NFL Rumors: Justin Fields trade timeline, Cowboys-Tyron Smith replacement, Raiders trade buzz

NFL Rumors: Raiders looking to move up draft board

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce made eye-opening remarks at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis regarding the team’s pursuit of a quarterback this offseason, and it looks like the front office is in lockstep with him.

Pierce told the media he doesn’t want to put a “Band-Aid at that position,” suggesting that the team is in the market for a long-term franchise signal-caller and could select one early in the draft.

Per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed, the Raiders “love” LSU’s Jayden Daniels. But they have the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and by then, Daniels and the other consensus top quarterbacks are all expected to be off the board.

The connection between Daniels and the Raiders stems from Pierce’s time as an assistant coach at Arizona State University, where the latter played a critical role in the former’s recruitment process before he ultimately transferred to LSU in 2022. 

All things considered, the Raiders have been “exploring trading up,” according to Tafur and Reed. The two also note in their report that general manager Tom Telesco has had discussions “centered on potentially trading for picks in the five to seven range.” Could it be to move up and get Daniels? Will he be available at that point? If not, how does the team proceed?

Either way, Las Vegas is leaving no stone unturned in their search for a franchise quarterback.