NFL Rumors: Oakland Raiders, First-Round Quarterback An Unlikely Fit Despite Murray, Haskins Meetings

Kyler Murray Oklahoma Football — Kyler Murray attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIII Radio Row on January 31, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM

The Oakland Raiders have done their due diligence regarding quarterbacks in the 2019 NFL Draft, meeting with both Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins. With the No.4 overall selection and two other first-round picks, there’s been speculation that the team could take one of the signal callers with their first selection or even trade up to grab last season’s Heisman Trophy winner.

However, a new report suggests that the rumors indicating Oakland might replace Derek Carr with someone in this year’s draft class don’t reflect the organization’s actual plan.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Michael Gehlken is reporting that the Raiders are not expected to take a quarterback in the first round. Oakland might instead draft three offensive players as the team looks to build around Carr and newly acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown.

Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is projected by some to go to Oakland at No.4.

Raiders expected to pass on quarterback in first round. Indications remain they’ll continue building around Derek Carr, adding as many as three offensive starters throughout draft. https://t.co/CatejOQBd9
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 15, 2019

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden have publicly supported Carr. Despite a couple of consecutive poor seasons, Oakland appears to be moving forward with the quarterback, at least for one more year.

“Derek Carr is a franchise quarterback. I do believe that,” Mayock told reporters at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting a few weeks ago. “We had Drew Lock at the Senior Bowl. He's a potential first-round pick and we got to work with him for a week. We did our due diligence. We're going to see Kyler Murray and we're going to see Haskins (in private workouts). We believe they're high-level quarterbacks, and that's due diligence. You'd better know how good these guys are. You'd better know what other teams are interested in, and whether or not you can improve your own position. That's part of what a head coach and GM do, to evaluate every position on your football team.”

Oakland earned the No.4 pick by finishing last in the AFC West with a 4-12 record. They received the No.24 and No.27 picks by trading Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears and Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season when they reached the Super Bowl.