(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
An interesting AFC team is reportedly trying to move up for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Chicago Bears are set to take USC’s Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in next month’s 2024 NFL Draft. At No. 2, the Washington Commanders will presumably take either LSU’s Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

And if the New England Patriots don’t want a quarterback at No. 3? It’s quite likely they’ll trade that pick to another QB-needy team that will want whoever remains available between Daniels and Maye.

Speaking with colleague Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport stated Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has “the urgency” to get a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft. Rapoport believes it’s more likely that Las Vegas would move up for a QB than their AFC West foes, the Denver Broncos:

“The Raiders probably make the most sense in getting a quarterback…It feels like the Raiders, with Antonio Pierce, the urgency is there from the head coach. Getting a quarterback makes sense.”

For the #Raiders this seems like a logical plan:

🔘Sign veteran CB (several solid ones still available)

🔘Sign a veteran guard

🔘Draft best offensive tackle at 13

🔘Draft QB Michael Penix

— Moe Moton (@MoeMoton) March 22, 2024

The Raiders signed veteran Gardner Minshew II to a two-year deal worth $25 million to seemingly compete with sophomore Aidan O’Connell for the starting job next year. But if the opportunity presents itself to move up in the 2024 NFL Draft for a QB, the Raiders may have to take it.

The Raiders hold the No. 13 selection in the draft, behind two other QB-needy teams in the Broncos (No. 12) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 11). Minnesota acquired the No. 23 pick from the Houston Texans last week, leading to speculation that they’ll try to move up much earlier to take a QB in the draft.

Potential QB 2024 NFL Draft Targets For The Raiders

Unless they somehow move up into the top-three, the Raiders aren’t getting Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. If they want a QB, it’ll likely have to be somebody from the second tier.

Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. are all realistic targets for the Raiders in the 2024 NFL Draft. Though many project McCarthy to be gone in the top-10, the Raiders might not even have to move to snag Penix Jr. or Nix.

The bottom line is that this is one of the deepest quarterback classes in recent NFL Draft memory, and it’ll be fascinating to see how the rest of the board plays out after the top three picks.