Las Vegas Raiders: Seattle Seahawks suddenly a trade partner in 2023 NFL Draft
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders will need to bust into the top 5 if they hope to land a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Seattle just became a possible trade partner.
Holding the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders could go a number of different ways with the selection. After winning only six games last season, Las Vegas has needs up and down the roster, and a top-10 pick is definitely solid draft capital if they hope to fix one of them.
One glaring need is at quarterback, as the Tom Brady rumors were squashed early, and it now appears Aaron Rodgers could end up in New York with the Jets. That leaves veterans like Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett to possibly be the starting quarterback in Las Vegas next season, two guys who do not really turn the needle.
However, after the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, a quarterback coming on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft is now looking more and more like a real possibility. Sitting at No. 7, Las Vegas may have to make some moves to get their guy, and one team just became a real trade possibility.
In a recent mock draft over at 12thmanrising.com, Michael Thompson had the Raiders trading up two spots with the Seahawks, but it took a lot of draft capital. In fact, Thompson has Las Vegas unloading pick No. 7, No. 7 in 2023, and a 2024 second-round pick to the Seahawks, a large haul that David Ziegler would only do if they absolutely fell in love with one of the 2023 signal-callers.
Raiders will need to get into the top 5 to get an elite quarterback
After what we saw in Indianapolis, the 2023 NFL Draft class may be more loaded at quarterback than initially thought, especially after the work Will Levis and Anthony Richardson put in. Yes, both are considered ‘projects’ by some experts, but both showed they have the size and throwing ability to make all the throws at the next level.
Las Vegas may decide to trade down in the first round as well, picking up some draft capital for a team that needs more than just a new quarterback in 2023. The Raiders did not pick on Day 1 last season due to the Davante Adams trade, making this April even more exciting as Ziegler takes his first swing on the biggest stage.