Raiders mailbag: Would trading up for a quarterback be worth it?

The NFL offseason is here after the end of Super Bowl 58.

That means the Raiders are rounding out Antonio Pierce’s coaching staff and plotting their offseason under new general manager Tom Telesco. Fans have a lot of questions about what comes next.

Here is a sampling of what showed up in this week’s mailbag:

Aaron S. (@als5nep): Do Raiders go all in on Jayden Daniels? Is the cost going to hinder them in the long run?

Vincent Bonsignore: The Raiders, if they want the Louisiana State quarterback, should ask the Patriots what it would take to get pick No. 3.

They should consider pulling the trigger if the price is within reason.

Whether that hurts the Raiders in the future depends on what they do with their remaining draft picks. A lot of teams in recent years have traded up for quarterbacks and experienced a lot of success.

The Rams traded up to select Jared Goff first overall in 2016 and were in the Super Bowl three seasons later. The Eagles won a championship within two years of moving up to take Carson Wentz second overall that same draft.

The Chiefs for sure have no regrets about trading up for Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Same with the Bills going up for Josh Allen in 2018.

Even missing on a quarterback doesn’t have to be crippling if a team hits on other picks. The 49ers traded three first-round picks to take Trey Lance in 2021. They added enough pieces in other rounds to keep winning when Lance didn’t pan out.

Nick Patel (@RaiderNick4): Does the Jimmy Garoppolo suspension affect his contract?

VB: Yes.

The veteran quarterback is scheduled to make $11.25 million in 2024. That sum was guaranteed when he agreed to terms on a three-year deal last March. His suspension voids that guarantee.

That means the Raiders will save $10 million under the cap if they release Garoppolo, as expected, before his $11.25 million roster bonus becomes guaranteed in March. They will walk away with a $17 million cap hit, much lower than the number that would have been on their books before the suspension.

Jason (@johnnyloco1913): If they can’t get Jayden Daniels, who is our second option at quarterback? I’m an Aidan O’Connell fan, so to me, it really isn’t important to draft a quarterback.

VB: That remains to be seen. Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy is currently viewed as the fourth-best quarterback in the draft. He could be someone that gets taken within the top 10 picks.

Dimitry (@Dimitry7688): Question from the opposition: When is Hunter Renfrow getting cut?

VB: The Raiders will at least look to trade their veteran wide receiver before releasing him.

But if Renfrow is unwilling to renegotiate the terms of the last year of his contract — he is scheduled to make $11.153 million — he should be cut sometime this spring.

Leonardo Daniel (@LeonardoRiosIII): When will the coaching staff be assembled?

VB: The Raiders have done most of the heavy lifting here.

The spots they still need to fill are their quarterbacks, tight ends and running backs coaches. They should have things wrapped up within the next week or so.

R (@RMM_0000): What’s a realistic trade scenario to move up to get a quarterback? I’d imagine Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby are rightfully off the table.

VB: Depends on how high the Raiders want to go. It may take their next three first-round picks to swap spots with the Patriots if New England is open for business.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.