Getty Jon Gruden & Mike Mayock of the Las Vegas Raiders.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, there have already been some big names to get dealt. Despite having a struggling defense, the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t been involved in any substantial trade rumors. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap or Everson Griffen could’ve made sense but the team didn’t appear to even try to make a deal for either guy.
The Raiders have been very active in the trade market in the past but have stayed quiet so far. However, head coach Jon Gruden revealed that it’s still very possible that the team pulls off a deal.
“We’re always looking for ways to get better,” Gruden said. “There’s a lot of speculation out there but reality and speculation are two different things. We’re gonna continue, like I said, to develop our players and I’m not saying a trade is out of the question but some of the trades I’ve seen out there are a bit unrealistic.”
Based on what Gruden’s saying, it sounds like the team could make a smaller deal but don’t expect a superstar to be coming to Las Vegas.
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What Unrealistic Trades Are Gruden Speculating About?
One potential Raiders trade that has been talked about is a deal for Atlanta Falcons superstar Julio Jones. There haven’t been any rumors that have linked the two sides but there have been people calling on the Raiders to make that trade. David Carr, brother of quarterback Derek Carr, is among the people to suggest the trade.
It doesn’t sound like Gruden is prepared to make a big trade like that. Jones would likely cost at least a first-round pick. It doesn’t appear that the coach is looking to make a big splash like that. Former third-overall draft pick Quinnen Williams has also been mention as a potential Raiders trade target. He’d cost quite a bit in a trade, too. Perhaps fans shouldn’t get their hopes up that the team is going to acquire a new star.
Could the Raiders Just Stay Put?
The Raiders are already better than many people predicted heading into the offseason but they still have a lot of work to do. The offense looks legit but the defense has been mostly terrible. If the Raiders do intend to make a trade, they should be focused on the defense. Figuring out the pass rush is a must and it remains to be seen if the fix is already on the roster. Unfortunately, a lot of the top available pass rushers have already been dealt. At this point, there aren’t any really strong options available to the Raiders.
If they really wanted to address their pass rush by bringing in new talent, they would’ve done so already. There’s been a surprising amount of productive pass rushers who have been made available. For whatever reason, it doesn’t seem like the Raiders believe they need them. It’s looking very possible the team decides to just stay put at the trade deadline. They could pull off a trade from a smaller named player but it’s not looking like a blockbuster is on the way.
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