Mailbag: Will Michael Penix Jr. be available at pick 13 in the NFL Draft?

Returning your questions for the week

With the calendar turning to April on Monday, we are officially in NFL Draft month! For the Las Vegas Raiders, that means quarterback talk is heating up as this week’s mailbag features a lot of questions about Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

Q: Do you think Penix will be available at 13? If he is, will the Raiders take him?

A: According to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, the Atlanta Falcons are sending a “sizeable group” to Seattle to hold a private workout with Penix. The Falcons hold the eighth pick of the draft and could use a long-term quarterback. However, I’d be surprised if they took Penix after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract that doesn’t have a financially responsible out until year three.

That being said, Penix does seem to be gaining steam lately and an early run on quarterbacks could help his stock. Also, the Denver Broncos (12th pick) hosted him on a Top 30 visit this week, so there’s a chance he never makes it to 13 and the Raiders might have to trade with the Chicago Bears (ninth) or New York Jets (10th) to leapfrog Denver.

If Penix does make it to 13, I think there’s a pretty good chance he’ll be wearing silver and black next season.

Q: Matt, I’m really liking the idea of trading down and picking up Penix. My question is, how far down do you think they can go and still assure themselves picking him up and what kind of compensation do you think they can get?

A: A week or two ago, I would have said the 20s. But, as mentioned above, the tides have shifted and he’s gaining momentum, so I no longer think that’s the case.

If Penix falls to 13 and the Raiders try to trade back instead of taking him there, then they’ll have to worry about the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams wanting to get their quarterback in waiting. In other words, I think we have to move on from this scenario.

A: Medicals are a big part of why Penix isn’t in that category as four season-ending injuries can’t be ignored. His age becomes a factor too as younger players will always be seen as having a higher ceiling than older ones.

On the field, the former Husky does have a big arm, but his accuracy, touch and feel for pressure are questionable. If you’re looking for a full rundown of Penix’s game and why he’s ranked lower, below is a snippet of Derrik Klassen from Bleacher Report’s scouting report on Penix. Klassen is lower on him than I am and most other people, so that can give you an idea of why others aren’t so sold on him.

For teams that want to chuck it down the field with a heavy dose of play action, Penix is an interesting dice roll. His live arm, aggressiveness and moments of progression passing give him a shot to stick in the NFL. With that said, Penix’s lack of touch, shaky pocket management and minimal ability to create plays will limit his ceiling in the pros.

A: It could be smoke but, from Tom Telesco’s and Antonio Pierce’s perspective, it’s a matter of how much risk are you willing to take at the most important position on the field. They can try and call other teams’ bluff, but if those clubs aren’t bluffing, then the Raiders are going to be left empty-handed or with very few chips left on the table.

The draft can be a matter of assessing risk and at the end of the day, if a team gets a good player, where or how they got them matters very little in the big picture.

Also, J.J. McCarthy weighed in at 219 pounds during the combine and I do think the NFL is higher on him than people who are just looking at his stat sheet.

A: Terrion Arnold, Taliese Fuaga, J.C. Latham, Olumuyiwa Fashanu and trade back. After trading back, I’d say Nate Wiggins or Amarius Mims.

A: When I asked my colleague Kyle DeDiminicantanio of Bolts from the Blue about this, he said Telesco has never traded back but has traded up four times. There’s a first time for everything but the GM’s track record suggests it won’t happen. So, it would probably take an offer that nets the Raiders an extra first-round pick or a couple of Day 2 selections.

A: A lot can change between now and next year, but with how things currently stand, I think it’s important that the Raiders take advantage of this quarterback class since it’s considered a deep one. The 2025 QBs haven’t looked great so far, meaning the Raiders could be looking at a 2022 situation where Kenny Pickett was the only first-round pick at the position.

Again, a lot can change. For example, Jayden Daniels wasn’t considered a first-round pick, let alone a top-three selection, at this time a year ago and a similar statement could be made about Penix.

But it is a bit of a ‘bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ situation where if they pass this year and hope guys like Carson Beck, Shedur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, etc. show improvement next fall, they could be forced to reach for someone next spring if those QBs don’t. Meanwhile, it will sting even more if this year’s class does live up to the hype.

Q: What do you think about bringing in Adoree’ Jackson?

A: I know I’ve talked a lot about how Las Vegas could use a veteran corner, but I’d pass on Jackson. He’s never been much more than a solid to good player and has a long injury history to the point where he hasn’t played in a full regular season since 2018, his second year in the league.

If the front office wants to bring him in on something like a veteran minimum contract where he isn’t guaranteed a roster spot, then it gets in the “sure, why not?” category. But I’m not going ot be pounding the table for the Raiders to sign an aging player who struggles to stay healthy.

Q: In honor of WrestleMania 40 this weekend, which current Raiders and coaches would make good pro wrestling characters? Who’s the babyfaces & who’s the heels? If any are worthy of being a manager, then call it out.

A: The easy answer here is last year’s undrafted free agent signing Dalton Wagner since he had an NIL deal with the WWE. Also, Wagner has the look of a wrestling star at 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds with long hair, giving some Undertaker-type vibes. Maxx Crosby has the look too with all of the tattoos, and Thayer Munford Jr. is another massive dude who I could see in the WWE ring. Christian Wilkins’ big, outgoing personality could be a good fit too. And they’d all be heels, they’re Raiders.

That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to SBPQuestions1@gmail.com or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays.