The Oakland Raiders have a pivotal offseason ahead of them. Jon Gruden's squad is preparing to play its final season in the Bay Area before they move to Las Vegas, and they need to make progress in 2019.
The Raiders went 4-12 last year, which was tied for the worst record in the AFC. While Gruden has publicly insisted the team is still behind Derek Carr as their quarterback, he doesn't seem particularly sold on that. The team is still doing their due diligence and meeting with the top quarterbacks in this year's draft.
For the following reasons, the Raiders should consider taking Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 NFL Draft.
1. Carr is getting worse
Statistically, Carr had one of his better seasons last year. But when you actually throw on the tape, his problems are getting worse. He was overly conservative, and still threw ten interceptions. Carr's mechanics would frequently break down, and he struggled heavily under any kind of pressure.
Gruden did a surprisingly great job scheming open players in Oakland's offense, and Carr definitely didn't do enough to inspire confidence that he's the long-term solution at the position. He checked down far too frequently, and couldn't consistently make the big plays down the field that you need to on offense in 2019. Gruden and Carr argued frequently on the sidelines, and Gruden isn't the type of coach to stick with a player just because he's highly paid.
If Gruden thinks the position can be upgraded, he won't hesitate to make the move.
2. They have the draft capital
Thanks to the Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack trades, the Raiders have three first-round picks. They have plenty of draft capital to work with, and taking Haskins won't preclude them from drafting other immediate starters to help the rest of the team.
If Oakland had just one first-round pick, one could reasonably make the argument they'd be better served adding someone on defense. But with three first-round selections, the Raiders can add Haskins and still draft two other potentially elite players.
No team has more early draft picks than the Raiders, and they should take advantage of that luxury by making a splash. Gruden clearly had a plan in mind when he was piling up all these draft picks, and it would make a whole lot of sense if he was targeting a signal-caller.
3. They need to keep up in the AFC West
If the Raiders don't make a change at quarterback, they could end up permanently falling behind in the division.
The Kansas City Chiefs look set on offense for the next decade with Patrick Mahomes, and Philip Rivers is suddenly playing the best ball of his career for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Denver Broncos made a bold move to trade for Joe Flacco this offseason, and the Raiders should follow suit. Carr isn't terrible, but he's never going to take the Raiders to the next level and rival the Chargers and Chiefs.
If Oakland wants to be relevant in the division again, they'll need a new quarterback. Picking fourth overall, Haskins is the best option for them to get one.
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