Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles not on Oakland Raiders radar in first
Blake Bortles throws the ball during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders acquired Matt Schaub from the Houston Texans for a meager sixth-round pick, and the deal could pay off huge dividends if Schaub can bounce back and be a solid starting quarterback again after last season’s putrid, pick-filled performance. Schaub seems to have the full backing of the organization for at least one season, but the Raiders also seem to be looking closely at post first-round quarterback options to develop behind Schaub; it’s why Derek Carr seems to make plenty of sense as a possible second-round option.
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Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie recently stated that the Raiders won’t pass on a quarterback they have as the highest player on their board just because of drafting Schaub, and he stressed that the most important thing about trading for Schaub was getting stability quarterback.
Per sources close to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Vic Tafur, the Raiders “aren’t really considering drafting” Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel with the fifth overall pick, though it’s interesting to see that Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr aren’t named. I wonder if this is because they like those two passers or more, or if those two QBs don’t even have first-round grades from them; the former seems to make more sense in the context of Tafur’s report.
I would be surprised if the Raiders took any quarterbacks in the first round of the draft, but I would also be surprised if the team doesn’t take a QB with a high pick. They are expected to draft Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, or Sammy Watkins with the fifth overall pick, or trade down for Aaron Donald or Mike Evans if all three of those blue-chip prospects are gone. And if they can’t trade down, reaching a tad for Evans looks like the best option on paper.