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Raiders Trade For Schaub; Former Texan On Board To Start In Oakland
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said this week he had a "really good idea" who his quarterback would be next season, and now we know what he meant. According to multiple reports, Oakland will acquire Matt Schaub in a trade with the Texans.

For fantasy football owners with high hopes for guys like newly-acquired receiver James Jones, Rod Streater, Denarius Moore and Andre Holmes, the news could be worse. The Raiders could have tried to roll through the season with holdovers Terrelle Pryor, Matt McGloin and/or a quarterback selected early in this year's draft.

Instead they'll go with a previously productive player coming off a lousy season.

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting the Raiders will send a late-round pick to Houston as their side of the deal. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that Schaub is flying to Oakland for a physical Friday morning, and then the deal is expected to be finalized.

As NFL.com suggests, Oakland still could draft a quarterback with the No. 5 overall selection, but there won't be as big a rush to play the rookie with Schaub on board.

Schaub's arrival should have no impact on Oakland's decision with the pick, but this move is a little different than Houston signing Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jacksonville bringing back Chad Henne. Both of those QBs are being paid like high-level backups. Schaub, assuming he doesn't adjust his salary too much, is getting paid like a clear starter -- at least under the terms of his current deal.

Unless he agrees to rework it, Schaub's contract calls for $10 million base salary in 2014.

Why Schaub?

According to NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, McKenzie traded for Schaub because he badly wanted him. Both Rapoport and NFL.com columnist Michael Silver have reported that Oakland was targeting Schaub for weeks. The Cleveland Browns and New York Jets also had interest. The Raiders made sure that Schaub didn't have a choice of where he would go.

And Michael Vick notwithstanding, it's hard to argue in favor of some of the other free-agent talent available at the position. Mark Sanchez (who's likely to be released by the Jets early next week) and Josh Freeman had been mentioned as other possible options.

So Schaub makes some sense.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Schaub has eclipsed 4,000 passing yards three times in his career. The 32-year-old spent the past seven seasons as the Texans' starting quarterback.

After leading the Texans to back-to-back AFC South Division titles in 2011 and 2012, Schaub struggled early last season before being benched in favor of rookie Case Keenum in October. The 10-year veteran regained the starting job in late December but could not help the Texans avoid finishing the season with a 14-game losing streak, the longest skid in franchise history.

Bottom line? As Rosenthal summed up, "Schaub is no longer a Pro Bowl pick, but he's a veteran with a chance to be, say, the 20th best starting quarterback in the league. For the Raiders, that would qualify as a big improvement. McKenzie is selling out this offseason in a quest to win seven games."

I'll buy that.