Reggie McKenzie has made seven draft-day trades since becoming Raiders general manager in 2012.
Not once, under any circumstance, has McKenzie traded up.
He doesn’t like discussing draft strategy – even at NFL-mandated press conferences -- but actions speak through a megaphone here. McKenzie prefers hoarding picks.
That was essential in recent years, given how many roster holes were present and how many draft picks were traded away before McKenzie arrived.
The Raiders needed volume back then, as McKenzie worked to build a new, young foundation. He missed on several, hit on quite a few in his large set.
[BAIR: First-round mock draft: Raiders fortify defensive backfield]
Trading up means sacrificing opportunity, and that’s something McKenzie rarely deems worthy. Now that the roster is in better shape and the Raiders could be contenders once again, trading up for one perfect fit seems more realistic than in years past.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott or linebacker Myles Jack might be tempting.
Still doesn’t mean McKenzie will pull the trigger. Odds are great he won’t.
“You always would like to get a special player if the opportunity arises, however, whether it’s the first or seventh round,” McKenzie said. “If we feel like we really like the guy, you’d like to have him.”
Would the Raiders give up something to trade up (even slightly) and ensure services of defensive backs Jalen Ramsey or versatile linebacker Myles Jack or cornerback Vernon Hargreaves?
Trading up in the first round is particularly costly, and that’s an act difficult to see happening on Thursday evening after the NFL Draft begins. Some transcendent talents are available, but McKenzie always has an eye on the bigger picture and his quest to eventually build almost exclusively through the draft.
[RELATED: Del Rio, McKenzie value 'collaborative effort' on Raiders draft]
Trading down, however, remains a real possibility throughout this draft.
The Raiders stick to their valuations, and would rather trade down than reach for someone at a particular spot.
They have a draft cluster of prospects worthy of the No. 14 overall pick. If top options aren’t available, the Raiders will be open to trading back. If the compensation is too good to pass up, they’ll bail.
They could trade down and still hope to get a player like Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, plus extra picks. The risk of drafting someone with off-field issues but immense talent could be mitigated by additional selections.
The Raiders have reaped benefits from trading down, snagging Gabe Jackson, Latavius Murray and Mychal Rivera plus extra picks on trades down the draft board.
McKenzie has traded once within the first round, ditching the No. 3 overall selection to take cornerback DJ Hayden at No. 12 and offensive lineman Menelik Watson at No. 42.
Those selections haven’t worked out well, but McKenzie would certainly try again in the first round.
There was a high probability the Raiders would’ve traded down in 2014. They wanted Khalil Mack pretty bad, but wanted to trade out if he was off the board. Mack was available at No. 5 that year, and the Raiders were thrilled to land him there.
They also wanted a quarterback, and were surprised that Derek Carr remained available to start the second round. The Raiders selected fourth in that round, and held tight and got their man. Minnesota and Cleveland traded up into the late first round to take a quarterback. The Raiders resisted a move up, and ended up with their quarterback of the future.
“We like our quarterback. Teams are different with their philosophy and what they want to do to get that guy,” McKenzie said. “It’d still be hard for me to give up a lot of picks. Draft picks are invaluable, just invaluable.”
