Getty Dave Ziegler & Mark Davis of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Las Vegas Raiders pass rush has been a disappointment through two games. The team has a total of one sack and Maxx Crosby is the only player consistently applying pressure. This defense was supposed to be built around its pass rush but its left a lot to be desired.
The depth behind Crosby and Chandler Jones is questionable, which factors into why the team is struggling to get to the quarterback. Former first-round pick Clelin Ferrell has been the primary third pass rusher for the team but has yet to make a big impact. According to Pro Football Focus, he just has three pressures in two games. The Raiders have a role for him now but might want to give Malcolm Koonce and Tashawn Bower some of his reps.
If that’s the case, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Raiders could trade Ferrell to the Cleveland Browns for a 2023 sixth-round pick:
Based on his role and production, Ferrell won’t garner a big return. However, the Raiders could get something back for a player who will likely depart in 2023 free agency anyway. The Cleveland Browns, meanwhile, could be inclined to take a flier on Ferrell.
The Browns had their own collapse Sunday, squandering a 13-point lead with less than two minutes remaining—and losing because of a missed extra point. Busted coverage helped the New York Jets engineer the comeback against Cleveland, but the Browns’ lack of a pass rush allowed Joe Flacco the time needed to take advantage.
Should Raiders Trade Ferrell?
If the Raiders lose on Sunday to the Tennessee Titans, it might be time to try and sell off some assets. However, the team can still easily get back into the playoff race. There’s no reason to trade a player like Ferrell for just a sixth-round pick. That doesn’t make the Raiders better right now and likely doesn’t make them better in the future.
While Ferrell will likely never be a great pass rusher, he’s solid against the run. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham clearly likes him or he wouldn’t be playing him over Koonce and Bower. It’s also appealing that he can slip on the inside and play a little defensive tackle. Ferrell is popularly named one of the Raiders’ top trade targets but it’s hard to see the team sending him away and his nearly $10 million cap hit this season.
Textbook job by Clelin Ferrell of “re-tracing” underneath the back’s release vs screen.
Raiders Can’t Afford to Keep Losing
It’s safe to say that this season has not gotten off to the start that everybody involved with the Raiders hoped for. Davante Adams and Josh McDaniels were supposed to come in and turn a team that made the playoffs last season into Super Bowl contenders. Las Vegas doesn’t even look as good as the team that started off 3-0 last season.
Many questioned the McDaniels hiring this offseason due to his failed tenure with the Denver Broncos. The hope was that he worked through those issues and was ready to come back as a much better coach. So far, the results haven’t been great. If the Raiders don’t win in Week 3, McDaniels will certainly lose the fan base and could even start to lose the locker room.