Vikings' chances of trading up for a QB in the 2024 NFL Draft just got even tougher

Make that two teams picking outside the top 10 who may want to trade up for a quarterback. The Minnesota Vikings made that notion abundantly clear by trading for the No. 23 overall pick in a deal with the Houston Texans. They now have the extra draft capital to move up to get their guy. However, they must keep close tabs on the Las Vegas Raiders, who are picking two spots after them at No. 13.

Tashan Reed of The Athletic revealed that the Raiders will at least explore opportunities to move up from No. 13. While they still have two fairly good options to start the season out with in second-year pro Aidan O'Connell and veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew II, you have to remember what college team Antonio Pierce used to work for. He used to coach LSU star Jayden Daniels over at Arizona State.

Even if the Raiders don't move up from No. 13, they seem to be in a good spot to address this issue.

"They'll explore trading up in the first round, according to league sources, but there's a chance that an intriguing option could still be available at pick No. 13 or even at pick No. 44 in the second round. So, while bringing [Gardner] Minshew onboard provides the Raiders a safety net, it won't stop them from trying land a highly-touted prospect in the draft."

As far as what Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network is hearing, he thinks there is "urgency" for the Raiders to move up, as opposed to the Denver Broncos picking in between both teams at No. 12.

"The urgency is there from the head coach. Getting a quarterback makes sense, 'cause whatever happens this year, if you get a guy, you can at least say we got a guy for the next 10 years. I don't know where it's going to be, and to me, it's going to be hard to trade up, but I think they'll give it a shot."

Here is what Rapoport said to NFL Network colleague Daniel Jeremiah about Las Vegas and Denver.

Jeremiah did not rule out the possibility of Washington's Michael Penix Jr. being the Raiders' pick...

Minnesota Vikings have QB trade-up competition in Las Vegas Raiders

There are three things the Raiders have in their favor that the Vikings do not in this situation. One, they have two starting-level quarterbacks they seem to like. We know that O'Connell can play after his stellar rookie season for the Silver and Black. Minshew had a great year last season filling in for the injured Anthony Richardson on the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings hope Sam Darnold can play.

The second is that the Raiders still may have a hand to play, whereas we all know what the Vikings are doing. You don't trade for the No. 23 overall pick to draft a cornerback late in the first round; you do so to go up and get a quarterback! The Raiders may make their move at some point, but it is not so painfully telegraphed like the Vikings' impending move seems to be. They have some wiggle room.

And finally, the Raiders already have working intel on one of the game's top quarterback prospects in Daniels, simply because he and Pierce were both in Tempe for a few years together. The NFL is different than college football, but the Raiders' working knowledge of Daniels is a huge boost that only the Washington Commanders have on their side too with Caleb Williams through Kliff Kingsbury.

Another slight advantage the Raiders have is they will have to give up more to move up from No. 13 than the Vikings at No. 11. It may not seem like much, but if they are desperate enough, they might be able to put together a better offer than even the Vikings can. As far as trade-up partners are concerned, there are not as many as you would think. Maybe the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5?

I highly doubt the Chicago Bears, Commanders or New England Patriots will move down from the top three this spring. They all need a quarterback. It would also shock me if the Arizona Cardinals moved off No. 4. They really like Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Given that the Chargers play in the same division as the Raiders, they are not a serious option to even get inside of the top five either.

Truth be told, the Raiders would have to give up something just shy in franchise equity to get to No. 2 in a deal with the Commanders. That is what it will take to reunite Daniels with Pierce. Not sure they should do it, but that would be the only reason to trade up if you are the Raiders this spring. Overall, I think the Raiders' supposed interest in trading up is to make teams like the Vikings pay even more.

The fact the Raiders aren't saying no to trading up will make it all the more difficult for the Vikings.