The Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of a franchise-altering offseason. After finishing 3-14 in one of the worst seasons in franchise history, they were able to secure the No. 1 overall pick for just the second time ever.
Of course, that first opportunity, back in 2007, didn't go so well, as they selected JaMarcus Russell, who remains the last quarterback the team drafted in the first round. They paired the signal caller with Lane Kiffin, another move that didn't work out for the Raiders.
This time around, they have hired Klint Kubiak to serve as head coach, and will presumably select Fernando Mendoza to serve under center. A recent report suggested that Las Vegas should, instead, swing a blockbuster deal for Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow. As tempting as that may be, Raiders general manager John Spytek must refuse any urge to make such an all-in deal.
The Las Vegas Raiders should not make a blockbuster trade for Joe Burrow
Burrow is a great quarterback who is in the midst of his prime. Despite playing behind some of the league's worst offensive lines virtually every season of his career, he has proven to be, at worst, a top-five quarterback in the league.
FanSided's Lou Scataglia suggested that the Raiders should send the No. 1, No. 36, and No. 67 picks, along with next year's first-round pick, to the Bengals in exchange for the three-time Pro Bowler.
"Given how much the Raiders have added on defense this offseason, potentially adding Joe Burrow in a trade would thrust that team into playoff contention. The Raiders would absolutely have to hand the top pick over to the Cincinnati Bengals, but other high picks would need to be included as well. Funnily enough, Mendoza's ceiling in the NFL might just be something similar to Burrow - a pure, elite pocket passer with average ability outside of the pocket."
As mentioned above, Burrow is truly an elite quarterback. In fact, Raider Nation should be hopeful that Mendoza, who recently drew comparisons to the Bengals star, can reach the individual heights that the two-time Comeback Player of the Year has attained in his first six seasons.
Still, Las Vegas would be wise not to entertain the proposed trade package. First off, the Raiders are in the very early stages of a rebuild and have more needs than just at quarterback. Going all-in on Burrow, as great as he is, would not be wise at this point.
Meanwhile, Burrow is in the second year of a five-year, $275 million contract extension. Mendoza, on the other hand, will be on a rookie deal. If history tells us anything, it is that it is far easier to build the rest of the roster while having a cheap quarterback.
Finally, the superstar has struggled to stay healthy, missing 22 games over his six-year career. That injury history has led Cincinnati to miss the postseason four times, including each of the past three seasons, despite having one of the league's premier quarterbacks.
While Burrow could certainly change the trajectory of the franchise, it would be a massive gamble for a team that is coming off a 3-14 season. Instead, Las Vegas is better off avoiding the temptation to take a massive swing and staying the course by selecting Mendoza.
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