Raiders Rumors: Josh McDaniels Rejected Dave Ziegler’s Request To Trade Up For C.J. Stroud.

The hiring of a new general manager and head coach is one of the biggest decisions the Las Vegas Raiders will face in the offseason.

Earlier in the 2023 season, the Raiders decided to fire Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler because they were not able to secure many victories. In an attempt to replicate “The Patriot Way” in Las Vegas, Ziegler and McDaniels were brought in, but the endeavor failed.

Both Ziegler and McDaniels made a number of mistakes during their tenure, but the quarterback position was probably the most serious one. In order to replace Derek Carr, the two decided to sign Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency, but the veteran was benched soon after they were fired.

According to Hondo Carpenter of Sports Illustrated, Ziegler’s initial plan was to trade up for C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft, but McDaniels allegedly blocked it:

Carpenter stated, “McDaniels had already surpassed Ziegler at the quarterback position going into the draft.” “Ziegler believed Garoppolo wasn’t the quarterback the team needed to lead them into the future and had no faith in his ability to stay healthy.

Dave believed that Kelly adored him and that he was a generational talent. Z had done his homework, according to a source. He was aware of the price to climb to the top, even to number two.

He was willing to do almost anything that did not involve Maxx Crosby because he thought the cost was low. Josh and he both felt that No. 1 was too expensive, but Z was keen to move up to No. 2 and claim Stroud. It was a deal he could have made. Additionally, he was aware that Stroud would let McDaniels demonstrate to the proprietor and supporters that a persona would be formed.

Although Josh was prepared to move up for Bryce Young, the Raiders had long since passed away and Bryce went No. 1.

This season, the debate between Bryce Young and Stroud was settled early on because it was Stroud who, in his rookie season, elevated the Houston Texans to the status of a genuine playoff contender. Fans will undoubtedly be hurt by this report because there’s no denying that the Raiders would be in a much better position if they had actually made a deal to sign Stroud.

There are still a few games left in the regular season, so Las Vegas can’t mope around too much. Although Aidan O’Connell has displayed moments, the team will undoubtedly need to upgrade at quarterback in the offseason.

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