The Oakland Raiders were absolutely excoriated by every sports reporting organization last season when they failed to come to terms with the only player to ever be voted to the Pro Bowl at two positions in the same year, Khalil Mack. The Bears give them two first-round draft choices for Mack, with one pick coming this season and one next, which seems fair.
Many called this the dumbest trade of all time, since nobody trades a future Hall of Fame player in their prime.
Nobody, never, no way.
The Bears also gave Mack a six-year deal worth $141 million (or $23.5 million per year) with $60 million guaranteed at signing and a $34 million signing bonus. To put that in comparison, the state of Alaska was purchased for $7.5 million and the Louisiana purchase totaled just twice that much at $15 million.
Re-signing Khalil Mack was not a no-brainer, and I firmly believe that it takes two
parties to make a deal, but only one side gets a deal. Now, we will find out who got the deal. In addition to the Raiders’ pick (fourth overall), the 24th pick comes to the Raiders from the Bears. The Raiders also acquired the 27th pick of the from Dallas following the trade of Amari Cooper to the Cowboys.
Unless you spent the last ten months under a rock, this is not news.
The first pick at the No. 4 spot is pretty easy if the Cardinals, 49ers, and Jets pick as expected, and it will be very surprising if any of them don’t.
So, I have the Arizona Cardinals taking Kyler Murray, strapping on a pair of elevator shoes and telling the world he is 5-foot-10. (Bold prediction: Kyler Murray lawn gnomes will be a thing.)
Next, the Niners will take Nick Bosa and just like that they have a dominant front four.
The Raiders and the Jets are in the exact same boat in that both teams have invested draft capital recently at the defensive tackle position and both are in dire need of an edge rusher. The Jets will take Josh Allen one pick before the Raiders get to choose their guy.
With the fourth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders will select Quinnen Williams, a defensive tackle from Alabama.
This selection is just too good to pass up. Time will show that Williams can be the best player in this draft, hands down. He can singlehandedly wreck offenses at the next level
and he will remind older Raider fans of Darrell Russell.
With the 24th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders will select Byron Murphy, a cornerback from Washington.
Prior to the 24th pick, more than one team will have done something unexpected that busts up everybody’s mock drafts and projections. But when a team gets only 13 sacks and 14 interceptions, you still have to focus on defense, even if an enticing offensive player remains available. There is a good chance Byron Murphy will still be there when the Raiders are on the clock, and Oakland will pull the trigger.
With the 27th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders will select Montez Sweat, a defensive end from Mississippi State.
The Raiders have Arden Key at right defensive end and Quinnen Williams lined up next to Maurice Hurst or P.J. Hall. The Raiders would love to bring pressure from the other side of the line and would rather do so from the edge, blitzing from the outside linebacker position.
