Raiders and Washington Football Team Trade No. 1
In most cases, the Raiders would likely acquire a fourth-round pick for Mariota. Although he has starting experience, the veteran signal-caller battled injuries during his time with the Tennessee Titans and missed eight games within his first four campaigns.
The 27-year-old only suited up for one contest this past season, so Washington would look back to the early part of the 2019 campaign to know what they’re getting with him. With that said, Washington has two third-round picks, their own, and one from the San Francisco 49ers because of the Trent Williams deal.
Even though Washington signed quarterback Taylor Heinicke, that transaction isn’t likely to stop the team from pursuing a more proven signal-caller. Also, Alex Smith hasn’t committed to a return as of yet, so he’s still contemplating his future.
If the Football Team wants a clear-cut upgrade, they may consider parting with one of their third-round picks, but the Raiders may have to send a Day 3 selection back in return. After all, Vegas probably won’t keep Mariota with Derek Carr entrenched in the starting position and Nathan Peterman back on a new deal.
More importantly, the Raiders need to unload more salaries so they can invest in their defense. Even with the expected release of wide receiver Tyrell Williams, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, they’re still $8.3 million over the salary-cap limit.
If the Silver and Black pull this off, that’s a win for head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock. The Football Team would have a quarterback who could keep them in playoff contention.