Many are treating it like a given that the Las Vegas Raiders will hold onto the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. However, there remains a possibility that the team could consider trading the pick.
There aren’t many assets more valuable than the No. 1 pick, especially when there’s a quarterback prospect like Mendoza declaring. The Raiders need a quarterback badly, but perhaps they could use the No. 1 pick to help add a veteran.
The Baltimore Ravens are going through a transitional period after moving on from longtime head coach John Harbaugh. Prior to that move, there was talk that the team could consider trading two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Though they don’t have a Harbaugh replacement yet, it’s possible that the coach they hire might like the idea of coaching Mendoza more than Jackson. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio floated a rumor that he’s hearing that the Raiders could offer the No. 1 pick to the Ravens to see if they’d be willing to trade Jackson.
“There’s a feeling out there that the Raiders are going to make a play for Lamar,” Florio said. “That that’s the big splash. Offer the first overall pick in the draft for Lamar Jackson. Before that, they have to hire a coach, but Tom Brady feels compelled to do something. It may not work, but just do something. … This year, people are expecting him to do something big.”
Jackson Would Make Raiders Very Interesting
There isn’t a more exciting player in the NFL when he’s healthy than Jackson. He’s already won two MVPs, and many believe he should’ve won his third last year. Jackson in Las Vegas would be electric.
He’d immediately turn the Raiders into must-watch television, even if the team around him isn’t great. The Raiders have had a very hard time getting home fans to show up to games in Las Vegas. A great way to keep season ticket holders from selling their tickets would be to have a player like Jackson leading the offense.
Does It Make Sense for Raiders to Trade for Jackson?
If the Raiders could just sign Jackson outright as a free agent, then nobody would argue against that idea. However, the team might have to give up even more than the No. 1 pick to get him.
The roster is very light on talent, so they need picks. What’s the point of trading for Jackson if they’re not going to have talent around him? Now, an offensive trio of Jackson, Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty could be electric, but it doesn’t matter if the quarterback is getting hit every play.
Keeping the No. 1 pick and drafting Mendoza allows the Raiders to be more methodical and patient with a rebuild. The odds of Mendoza even being close to as good as Jackson are very low, but swinging that kind of trade and it still not fixing the team is a recipe for disaster. The Raiders shouldn’t trade for Jackson just because they want to take a big swing. They need to figure out what’s the best path towards building a consistent winner.
Raiders May Offer No. 1 Pick to Add $260 Million Star QB: Insider