Just Now: Kansas City Chiefs Star Patrick Mahomes Warn Raiders” And Give Them 4 Reason…..

Earlier this afternoon, we looked into the situations surrounding the Raiders and Broncos’ paths to a quarterback upgrade in this draft. The Broncos are limited with draft capital, which has drawn speculation they could consider moving Patrick Surtain. The Raiders have a chip to dangle as well, if they so choose.

Tom Telesco said earlier this offseason he was not planning to make Davante Adams available in trades, but the All-Pro wide receiver has come up on a few occasions before. And he would make sense as an asset the Raiders could unload if they truly sought to move near the top of the draft.

Adams said from his youth football camp recently if he wanted to be gone he would indeed be out. While he is now 31 and on a Raiders team in transition, the former Packers star is viewed as a player Mark Davis wants to keep. Although Adams could potentially be used to help the Raiders add draft capital to then make a move up the board, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes Davis is believed to “strongly prefer” Adams be retained to pair with a young quarterback.

It is not yet known if the Raiders will come away from the draft with a passer positioned to eventually take over for Gardner Minshew, though Michael Penix Jr. is coming up as a potential Jayden Daniels consolation prize. A rookie-QB contract would also pair better with Adams’ $28MM-per-year accord compared to those of Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Adams was among the players who stumped for Antonio Pierce this winter. Josh Jacobs joined him, though the former rushing champion is now gone. Three seasons remain on Adams’ contract, which contains a full guarantee for his 2024 base salary ($16.89MM). Beyond this year, no guarantees remain. That will make Adams easier to move, though the compensation the Raiders could acquire will stand to decrease as the veteran standout ages.

Accumulating draft capital would be the only benefit for the Raiders in an Adams trade; moving the 11th-year veteran would cost them $23.6MM in dead money while bringing back next to no cap savings. Of course, a long-term QB move would dwarf the importance of Adams on this year’s roster. Another Adams trade was once rumored to be likely this offseason, but as the draft nears, signs are pointing against the Raiders moving their top pass catcher.

We’re getting close to crunch time as the 2024 NFL Draft begins next Thursday. That also means the Las Vegas Raiders are winding down their Top 30 visits as prospects have been coming and going out of the facility for the better part of the last month. While some visits are just smoke and mirrors, others carry a little more weight.

Listed in no particular order, below is a look at the five most significant visits the Raiders have had as of April 17, per NFL Trade Rumor’s tracker.

QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
After his pro day at the end of March, Penix told ESPN that he had a visit scheduled with the Silver and Black which should come as no surprise. The Raiders need a quarterback and he’s been tied to the club throughout the pre-draft process. This essentially just confirms that the team is interested in the former Husky, but that’s significant seeing as it’s the most important position on the field.

QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Along the same lines as Penix, Las Vegas hosting Nix for a visit (per The MMQB’s Albert Breer) just confirms what everyone already knew. But, it is interesting that the Raiders hosted the two Pac-12 quarterbacks on back-to-back days. That should add fuel to the current Penix versus Nix debates and indicates that the front office doesn’t want to tip its hand on which player they prefer.

Bleacher Report’s and The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler reported that Wingo was in Sin City, and the LSU product could be a good mid-round target. He has an intriguing blend of strength and athleticism to potentially be a decent interior pass-rusher in the NFL. The problem is he’s undersized at 6-foot-0 and 285 pounds with 32-inch arms and is a bit of a tweener positionally. That being said, the LSU product could be a good depth piece and eventual replacement for Adam Butler’s role on the defensive line since Bulter is on a one-year deal.

DT Braden Fiske, Florida State
Per TWSN’s Tristen Kuhn, the Raiders hosted Fiske for an official 30 earlier this month. The former Seminole is one of the best interior pass rushers in this year’s draft class due to the elite athleticism he displayed at the NFL Combine. His workout earned a 9.89 RAS and put everyone on notice. However, he does play the same position as Christian Wilkins, and Fiske is projected to be a second-round pick, so it’s hard to imagine the Raiders will be in a position to draft him. But if he slides or lands in Las Vegas, the defense would have a nasty pass rush.