2020 NFL Draft: 5 Teams that should trade up for Tua Tagovailoa
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Full disclosure, I toggle back-and-forth almost daily about what the Las Vegas Raiders should do at quarterback this offseason. Derek Carr is at the heart of that indecision as you can easily talk yourself into his best moments as a reason to keep believing but just as easily wish for the Raiders to let him loose and save some money in the process when you consider his inconsistency and struggles.
When head coach Jon Gruden arrived and, to a lesser degree, when general manager Mike Mayock joined the party as well, the Raiders were very much aggressive in trying to build a new image for the silver and black’s roster. The Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper trades stand as testament to that fact as they yielded three extra first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 drafts. And the results were promising as they built to a 7-9 record in the 2019 campaign.
There are still plenty of holes to fill as the Raiders make their move from Oakland to Las Vegas as they have needs at linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver primarily. The prospects projected to be available to them at the No. 12 and 19 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft could address those needs.
At the same time though, the Raiders also need to make a splash. While they carry plenty of name brand value and have a promising young core of talent, there is not a true face of the franchise at the moment. And as they look to sell to a new market and fan base, they could look to get aggressive again to get that face of the franchise, something Tua Tagovailoa could be.
In a recent team-specific mock draft, I had the Raiders trading up for Tua and it was costly to do so. Having said that, having two first-rounders and three third-rounders puts them in a position to trade up for their quarterback and then trade down to try and recoup some picks. It would be a Draft Day-esque slew of deals but it could be a move to get the silver and black a star and, quite possibly, to take the next step as a team.