The Raiders aren’t planning to lose games on purpose, but it would help them to get a high draft pick, find a franchise quarterback, and really move ahead.
After many years of average performance and few playoff appearances, this could finally happen.
Las Vegas is currently 2-4 after losing to Denver and Pittsburgh by a total of 35 points and faces tough opponents in the next three weeks.
Their next game is away against the 1-4 Rams, and BetMGM Sportsbook has Los Angeles favored by 5 1/2 points. Then, before their bye week, they will host the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs and play the Bengals.
These three teams have what the Raiders lack—a franchise quarterback—and the results speak for themselves, with a total of four championships and six Super Bowl appearances in the last five years.
Las Vegas wanted to draft a quarterback this year since there were many available, with six taken in the first 12 picks. The Raiders drafted 13th.
Tom Telesco, who has only traded up twice in his 11 years as the Chargers’ general manager, could have moved up for a quarterback in his first draft as Raiders GM, but there were concerns about what the team would need to give up.
Coach Antonio Pierce has a connection with Jayden Daniels, who was the second overall pick by the Commanders. However, Washington, like the teams that picked the quarterbacks at first and third, didn’t want to trade their picks.
The Raiders could have made a deal for one of the other three quarterbacks selected before them, but none was seen as being as good as the top three.
Telesco can start to gather assets for a possible trade next year by moving Davante Adams, but Pierce’s comment last week about still considering Adams a Raiders player suggests a trade isn’t close.
The Raiders need to trade Adams because of his back-loaded contract, which isn’t guaranteed after this year. It wouldn’t make sense to cut him without getting something back. If the Raiders are reluctant to cover some of Adams’ salary to complete a deal, that shows a short-sighted mindset.
So, the Raiders find themselves in a tough situation, but look at how young quarterbacks have brought new energy to other teams.
There is real hope in Houston with C.J. Stroud, in Chicago with Caleb Williams, and in Washington with Daniels. All were chosen in the top two picks in the past two years. That could be the case for Las Vegas next year.
