Although it’s unlikely that the team will get a chance to select Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye in the draft, J.J. McCarthy might still be available.
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If the Raiders wanted the Michigan standout, they would still have to make a trade up. A trade proposal from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell would have sent the No. 44 pick, the No. 13 pick, and Aidan O’Connell to the New York Jets in exchange for the No. 10 and No. 111 picks. McCarthy would be taken by the Raiders in this scenario.
Would the Raiders be prepared to bypass the Vikings and Broncos in order to acquire McCarthy at the expense of a second-round selection?
Vegas’ offer is greater than any team’s second-round pick in this draft, Barnwell stated in a post published on April 18. “Would the Vikings actually give their other first-round pick (No. 23) to move up one spot? (The Jets also don’t have a second-round pick that they can return.)
After giving the Packers a second-round pick in the Rodgers trade last year, New York general manager Joe Douglas would receive a top-50 pick back in this transaction.
O’Connell, who surprised everyone a year ago in a desperate circumstance, would also provide the Jets with a viable backup option for Rodgers. Quite frankly, even if they drop three positions in Round 1, they may still be able to select the guy of their choice at No. 10.
Would the Las Vegas Raiders Benefit from This Trade?
For the Jets, Bill Barnwell’s proposed deal makes a ton of sense. They only need to drop three positions, acquire a second-round pick, and have a strong backup in Aaron Rodgers.
If the fourth-best quarterback in the draft is still available, the Raiders would have to pay a heavy price to move up in the draft to select him. If the Raiders signed J.J. McCarthy, losing Aidan O’Connell wouldn’t be a major setback, but do they really believe McCarthy is that much better than Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix? Though it’s difficult to say for sure, Las Vegas doesn’t seem to be that interested in McCarthy.
Although they shouldn’t give up too many assets to get a quarterback they aren’t quite sold on, Las Vegas does need a quarterback.
Potential 2nd-round pick Michael Penix for the Las Vegas Raiders
The likelihood that the Raiders will still choose a quality quarterback in the second round is another reason not to move up for J.J. McCarthy.
Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema has Michael Penix Jr. slide to the second round, where the Raiders take him, in a mock draft.
In the April 20 mock draft, Sikkema stated, “Penix can assault the intermediate middle of the field, although it is not as natural.” “He also has a tendency to throw excessively hard.
He sometimes takes a little too long to release the ball, preferring to add more juice to passes rather than more air beneath them. This makes it easier for the ball to not be placed consistently.
