Josh McDaniels unlikely to swap Derek Carr for C.J. Stroud despite Raiders rumor

There were recent rumors linking to the Las Vegas Raiders and C.J. Stroud, but they’ve since been shut down.

The Las Vegas Raiders have undoubtedly been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2022 season entering Week 10. They managed to bring in huge names like Davante Adams and Chandler Jones to bolster the roster after making a run to the playoffs the year prior. Yet, the team is 2-6 on the year under head coach Josh McDaniels, and is in good position to potentially get a top five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Could they use it on a quarterback?

Well, there was a Twitter rumor circulating that the Raiders were apparently going to move on from Carr to go draft Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. That rumor was shut down by KOA Colorado insider Benjamin Allbright, who relayed the message of a Raiders source, saying they “haven’t made any decision to move on from Carr.”

Raiders rumor linking team to C.J. Stroud shut down

Entering Week 10, Las Vegas holds the second-overall pick, as they were the only two-loss team in the league. That would hypothetically put them in position to select a quarterback, but it really does seem unlikely they would ever consider it.

The main reason is that the Raiders just signed Carr to a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension this past April. This wasn’t the old regime of Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden. This was the new regime of McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler that signed him under contract through the 2025 season. Oh, and the contract includes a no-trade clause.

Stroud is in the conversation to potentially be the very first quarterback selected in the NFL Draft hosted in Kansas City, due in part to his incredible play as Ohio State starter. There are also quarterbacks like Bryce Young of Alabama and Will Levis of Kentucky in the conversation.

There is always an opportunity for a change in mindset, especially if the season continues to spiral out of control. As of now, they are in the driver’s seat for the No. 2 pick in the draft, which they could use on prospects like Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.