Getty New York Jets DL Leonard Williams.
The trade deadline is almost here and rumors of potential moves have been coming in hot. The latest comes from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who says that the New York Jets could be looking to move defensive lineman Leonard Williams. The former sixth overall pick in 2015 is in a contract year, so New York is probably looking to get something for him before he leaves town.
A few trade deadline notes:
*Some around league expect Leonard Williams to be next big name to drop. Oakland among teams looking for pass rush help.
*Chiefs, Eagles have shown interest in Patrick Peterson, but Cards haven’t been willing to move.
The Oakland Raiders have been at the center of many trade rumors, some of them already involving the Jets and a different player. As Fowler noted, the Raiders are in the market for a pass rusher and Williams could be a good fit. He made it pretty clear during the draft process that he was a fan of the silver and black. He hasn’t made a pro bowl since 2016, but he’s got a ton of talent and could return to playing at a high level if put into a better situation.
Williams Probably Won’t Fix the Raiders’ Pass Rush
The biggest worry about Williams, if the Raiders were to add him, is that he’s not exactly the sack master the team needs. He’s never gotten more than seven sacks in a season and doesn’t currently have any in 2019 through six games. He’d be an improvement over what the team has right now and his lack of production this season is probably due to the Jets being in the midst of a terrible season.
He’s a very good run defender and does pressure the quarterback on a decent basis. There also may not be better pass rushers that are available for a realistic price. Yannick Ngakoue of the Jacksonville Jaguars is the best pass rushers who could be available, but he’s probably going to cost quite a bit to obtain. Plus, there’s another player on the Jets who the Raiders could be interested in.
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Could Robby Anderson Come in a Packaged Deal?
The Jets seem to be ready to start mortgaging their present to start getting draft picks. Among the players who could be dealt is wide receiver Robby Anderson. It’s no secret that the Raiders need help at wide receiver. The biggest obstacle is that it looks like the Jets want more than a third-round pick and Oakland probably won’t want to go any higher.
What could be interesting is if the Raiders try to do a packaged deal for Williams and Anderson. Say general manager Mike Mayock offers a first and third-round pick for both players. That seems like it would be a fair trade. If Williams was on a longer contract, New York could probably ask for more, but he’s got nothing tying him to the team past this season. Anderson is a good wide receiver but has never broken 1,000 yards in a season. A third-round pick seems to be about what he’s worth. Oakland obviously doesn’t want to give up a first-round pick. However, Williams has loads of talent and wants to be Raider. Everybody knows that Jon Gruden loves players who want to wear silver and black.
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