2. Colts must outbid the Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders could be a major sleeper in this bidding war. A lot of discussion around Vegas has centered around the possible pursuit of a veteran quarterback but it makes a lot of sense for them to select a rookie as well. It may even be better for the future of the Raiders if they traded for the No. 1 pick instead of a veteran like Aaron Rodgers.
Las Vegas may have the best set of circumstances for a rookie quarterback to come in and immediately thrive. The Raiders Davante Adams, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, Darren Waller, one of the league’s best tight ends, Hunter Renfrow, a Pro Bowl receiver, and possibly Josh Jacobs, the NFL’s leading rusher in 2022. Additionally, Josh McDaniels is the head coach, and he has a good history with quarterbacks, notably Tom Brady.
With the team recently releasing Derek Carr, quarterback is the biggest question mark for the Raiders. Why wouldn’t they want to trade up from No. 7 to No. 1 if there’s a prospect that they really believe in. Sure, they’ll have to give some things up, but they’ll be adding a talented rookie into a loaded offense and should be able to immediately compete.
Additionally, taking the rookie quarterback approach will allow the team to build while on a rookie quarterback contract. That means Las Vegas will be able to retain talented players like Josh Jacobs and pay other guys to build the roster for the next five years. It makes a lot of sense for the Raiders to move up, so the Colts should definitely be worried about them getting involved.