There already has been plenty of talk this offseason about the Raiders moving on from franchise quarterback Derek Carr, with many of the rumors focused on six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Brady was spotted chatting with Raiders owner Mark Davis during a recent UFC fight in Las Vegas. But CBS Sports NFL analyst Jason La Canfora has the Silver and Black taking their search for a No. 1 quarterback in a very different direction.
In his latest 2020 mock draft, La Canfora has the Raiders trading with the Detroit Lions for the No. 3 overall pick, and selecting former Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa.
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SIGN UP HERE Here’s how he breaks down what would be a franchise-altering deal:
"Matt Patricia learned under Bill Belichick, and with plenty of needs that he has to address, he trades down. Oakland sends picks No. 12, No. 19 and a 2021 2nd round pick to move up and draft Tua Tagovailoa. Tua has health concerns, but most are optimistic he'll be healthy, and now the Raiders can move to Las Vegas with a shiny new franchise QB."
Bringing in Tagovailoa -- who won a national championship with the Crimson Tide as a freshman and was the Heisman runner-up as a sophomore -- would fire up a fan base that grew weary of Carr’s propensity to check down.
Parting with that much draft capital might worry some fans, but shoring up the most important position on the field should be a top priority if general manager Mike Mayock truly believes the Hawaii native is an improvement over Carr.
NFL
Tua did sustain a very painful hip injury that knocked him out for the final three games of his junior season at Alabama, but the quarterback has indicated he'll be ready for training camp.
“I feel really good,” Tagovailoa told NFL Network while on Radio Row at Super Bowl LIV last week. “We’re on pace to make a full recovery.”
[RELATED: Carr unfazed by questions on Raiders future, brother says]
Any NFL team interested in Tagovailoa likely will do a thorough medical evaluation of the QB before utilizing a first-round pick on him, but having posted the highest total yards per play and passing efficiency of any collegiate player ever, any organization would be lucky to have a healthy Tua taking snaps next season.
Head coach Jon Gruden publicly has been non-committal on Carr being the QB for the first game in Vegas, despite the two having bought houses next door to each other in southern Nevada. Carr recently said he's "looking forward" to being the Week 1 starter for the Raiders.
We’ll find out in April whether Tagovailoa will be trading in the Crimson and white for the iconic Silver and Black next season.