The Oakland Raiders quarterback rotation is down to three, but could easily move back up to four by the time the NFL Draft rolls around. The Raiders are doing everything they can to find consistency at the quarterback position and are once again using the offseason to try and build for the future. So after trading for Matt Schaub at the start of free agency, another player has been released before a rookie joins the mix.
The Terrelle Pryor Era is officially over in Oakland. After Al Davis took a risk to acquire the fallen Ohio State star in the supplemental draft, general manager Reggie McKenzie has moved on from the quarterback. The Raiders have officially traded Pryor to the Seattle Seahawks for a seventh round draft pick just hours before releasing the quarterback. Pryor started for half of the season last year and is considered one of the young quarterbacks with the most potential.
Pryor's trade has been months in the making. McKenzie hinted at the idea back in the NFL Annual Meetings and finally got a deal done. With Pryor gone, Matt Schaub will remain the uncontested starter and Matt McGloin will fill in as the backup. However, just because Schaub is the starter, McKenzie is gearing up to draft a quarterback at some point in this year's draft.
The Raiders are looking less and less likely to take a quarterback in the first round. The team does not draft high enough to land Johnny Manziel and likely not high enough to land Blake Bortles. That leaves a late-round option as the best pick for Oakland. McKenzie has taken interest in Aaron Murray, AJ McCarron and Zach Mettenberger. He has seen all three quarterbacks at their Pro Day and view them as the type of quarterback that can learn under Schaub and develop for the future.
McGloin's future remains unknown at this point. Despite finishing the year as the starting quarterback, he will start 2014 as the backup. It is unclear if the Raiders see him as an option for the future since they are also eyeing a rookie for the rotation. The Raiders could easily allow two quarterbacks to develop in 2014 and then use one for a trade piece next offseason. That might be McGloin's best option.