The Raiders would still have to move up if they wanted the Michigan standout. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed a trade in which Aidan O’Connell, the No. 13 pick, and the No. 44 pick would go to the New York Jets in exchange for the No. 10 and No. 111 picks. In this scenario, McCarthy would be acquired by the Raiders.
“Would the Raiders be willing to outbid the Vikings and Broncos for McCarthy in exchange for a second-round pick? “Neither team has a second-round pick in this draft to match Vegas’ offer,” Barnwell wrote in his April 18 column. “The Vikings have another first-round pick (No. 23), but would they use it to move up one spot? (The Jets don’t have a second-round pick to return, either.)
“In this transaction, New York GM Joe Douglas would receive a top-50 pick after trading a second-round pick to the Packers in the Rodgers deal last year. The Jets would also gain a potential backup for Rodgers in O’Connell, who outperformed expectations in a dismal position a year ago. And, really, despite dropping three spots in Round 1, they may still be able to choose the exact player they wanted at No. 10.”
Would This Trade Make Sense for the Las Vegas Raiders?
The proposed deal by Bill Barnwell would make a lot of sense for the Jets. They receive a second-round pick, a capable backup for Aaron Rodgers, and only have to move back three positions.
The Raiders would have to pay a high price merely to move up a few spots and grab the fourth-best quarterback in the draft, assuming he’s even available. Losing Aidan O’Connell would not be a major loss if the Raiders added J.J. McCarthy, but do the Raiders believe he is significantly better than Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.? It’s hard to say for certain, but Las Vegas hasn’t showed much interest in McCarthy.
Las Vegas needs a quarterback, but they shouldn’t give up too many assets to obtain one they’re not completely sold on.
Las Vegas Raiders Could Get Michael Penix in the Second Round.
Another reason the Raiders should not trade up for J.J. McCarthy is that they might still find a competent quarterback in the second round. Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus predicts that Michael Penix Jr. will be selected in the second round by the Raiders.
“Penix can attack the intermediate middle of the field, but it is not as natural,” Sikkema noted in the April 20 mock draft. “He also has a tendency to throw with excessive power. He can be a little late in timing his throws, preferring to put more energy on passes rather than more air below. This leads to a lack of consistency in ball positioning.
“He also opts for the bigger throws and not as many ‘layups’ even when available.”
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