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*Walt taking 2014 and 2018

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Raiders Considering Drafting Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins

 Raiders general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden both have expressed confidence in Oakland quarterback Derek Carr at the NFL Scouting Combine. After making the playoffs a couple of years ago, the Raiders have been thrust into rebuilding mode with the trades of Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper, landing Oakland three first-round picks to help jump start the rebuilding process. While Carr is only turning 28 this year, trading Carr and drafting a quarterback is something the Raiders are considering as part of their rebuilding process, according to sources.  

Per sources, the Oakland brass likes Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray and Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Taking one of them and trading Carr would give the Raiders a young quarterback to build around while having that signal-caller on a cheap 5-year contract. Sources say they could consider trading Carr for a first-round pick or for talented young players. The team likes Carr, but they are looking at every avenue possible to get the team better in building for the long term.  

Salary cap issues are significant in Oakland. As we discussed in our combine preview, the contracts that former general manager Reggie McKenzie gave out forced the Raiders to trade Khalil Mack. Sources with the team were dumbfounded that the team did not extend Mack and instead locked an insane amount of money, around $30 million per year, to signing their two guards and center. Adding in Carr making over $20 million on his extension, the Raiders were unable to extend Mack and build up the rest of the roster. No team in the NFL can have over $70 million dollars locked up in just five players. Carr and guard Gabe Jackson came from the same draft class as Mack (2014), and for an inexplicable reason, those players were extended before Mack. Thus, when Mark Davis claimed responsibility for the Mack trade, that was accurate, as the contracts that Gruden and now Mayock inherited forced that trade. <br> <br> 

The Raiders are weighing their options with building around Carr, or trading Carr to start over and build around a new quarterback. All options are on the table, including drafting Murray or Haskins and trading Carr for draft picks and/or players.