Instead of Donovan McNabb, Raiders Should Use 39th Pick for Jared Gaither

There is a lot of noise going around that the Oakland Raiders might use their 39th overall pick to acquire Donovan McNabb. While this might excite a lot of Raider fans, it doesn't solve the Raiders' No. 1 problem.

The Raiders are not a 33-year-old quarterback away from winning a title, but they are a solid offensive line away from competing for one. Jared Gaither is only 24 years old, and was the starting left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, Hue Jackson's old team.

The New York Jets last year almost made the Super Bowl despite the fact that Mark Sanchez had JaMarcus Russell-like numbers. He finished with 12 TDs, 20 INTs, a 53.3 completion percentage, and a 63 passer rating.

The Jets took advantage of a solid offensive line, a great running game, and dominating both lines of scrimmage. Their defense was also solid because they weren't on the field too long, so they were fresh every game.

The Raiders have the ability to duplicate the Jets' success next year. They have two young, strong runners in Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.

They have young quarterbacks in JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski. With a solid offensive line, these guys can put up decent numbers.

They don't have to win every game with their arms, but they just can't lose games with their arms. They must become a game manager and be average at least.

If the Raiders can trade the 39th overall pick and acquire Gaither that would fill a big hole. Then they have some flexibility with the No. 8 overall pick.

They could try and make a move and trade up to draft Ndamukong Suh, or draft Mike Iupati with the eighth pick to solidify the offensive line.

Not only would this give life to the offense, but it would also allow the defense to rest. The Raiders' defense has too much talent to not be a solid unit, but they spend far too much time on the field and too much time playing from behind.
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders