The NFL Combine has officially come to a conclusion as all the players and league personnel has left Indianapolis. However, the rumors and buzz coming out of that week are still making their way through the news.
One of the biggest storylines coming out of the combine is what will the Raiders do at quarterback. Some believe the Raiders are still interested in Aaron Rodgers if he decides to return. But is there another potential trade option?
In a recent article by ESPN’s insiders, they discussed some of the rumors coming out of Indianapolis. One was that the Raiders could potentially trade for Patriots QB Mac Jones given his connection to Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. Here is what they had to say about that possible move:
If they can’t get (Aaron Rodgers), a lot of people in Indianapolis this week expect McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler to pursue free agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whom they know from his time in New England early in his career. There’s also some chatter that McDaniels might try to acquire Mac Jones from the Patriots, though it seems unlikely New England would consider moving the 2021 first-rounder.
While this seems like a potential fit based on familiarity, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Raiders. Jones is a downgrade from Derek Carr and is coming off a pretty poor 2022 season. Giving up draft capital to acquire Jones just doesn’t seem very likely as he isn’t proven enough.
The most likely scenario listed here is that the Raiders could sign Jimmy Garoppolo as a free agent and then spend the No. 7 pick on a quarterback. But don’t expect them to seriously consider making a trade for Aaron Rodgers, Mac Jones, or any other veteran quarterback.
