The Las Vegas Raiders are taking a few plays from the Seattle Seahawks’ playbook after hiring Pete Carroll as their head coach and trading for quarterback Geno Smith.
Unfortunately, Las Vegas’ front office couldn’t complete the ‘Seattle trifecta’ by adding a Seahawks wide receiver to pair with Smith, as DK Metcalf was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. There, he’ll team up with WR George Pickens and whoever is under center for them next season.
However, missing out on the ironic addition of Metcalf shouldn’t deter the Raiders from recognizing their glaring need for a No. 1 wideout for Smith.
An ambitious yet ideal move would be to trade for a five-time All-Pro receiver on the night of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Raiders Predicted To Land Tyreek Hill in Blockbuster Draft Day Move
There are a million reasons why WR Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins could part ways, but the more important question to consider is: why the Raiders?
It’s clear that Las Vegas would be interested in the superstar Super Bowl champion due to their frustration with finishing at the bottom of the AFC West. While a trio of Smith, Hill, and Carroll isn’t likely to bring the Raiders a championship, adding the 31-year-old could significantly boost both team popularity and win totals each season.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton predicts the Raiders to send the No. 68 pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and WR Tre Tucker to the Dolphins on draft night for Hill, the No. 151 pick, and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
“The Las Vegas Raiders already made a bold move for quarterback Geno Smith. Why stop there with a need at wide receiver? The Raiders can bring in Hill as an upgrade over Tucker to field a more explosive offense with Smith’s ability to sling the ball accurately downfield. Because head coach Mike McDaniel emphasizes offensive speed, he may want Tucker in a deal,” Moton wrote.
With the exception of emerging tight end Brock Bowers, Smith has few reliable weapons to throw to next season. This is apparent by PFSN’s Offense+ metric slotting the Raiders’ unit at No. 29 last season. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II split the time as Las Vegas’ signal-caller in 2024, yet neither was able to slot above No. 20 in PFSN’s QB+ data.
While Hill is quite a different deep threat than Smith is used to throwing to, he’s used to having a player with the ability to take the top off of defenses with Metcalf. Bringing another level of familiarity to the offense in Las Vegas could help him succeed and keep pace or even improve from his No. 15 placement by PFSN in 2024.