Las Vegas Raiders fans have plenty to cheer about after Thursday night.
On Thursday Night Football, the Cleveland Browns put together a last-minute touchdown drive to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19, despite facing a severe snowstorm. The victory pushes the Browns to 3-8 on the season.
While the clash between AFC North rivals would not matter much to the Raiders under normal circumstances, it means much more at this juncture of the season, especially with where the Silver and Black currently stand.
With their victory, the Browns have bumped themselves over the Raiders in the draft order. If the season were to end today, the Raiders would now hold the fourth overall pick in the 2025 draft.
This is a significant development for the Raiders, as it puts them in a better position to secure a top quarterback prospect such as Miami’s Cameron Ward, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, or Alabama’s Jalen Milroe with their first-round selection. It also puts a quarterback-needy team in the Browns behind them, meaning that the only scenario in which the Raiders do not land a quarterback is a team trading up in the order.
Looking at the three teams in front of the Raiders, they also have a number of questions. The Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold the top overall pick right now, will certainly not be drafting a quarterback this upcoming April, as they signed Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million extension in June.
The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants have their questions at quarterback, however. Similar to the Raiders, the Titans have struggled to make their quarterback room of Will Levis and Mason Rudolph work in their favor, and first-year head coach Brian Callahan might prefer an option that he can develop himself. Meanwhile, the Giants released Daniel Jones on Friday, all but confirming that they will be going into 2025 with a new quarterback.
While it is perfectly fine to look at current draft scenarios, it is important to understand that the order is still in a state of flux. Any victory from the Raiders or any of the teams around them will have significant implications on the draft board. While some front offices are already looking towards 2025, teams will still play hard to establish some form of job security and ensure their spot in the lineup for next season, so do not expect to see an outright tank.
As understandable as it is for the Raiders to be frustrated by their season, the silver lining just got a little bit brighter.
