Las Vegas Raiders shouldn’t seek a trade for Matthew Stafford

Raiders would use too many assets to bring Stafford to Vegas

Looking at what would have to be needed to swing a trade with the Detroit Lions, you would have to think at least a first-round pick, plus possibly another second or third-rounder. Unlike the previous two seasons, the Raiders do not have extra draft picks to just throw around, as they had five first-round picks in the 2019 and 2020 NFL Drafts combined.

Las Vegas holds only one first-round pick for the first time in Mike Mayock’s tenure as general manager, and that pick has to be used on the defensive side of the ball. If the Raiders are forced to trade away that pick, and their second, they would go into next season with Stafford at quarterback and still a horrible defense, which was not a recipe for success for him in Detroit.

When looking at what the Raiders would have to pay Stafford moving forward, the breakdown looks like this: the 2021 season would see him make a $20 million, base plus bonus, and then $23 million in 2022. For a player of Stafford caliber, that is not a bad price, and Las Vegas would trade away Carr in any scenario where they bring him in, so the two contracts really cross each other out.

At this point, giving away draft picks is not going to help the Raiders, and even if Stafford throws for over 4,000 yards next season, which Carr has done the past three years, it likely won’t equate to more wins with how bad the defense is.