Getty Las Vegas Raiders GM Mike Mayock.
The Las Vegas Raiders and general manager Mike Mayock have made some questionable draft picks over the last few years. The very first pick of the Mayock era was Clelin Ferrell in the 2019 NFL Draft. The former Clemson defensive end was a solid prospect but wasn’t considered a valuable pick at No. 4 overall.
He’s developed into a decent player for the Raiders but only has 6.5 sacks in two seasons with the team. It’s now possible that Ferrell will be buried on the depth charge behind Yannick Ngakoue, Maxx Crosby and possibly even Carl Nassib. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report believes that Las Vegas should consider moving on from the defensive end. He proposes that the Raiders trade Ferrell to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback and 2020 ninth overall pick C.J. Henderson:
For the Las Vegas Raiders, 2019 fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby has outperformed 2019 No. 4 overall pick, Clelin Ferrell. Crosby, big-money free-agent acquisition Yannick Ngakoue and solid complementary rusher Carl Nassib could form a solid trio on the edge for a Vegas team that just might not need Ferrell at this point.
Why not see if somebody else might believe they can get more out of him? Ngakoue’s former team, the Jaguars, could bite if they see Ferrell as a potential long-term partner for Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson in the front seven.
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Henderson Already on Trade Block?
In Ferrell’s case, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Raiders were looking to move on. He was widely considered a reach when they drafted him and he’s done little to disprove that narrative. He’s not a bad player but certainly not worth a top-five pick in hindsight.
However, it would be very surprising if Jacksonville traded Henderson. He was highly regarded coming out of last year’s draft and while he didn’t have an amazing rookie season, he still has a ton of potential. Despite that, the Jaguars could be open to trading him, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
A surprise: Multiple team execs believe #Jaguars corner C.J. Henderson — the ninth overall pick in 2020 — is available via trade. Jacksonville has given impression in some league circles that it’s shopping Henderson, a high-pedigree player one year into rookie deal.
It’s always concerning when a team is willing to give up on a first-round pick after just one season. It’s hard to imagine they’ll get a lot of value in return.
Would Raiders Make This Trade?
Trading Ferrell for Henderson could be of some interest for the Raiders. The team knows what they have in the defensive end but Henderson provides unknown potential. That could be enough to interest Las Vegas if the Jaguars are open to the deal.
That said, the Raiders already have a 2020 first-round pick at cornerback in Damon Arnette. He’s likely the third cornerback behind Trayvon Mullen and Casey Hayward. There really wouldn’t be much room for Henderson unless the Raiders think he’s a future star. Ferrell is likely more valuable to the team right now as he’s a really good run defender. Ngakoue and Crosby are better pass rushers but aren’t great in run defense. Also, Ferrell can move inside and play a little defensive tackle. It’s hard to imagine the Raiders won’t give him one more season before entertaining a trade.
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