Oakland Raiders: Reggie Continues To Move In Some Mysterious Ways

Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has had an interesting draft and one that has confounded many a talking head – it’s a trend that continued into Day Three.

Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie ventured into almost uncharted territory for him – he actually traded up in the draft. With the Cleveland Browns holding the first two picks of the NFL Draft’s fourth round, multiple teams reportedly tried trading up to get the first pick of the day. But it was McKenzie who cut the deal to move up in the round – a deal that netted him Michigan State standout quarterback Connor Cook.

It was a pick that has left a lot of people scratching their heads, but after giving it some thought, it’s a pick that makes a lot of sense on multiple levels.

McKenzie didn’t give up a whole lot to move up fourteen spots, from the 114^th pick up to 100 – a fifth round pick (154 overall), so he didn’t exactly break the bank to move up in the round. It’s surprising given that McKenzie is about as willing to part with draft picks as Donald Trump is to part with his spray tan, but it’s not a move up the board that’s going to break the bank or be that much of a difference maker.

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In Cook, they’re getting one of Michigan State’s winningest quarterbacks. Over his tenure as a Spartan, Cook compiled a 34-5 record as a starter – including a 21-2 mark in Big 10 games – and set school records for passing yardage (9,194 yards), touchdown passes (71), and total offense (9,403 yards).

Despite coming from a pro-style offense with a game that seemed perfectly suited for the NFL, Cook saw his stock plummet – dropping from a potential first round pick all the way to Day Three – when questions of his leadership and the belief of some that he was a divisive locker room presence surfaced. One can only hope that if those reports were true and accurate, watching himself plummet all the way down to the fourth round served as a lesson in humility.

But some ask, with Derek Carr firmly entrenched as the starter and Matt McGloin as the backup, why on Earth would McKenzie pick up a young quarterback? The answer to that is simple – insurance. How many teams have we seen struggle and ultimately flame out if the starter is injured? Plenty. And how many teams have we seen who rise from the ashes on the arm of a capable backup? Also, plenty.

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Unfortunately, it also might mean that McGloin – the scrappy UDFA from Penn State who is a favorite with many fans – might see his days in Silver and Black coming to an end. The team could carry three quarterbacks on the roster, but if Cook performs well through camp and the pre-season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see McKenzie dangling McGloin out there as trade bait.

Bear in mind that McGloin was only given a second round tender this offseason, so he’s on a one year deal, regardless. Cook is a younger, cheaper alternative and the business side of the NFL being what it is, that makes a difference.

There are still plenty of teams out there who need quarterback help and McGloin has experience as a starter, has proven himself capable of being able to lead an NFL offense, and has shown that he is a solid team first and locker room guy.

Of course, McGloin might ultimately welcome a trade to a place where he can actually compete for snaps, so there is that.

Outside of Carson Wentz and Jared Goff, Cook was considered the most NFL ready quarterback in the draft. It was the concerns about his character that precipitated his free fall down the draft board. If he can make those issues a non-factor, Cook could serve as a very capable backup to Carr.

And you have to believe that somewhere, Al Davis is smiling. The selection of Cook at the top of the fourth round carried with it, the small – but sweet – taste of revenge. For it was Jerry Jones, if you recall, who led the charge to keep the Raiders out of LA. In trading up to pick number 100 and taking Cook, the Raiders kept Jones and the Cowboys from doing so at number 101, since it’s been suggested that Jones was high on taking Cook to serve as Romo’s backup and heir apparent.

Next: Despite the Critics, McKenzie Made the Right Pick

It was a move that surprised and was certainly unusual, but that seems to be par for the course with McKenzie, Del Rio, and the Raiders in this year’s draft. It’s also a move that could wind up paying decent dividends down the line.