Blockbuster Trade Offers That The Raiders Would Actually Have to Consider for No. 1 Pick

Most NFL executives expect the Las Vegas Raiders to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, which is exactly what should happen, but you can never say never in this league.

What if the Raiders chose to create chaos and pivot from their presumed plan?

Obviously, a team would have to offer a massive haul to get a deal done.

In March 2023, the Carolina Panthers traded wide receiver DJ Moore, two first-rounders and two second-rounders to the Chicago Bears to move up from the No. 9 spot for the top pick in 2023.

Using the framework of that blockbuster trade, here are five packages the Raiders could consider if they were willing to give up the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

We're presenting these blockbuster moves with the idea that Las Vegas will either trade or release quarterback Geno Smith.

Arizona Cardinals 

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals Get: 2026 No. 1 overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders Get: QB Kyler Murray, OLB Baron Browning, 2026 first-round pick (No. 3 overall), 2027 first-round pick

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Arizona Cardinals are "likely" to move on from quarterback Kyler Murray. ESPN's Josh Weinfuss believes the Cardinals want at least a third-round pick for the two-time Pro Bowl signal-caller.

If Murray is available for a Day 2 pick, the Raiders can acquire him and push for premium assets in a package deal for fair compensation in terms of trade value. Like the Chicago Bears in 2023, Las Vegas should be able to get two first-rounders and a player in a draft-altering deal. 

The Raiders would take on Murray's salary, which carries a $52.7 million cap number this year but has no guaranteed money following the 2026 term, allowing the team to move on if he's not a fit in head coach Klint Kubiak's offense.

Even if the trial run with Murray goes sour, Las Vegas can still take a quarterback early in the 2027 draft. 

Baron Browning's experience at inside and outside linebacker would give the Raiders flexibility on how to deploy him. In five seasons, he's recorded 162 tackles, 23 for loss, 45 pressures, 13.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and two interceptions. He'll be motivated to play his best ball in a contract year.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens Get: 2026 No. 1 overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders Get: QB Lamar Jackson, LB Trenton Simpson, 2026 second-round pick (No. 45 overall)

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that executives around the league believe there's a chance the Raiders trade the No. 1 overall pick if they can land a premier quarterback in return, though it seems improbable.

"A few voters weighed the alternative, if trading the first pick could land a big fish such as Burrow or Baltimore's Lamar Jackson," Fowler wrote. "But such deals are considered unlikely at best."

In December, the Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston wrote a column that highlighted why the Ravens and Jackson were at a crossroads at the end of the 2025 season. Since then, Baltimore has fired head coach John Harbaugh and replaced him with Jesse Minter, and owner Steve Bisciotti has come out in favor of Jackson as the team's franchise quarterback.

The Ravens are unlikely to part ways with Jackson, though it's not guaranteed that he buys into a first-time head coach, first-time offensive coordinator and a new coaching staff.

If Jackson wants out, Baltimore would have to look for the best offer for him, and that's where the Raiders could enter trade discussions with the No. 1 pick.

Jackson is a two-time league MVP in his prime. So, Las Vegas wouldn't receive two first-rounders in this scenario, but it could push for a Day 2 pick and a rotational defensive player if the Ravens' star signal-caller is disgruntled in his current situation.

The Raiders need youth at linebacker. Last season, Trenton Simpson, a 2023 third-rounder, played fewer defensive snaps than Teddye Buchanan, a 2025 fourth-rounder. He could reach his peak potential as a full-time starter in the middle of Las Vegas' defense.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals Get: 2026 No. 1 overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders Get: QB Joe Burrow, Edge Myles Murphy, 2026 second-round pick (No. 41 overall)

As Jeremy Fowler mentioned, via league executives, like Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow may garner the Raiders' attention in a potential trade. Based on accolades, he's less accomplished than Lamar Jackson, but the 29-year-old led the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl in his second season.

On the flip side, Burrow, a two-time Comeback Player of the Year, has an extensive injury history. He's missed at least six games in three of his six campaigns. Consequently, the Raiders should be wary of the wear and tear on his body and command a second-round pick to strengthen his supporting cast.

Also, keep in mind that Burrow's injuries have taken a mental toll on him. He may not play into his late 30s. So, it would be important for the Raiders to get the best out of the six-year pro right away.

Defensively, Myles Murphy can be a starter on the edge. He made strides in the previous season, registering 52 tackles, six for loss, 5.5 sacks and 17 pressures while on the field for 63 percent of the defensive snaps. The Raiders may see him as a valuable addition to this package with some uncertainty around Maxx Crosby's future in Las Vegas.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans Get: 2026 No. 1 overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders Get: QB C.J. Stroud, LB Henry To'oTo'o, 2026 second-round pick (No. 38 overall), 2027 second-round pick

The Houston Texans may be headed for an uncomfortable situation with C.J. Stroud in extension talks. 

On the one hand, Houston has made the playoffs in all three seasons with Stroud under center, but he's been inconsistent over the last two terms and has thrown for three touchdowns and six interceptions in his last five playoff outings.

Stroud is still in the early stages of his career and has earned time to prove himself in postseason action, but the MMQB's Albert Breer posed fair questions about upcoming contract negotiations that could spark trade speculation.

"If Stroud's contract negotiations get sticky, or the Texans prefer to punt them to next year—while rewarding Anderson—will there be friction? Could that impact the Texans' offseason? Might someone swoop in to see if they could pry the wildly talented 24-year-old away?"

Houston isn't in a rush to sign Stroud to an extension, though he's eligible for one this offseason. If the Texans see more upside in Mendoza, they could be open for business, shifting the assessment of the quarterback's new deal over to Las Vegas. 

The Raiders may be willing to take on that responsibility. They would have a short window of time to spend big on assets with a quarterback on a rookie deal, but the team could win now and build around Stroud for the future with their cap space and draft capital. 

Las Vegas could add a building block to its depleted linebacker corps, too. Henry To'oTo'o has routinely made plays behind the line of scrimmage in a full-time starting role. He's logged 16 tackles for loss and four sacks over the last two years. 

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams Get: 2026 No. 1 overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders Get: QB Matthew Stafford, DE Braden Fiske, 2026 first-round pick (No. 13 overall), 2027 first-round pick 

The Raiders and Rams can pull off a trade for the ages, swapping the 2025 league MVP and the No. 1 overall pick in a package deal.

In the 2021 offseason, the Detroit Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, and he led them to a Super Bowl victory in the following season. The Rams have made the playoffs in the last three campaigns.

That said, at 38, Stafford doesn't have a lot of time left in his career. If offered an opportunity to build toward the future with a rookie quarterback, the Rams could make a move.

Remember, the Raiders courted Stafford last offseason, but he chose to re-sign with the Rams. A year older, the Super Bowl-winning signal-caller may be less appealing to a rebuilding squad, but the Silver and Black may be able to get a couple of first-rounders because of his age. He's probably a one- or two-year rental, which lowers his trade value.

Nonetheless, the Raiders can bring in a quarterback who gives them a chance to win now in a conference of elite signal-callers and use the first-rounders as part of their succession plan at the position. 

Braden Fiske isn't just a random add-on asset. In two seasons, he's recorded 74 tackles, 14 for loss, 11.5 sacks and 40 pressures. 

However, the Rams may find it challenging to sign him to an extension within the next couple of years with Byron Young and Kobie Turner eligible for new deals this offseason, and two-time Pro Bowler Jared Verse on track for one in the next couple of years.

Team salary cap and player contract details are provided by Over the Cap.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.