After recent events, will the Las Vegas Raiders still have to worry about facing Justin Fields in a Denver Broncos uniform?
The NFL’s a strange place sometimes, especially when it comes to fan bases, and the Las Vegas Raiders have some of the more passionate fans in the world. You could argue that Raider Nation drew a sigh of relief when the Broncos decided to trade for Teddy Bridgewater. Strange because Bridgewater is no scrub by any stretch, a man that’s been a Pro Bowler and thrown for 53 touchdowns deserves respect.
The conundrum here is that fans might be inclined to think that Broncos’ brass might not go quarterback in the first round now. This, in turn, will spare the Raiders’ defense from facing Justin Fields for the next decade.
NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah still has the Broncos picking Fields with the seventh overall selection, mentioning that Bridgewater’s acquisition might not deter Denver.
Could the Raiders still have to take on Fields twice a year?
As far as Fields, Pro Football Focus grades him as one of the best college quarterbacks coming into this season. His overall grade is an impressive 93.5 with an equally impressive 92.0 passing grade.
He threw for 41 touchdowns with only three interceptions in 2019, his most impressive collegiate year. Fields’ deadly accuracy should certainly worry Raider Nation if he ends up in Denver. His speed is also a concern, he accumulated 1,133 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns via the ground.
A shaky Raiders linebacker corps would certainly be tested next year.
Given how poor the Raiders’ pass defense has played, if the teams played right now, surely either Fields or Bridgewater would have a field day. Hopefully this season under Gus Bradley, Las Vegas will be able to finally field a decent pass defense.
Currently, the Broncos hold the No. 9 overall pick, and with some speculation out there that the New England Patriots are going to move up to get Fields, they may have to move up themselves if they want to get him. There are teams in the top-10 that are not as quarterback-needy as others, so you can expect some fireworks when the first round kicks off later today.
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Overall, playing against Justin Fields, Justin Herbert, and Patrick Mahomes all twice a year would be nightmare fuel for Raider Nation. The problem is, while Bridgewater is an okay NFL quarterback, he is not the long-term solution, and early in this year’s draft, several signal-callers can be just that for the Broncos.