Silver Minings: Will teams trying to trade down affect Raiders in first round?

The NFL draft starts in 10 hours – thank goodness – and the rumors are hot going down to the final stretch.

There are two big current trade rumors involving teams drafting in the top 10 that could keep the Raiders’ attention.

The NFL Network reports that the Carolina Panthers are interested in trading down from No. 7. Meanwhile, ProFootballTalk relays information that the Arizona Cardinals are open to parting ways with the No. 8 pick.

That would mean back-to-back trades that can pivot the draft — and help or hurt the Raiders, who pick at No. 12, in several ways.

If the Raiders want to trade up themselves, they can approach either the Panthers or the Cardinals. A likely reason why the Raiders might want to trade up would be for either Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah or Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

The Raiders could see a team try to move up past them to trade for one of the top receivers., as they should be in the market for a receiver at No. 12. One team that has been rumored to want to move up is Denver, which picks at No. 15.

Conversely, the Raiders could be happy to see Arizona trade down. There has been a lot of recent mock drafts that have the Cardinals reuniting second-year quarterback Kyler Murray with Oklahoma teammate CeeDee Lamb. He could be a target of the Raiders at No. 12.

There have been heavy rumors that many teams will want to trade up for tackles and quarterbacks. Perhaps those teams will strike deals with the Panthers and the Cardinals. In that case, it should ensure the Raiders have their choice of their top players on their board.

In other Raiders’ news links:

• 10-year anniversary of the Raiders trading the Gronk pick: The Associated Press reminds us that the Raiders sent the No. 42 pick to New England in 2010. The Patriots took Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski with the pick. Yikes.
• Where does Mike Mayock stand in GM rankings? The NFL Network gives high praise to Mayock as they break down the NFL general managers.
• Raiders new headquarters gets prettier: The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that all three practice fields at the Raiders’ new Henderson, Nevada, practice facility have been installed.
• Raiders’ best and worst No.1 picks: The Associated Press ranks Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw as the Raiders’ best first-round pick. You can guess who the worst one was.
• Interesting mock: ProFootballTalk has the Raiders getting cornerback C.J. Henderson at No. 12 and receiver Henry Ruggs III at No. 19. That would be an interesting haul. I think it is possible, too.