Acquiring Geno Smith in trade with the Seahawks has led many to remove the quarterback position from their list of needs for the Raiders. And while, yes, it may not be a "need" for the Raiders anymore, it doesn't mean they won't take a quarterback. It simply removes it from the category of an absolute must. But you can bet the Raiders will still be looking for a quarterback.
In fact, it seems to me it simply evens the playing field with other positions. Which is to say, they don't need to act in desperation. But the need for competition, depth, and a potential long term prospect is still there. And when speaking of the most valuable position in football, it's never a bad idea to add one if given the chance.
For the Raiders purposes, there are five quarterbacks in this draft who jump out as potential targets depending on whether they are available when the Raiders pick. Let's take a look
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado -- Round 1
As always happens in the lead-up to the draft, opinions on the draft's top quarterbacks shift. But it may be important to remember two things -- smokescreens are a real thing and this is the quarterback position we're talking about. Take Bo Nix last year for instance. And, no, I'm not talking about hindsight based on how to performed as a rookie. What I'm talking about is how in the lead-up to the draft, he was being talked about as possibly dropping into day two. He went 12th overall as the sixth QB off the board. That is to say QB is really important. And no matter where they are ranked, if a team needs one, they will "reach" for one.
This particular case would be more akin to what happened last year with Michael Penix and the Falcons. The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins for big money, leading many to think the Falcons were good at QB and would take the mythical BPA instead. They took Penix at eight overall anyway, shocking a lot of people. Many of whom -- myself included -- recoiled because it destroyed the possibility of what the Raiders probably hoped was a QB falling to them at 13.
All this is to say I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the Raiders take Sanders at six. And if they were to manage a trade down, and Sanders was still there, it would only seem to raise the odds of such a move. The pain of missing out on a potential future starter is just too great not to seriously consider it.
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss -- Round 1-2
Dart is probably the most intriguing QB in this draft. He has actually been rising on mock draft boards of late, with some thinking he could go in the first round. If he doesn't, the Raiders could have a shot at a QB with all the tools who could range from competing for starting snaps right away to developing behind Geno Smith to refine his skills for future years.
He has the kind of skillset a lot of NFL teams would love to take a chance on. Making him an ideal candidate for a team in the lower portion of the first round who is either looking for a QB right now or to find their next QB. The Raiders would be the latter, but they may need to move around the draft board some in order to have a shot at Dart.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama -- Round 2
Speaking of guys with all the tools. Chip Kelly's offense asks quarterbacks to have some mobility ...
