The Las Vegas Raiders have been stuck in quarterback purgatory for the better part of two decades. Derek Carr was the closest thing that the organization got to having a franchise player under center, but he only led the team to two playoff appearances in nine seasons.
New general manager John Spytek sought to end this notion during his first offseason with the franchise, sending a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Pete Carroll worked closely with Smith in Seattle for four seasons and helped him play the best football of his career.
But while the new regime in Las Vegas was discussing a contract extension for Smith, they were also making moves behind the scenes for a highly coveted second-year quarterback.
Raiders nearly pulled off stunning QB trade after Geno Smith extension
Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Raiders were among five teams that showed significant interest in New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton before he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.
Milton was a sixth-round pick last season and sat almost the whole season behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. However, he was given an opportunity to start in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills, and he took full advantage.
He completed 75.9% of his passes for 241 yards and a touchdown and also added 16 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. His dual-threat ability was intriguing enough that teams like the Eagles, Giants and Steelers were interested as well, in addition to the Raiders and Cowboys.
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Outside of Smith, Las Vegas only has Aidan O'Connell as a viable backup option, so it makes sense that the team was pursuing another young quarterback. Now, after swinging and missing on Milton, the team will likely look toward the NFL Draft to find a high-end backup or a succession plan for Smith.
While taking Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart may be a bit greedy at No. 6, considering the financial commitment they just made to Smith, there are a handful of solid prospects set to be available in the middle rounds. Look for Alabama's Jalen Milroe or Ohio State's Will Howard to join the Silver and Black in the third or fourth round later this month.
Milton would have been a fun project for the Raiders as he contains all of the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback. However, the Patriots let Milton choose where he wanted to go, and it seems like the interest was not mutual.