The Arizona Cardinals are in a good position for the 2024 NFL Draft. They are the only top-four team that doesn't need a quarterback.
That makes them a prime option for teams wanting to trade up. The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback but don't pick until No. 13. Trading with the Cardinals would ensure them a chance at one of the top four quarterbacks in the draft. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report suggested a trade where the Raiders would offer the No. 13 pick and their 2025 first-round pick to the Cardinals for the No. 4 pick.
“The Las Vegas Raiders won eight games last year despite inconsistent quarterback play,” Davenport wrote in a March 21 column. “The team addressed the position in free agency by adding veteran Gardner Minshew, but 'Minshew Mania' aside, he's a temporary solution at best.”
“It wouldn’t be a cheap move for the Raiders—a nine-pick jump will cost Las Vegas its first-rounder next year,” he added. “For the Cardinals, staying inside the top 15 this year and gaining an extra pick in 2025, while not as appealing as Minnesota’s hypothetical offer, would be a solid return.”
With so many teams competing for a quarterback, giving up just one future first-round pick to move from No. 13 to No. 4 would benefit the Raiders. However, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals wouldn't be able to get more for the pick.
Which QB Would Las Vegas Raiders Target at No. 4?
The only quarterback who is almost certainly not guaranteed to be at No. 4 is Caleb Williams. There’s a slim chance that Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels could drop to the Raiders but that's also unlikely. The quarterback most likely to be targeted at No. 4 is Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
The 21-year-old quarterback has been rapidly rising up draft boards due to his potential. McCarthy didn’t display much explosiveness in college but he never really needed to. Despite only throwing 22 touchdowns last season, Michigan won the National Championship. McCarthy is young, athletic, and has strong arm talent. There's a lot of risk in drafting him so early but the reward could be significant.
J.J. McCarthy Talks Pro Day
No quarterback has improved their draft stock more than J.J. McCarthy this offseason. While many expected him to be a late first-round pick or an early second-round pick, not many thought there’d be talk of him being a top-five pick.
He only strengthened his position further with his performance at the Michigan Pro Day where he impressed scouts. He was pleased with his performance.
“I just wanted to showcase the things they were questioning about out-breaking routes to the left and putting some air on the deep posts, things like that,” McCarthy said after his March 22 Pro Day, per The Athletic’s Austin Meek. “I felt like I accomplished that today. I’m pretty confident with the showing I put out there.”
It’s still hard to know for sure where McCarthy will end up on draft night but the Raiders should be a team to keep an eye on.
