The Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 13 pick in this year’s NFL Draft and are in the unique position of not having to base their draft on any particular position of need or even one train of thought.
When it is the Raiders’ turn to choose, they could select the best player available or draft based on the players available at positions of need. This is not the case for most of the teams in front of them in the draft. It is a good position for them to be in. This position was partially created by Raiders general manager Tom Telesco’s strong free agency haul so far this offseason.
There have been many suggestions for what the Raiders should do on draft day. Most of the offseason has seen talks of the Raiders trading up to draft a top quarterback or staying at No. 13 and drafting one of the second-tier quarterbacks. Other suggestions were for the Raiders to draft an offensive lineman or a cornerback.
Some have even suggested the Raiders select a safety. The possibilities for the Raiders heading into the draft are endless.
Regardless of what they decide, the Raiders’ choice at No. 13 comes down to what they want compared to what they need. While the Raiders could trade up or stay put and draft a quarterback, Telesco, and Coach Antonio Pierce must ask themselves if they need another quarterback after what Aidan O’Connell showed them last season and after bringing in Gardner Minshew II.
Suppose one or both of them decide that a quarterback is needed. In that case, they must ask themselves if the need is big enough and worth the risk to trade up or use their current pick on a quarterback, considering they have two quarterbacks on the roster who have proven to be competent quarterbacks. If they’re honest with themselves, the quarterback position is not a big enough need for this roster for them to use a high-to-mid first-round draft pick on.
Quarterback is a want, not a need, and the Raiders cannot afford to draft for wants right now. They must draft for needs. The Raiders must improve their offensive line, as they have many holes along the unit. They also must add a talented cornerback to their roster via the draft or free agency.
As exciting as it is to add a new quarterback, the Raiders are just a few draft picks or free agency additions to their cornerback and offensive line units away from having a solid roster. They must ignore the urge to trade up in the draft and select the best player available at a position they needwhich isn’t the quarterback position.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.
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2024-04-13 20:00:42
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