Las Vegas Raiders are officially a contender for the No. 1 overall pick
By Brad Weiss
After eight games, most fans of the Las Vegas Raiders felt they would be a contender for the playoffs, but now, they are a contender for the No. 1 overall pick.
Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders looked ready to roll over the Jacksonville Jaguars, getting out to a 17-0 lead. However, like they have done all season long, the team could not put four quarters of football together, and in the end, blew their third 17-0 lead of the season in a 27-20 loss.
That loss was about as bad as it can get, especially coming off a 24-0 drubbing at the hands of the New Orleans Saints the week before. After the game, there was a lot of finger-pointing and cryptic messages coming from the likes of Derek Carr and company, so there is certainly trouble in Las Vegas.
At 2-6, it is time to start looking toward the draft, and the Raiders find themselves in a position nobody expected them to be at the beginning of the year.
As it stands now, the Silver and Black would hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but based on how they have played the last few weeks, picking first is a real possibility. Las Vegas cannot find the formula to beat bad teams and are dangerously close to picking first overall only a year after making the playoffs.
Raiders could go quarterback high in the 2023 NFL Draft
Looking at the talent in this draft class, picking as high as the top-3, or even the No. 1 overall pick would likely mean the Raiders hit the reset button at quarterback. Guys like Will Levis, CJ Stroud, and Bryce Young will be hot commodities coming out of this year’s draft class, and after zero playoff wins under Derek Carr, a change could be coming.
Now, I am not saying any of these three would start right away, as Carr signed a new deal this offseason, but new general manager David Ziegler may have to start looking towards the future at the position. Carr is obviously frustrated, as shown by his press conference after Sunday’s loss, so bringing in his successor, even to learn under him may be the right move for Ziegler next offseason.
Houston currently holds the top pick, and the Raiders have beaten them this year, so they would have the tiebreaker to pick No. 1 overall. The fact that this is even a topic to write about shows how far the Silver and Black have fallen this season, and when all is said and done, heads may roll in the desert.