The Oakland Raiders traded a sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for  Matt Schaub, and just like that, the silver and black have a quarterback for the 2014 season.  There are many upsides to this deal, but most importantly it gives the Raiders options when it comes to the draft.

Before the deal was made, Oakland had Terrelle Pryor, Matt McGloin, and Trent Edwards on their roster; needless to say they were in need of a proven quarterback.  

Say what you will about Schaub, but he provides the Raiders with winning experience and a pretty good resume.  Last season was undoubtedly Schaub’s worst.  In 10 games he threw for 2,310 yards and 10 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.  Despite last year’s stats, he’s a veteran quarterback who has experienced success and can mentor a young quarterback for the future.

Schaub also restructured his contract, which hints that he may be the quarterback for the Raiders for more than just a year or two.

General manager Reggie McKenzie had said he wanted to bring in a veteran quarterback while also drafting one.  Now that Oakland has an experienced quarterback they won’t be pressured to take one early in this year’s draft.

They can use the fifth pick to draft some stellar talent rather than focus on a need.  The quarterback class this year has many big names with endless potential, and the Raiders will be able to get one in the later rounds.  Now that Oakland isn’t forced to draft a passer who can start right away, they’ll be able to develop a quarterback under Schaub.

The silver and black have reportedly shown a lot of interest in Derek Carr from Fresno State, and he is expected to be available past the first round.  Carr is a Bay Area kid who the Raiders would love to see don the silver and black for years to come.

Now that the Raiders won’t be forced to take a quarterback with the fifth overall pick, they can set their sights on guys like wide receiver Sammy Watkins or linebacker Khalil Mack.  Oakland could use an up and coming receiver for the future, and Watkins could be a nice pick for the Raiders.

This offseason has been a big one for this franchise and this draft will greatly impact the years to come.  In the end the ability to draft based purely on talent rather than necessity will benefit Oakland, and that’s possible due to the Schaub trade.