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The Las Vegas Raiders are playing a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Some people think it’s better for the Raiders to lose this game. Why? Because if they lose, they might get a better chance to pick a really good player in the draft next year, like a quarterback who could help them win more games in the future.
According to Vincent Bonsignore, a win could drop their draft pick position.
If the @Raiders win today, they'll fall to the No. 6 pick.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) December 22, 2024
Would the Raiders risk winning a game that doesn’t matter much and miss out on drafting top players like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward? They managed to score 13 points without letting the Jaguars score in the second quarter, leading at halftime. A loss would mean falling from the No. 1 draft spot to No. 6, which is a big deal!
It seems like tanking—or losing on purpose—isn’t something the Raiders want to discuss. And you can kinda see why. Antonio Pierce, their coach, is trying hard to keep his job for next season. He was chosen by the players after last season, but this year hasn’t been great.
While Pierce probably wants to stay as coach, he needs to win some games to convince the team bosses he’s the right choice. But winning now might mean missing out on a star quarterback.
Sure, Sanders or Ward might not be guaranteed stars—they could flop. Even if they lose their top pick, they could still fill other team needs in the draft or look for free agents.
Raiders should probably tank the rest of the way—their future depends on it.
Yes, Las Vegas could use the No. 6 pick to strengthen their offensive line or defense. But if they’re set on getting a quarterback, they just can’t beat the Jaguars.
Winning would force them to rethink their draft strategy—unless they decide not to gamble on a rookie quarterback. Then again, trading back could also be a smart move.
This is a tough spot for Las Vegas. Tanking is frowned upon and doesn’t look good. Yet, their main problem has been finding a solid quarterback. Winning an unimportant game would only make things worse.
If this were a division game, wanting to win for pride would make sense. But against another struggling team like them? Why help the Jaguars by giving them a better draft pick?
