Looks like the Oakland Raiders aren’t done making trades. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team has been calling around the NFL looking for pass rushers and linebackers.
The team has already made a couple of trades for wide receivers since the season started, but it looks like they want to bolster their defense. Looking to add a pass rusher makes sense considering the Raiders are near the bottom of the league in sacks with only nine through five games. It would also be wise for the team to add linebacker help since Vontaze Burfict is gone for the season.
Oakland also has really good assets with two first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. General manager Mike Mayock will probably be inclined to keep those unless he can get a pro-bowl level talent in the prime of their career. Trading top draft picks isn’t ideal, but there could be some really interesting defensive options that are available.
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Vic Beasley, Von Miller Among Pass Rusher Trade Options
It’s already been reported by Jordan Schultz at ESPN that Atlanta Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley is available for trade. He hasn’t recaptured his 2016 magic when he led the NFL in sacks with 15.5, but he’s only 27-years old and could still turn things around with a change of scenery. He’s also on an expiring contract, which should mean that the Falcons’ asking price could be somewhat low. He’s definitely not worth a first-round pick at this point in his career, but if the Raiders can get him for a third, it might be worth it.
Denver Broncos’ Von Miller could also be an interesting option. He’s one of the top pass rushers in the NFL and is already en route to a Hall of Fame selection. It would’ve been insane to think the Broncos would let him go a year ago, but the team is in the midst of a terrible season and it looks like they need to start entering a rebuild. The asking price would not be cheap and would definitely cost the Raiders at least one of their two first-round, maybe both. There’s also the fact that the teams are fierce divisional rivals. Oakland would have to make John Elway an offer he simply couldn’t refuse.
Lavonte David Could Be Available at Linebacker
Just like the Broncos, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t seem to be headed in the right direction, so they could also be due for a rebuild. They drafted linebacker Devin White with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, so they have their linebacker of the future on the roster. Lavonte David is one of the NFL’s top linebackers, but he’s 29 years old and probably doesn’t want to be around for a rebuild. He’d be a more than adequate replacement for Vontaze Burfict.
He’d also demand a decent return. Likely a first-round pick will be what it takes to convince the Bucs to trade him. The Raiders have gotten extremely uneven play at linebacker for years and are probably poised to draft one early in the 2020 draft. David is a proven commodity and should be solid for several more years. It might be worth it for Oakland if they feel he can help get them to the playoffs.
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