If the rumors are true and the Houston Texans plan on skipping over Stroud with the second pick, the Raiders should absolutely look into trading up if they believe he is that franchise quarterback they are looking for. But what it would cost them to move up from the seventh pick to third where the Arizona Cardinals are is unclear. And there could be other teams looking to move up as well which would only make the price greater.
Worst case scenario, the Raiders stay where they are and use their pick to take a great player at a different position who will help the team immensely, particularly on the defensive side. But if the opportunity is there, it sounds like Ziegler is willing to pull the trigger.
