The Raiders shouldn’t upgrade in the NFL Draft
Just a few elite quarterbacks remain in this year’s Draft, and by the time Las Vegas makes its pick announcement, they will all have been chosen. This has given rise to the notion that the Raiders may deal up with one of the best teams in the draft to choose their future quarterback.
With several holes to be filled on their roster, the Raiders have nine selections in this year’s draft. It just takes one or two players to close some of those gaps. Considering the challenging circumstances he was placed in, O’Connell also performed admirably this season.
O’Connell earned the chance to compete for the starting quarterback spot with the Raiders this summer because of his strong season-long play. Even with this season’s bumps, the Raiders had a chance to make the playoffs up to one of the last games.
Their new general manager, who has experience rebuilding a team’s roster, and head coach, who will have the whole summer to make the required adjustments, are both impressive. With his first-round draft selections, including the ones that were sure to succeed like Joey Bosa, Telesco has generally had some degree of success.
The Raiders are free to make any additions to their roster. There’s no denying that the quarterback position requires improvement. That being said, Las Vegas shouldn’t risk its future on a quarterback who might not pan out.
Early in his career with the Raiders, Telesco shouldn’t want to stake his legacy on taking such a big gamble. While the organization uses free agency or the trade market to locate another quarterback, he has the experience and talent recognition to stay put at 13th overall and add to other areas that might utilize a top player, like offensive lineman or linebacker.