Getty Former Las Vegas Raiders DB Tyree Gillespie.
The Las Vegas Raiders have done a lot of dealing this offseason. It’s been a change from former general manager Mike Mayock who rarely pulled off trades. The team has been trying to maximize value for players who aren’t a fit with the new regime.
Mayock’s draft record was questionable and this latest trade isn’t a great look for him. According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the Raiders are trading defensive back Tyree Gillespie to the Tennessee Titans.
Las Vegas Raiders trading Tyree Gillespie to the Tennessee Titans, per a league source @PFN365
Las Vegas will only be receiving a conditional late-round pick from Tennessee, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
That’s not good value for a player who was a fourth-round pick just a year ago. The former Missouri standout played in 11 games last season for the Raiders but only took 13 snaps on defense. He was outshined by fellow late-round draft pick Nate Hobbs. The Titans must have liked him coming out of college and were willing to give up an asset for him. Fourth-round picks aren’t always impact players but teams can find great players in that round. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby was a fourth-round pick.
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Another Blemish on Mayock’s Draft Record
The Raiders’ drafts under Mayock just look worse and worse. There were those who thought he should get another chance this season but it’s hard to ignore the poor draft picks. Only fourth-round picks John Simpson and Amik Robertson are left from the 2020 draft class. The Raiders also declined fifth-year options for all three first-round picks from the 2019 draft class.
New general manager Dave Ziegler didn’t have a first or second-round pick this year so it’ll take some time to see how he does in the draft. Luckily, it won’t take much for him to outshine Mayock.
Tre’von Moehrig Makes NFL’s 2022 All-Under-25 Team
Though Gillespie couldn’t do enough to earn a role on the defense, the Raiders might have found the answer at free safety for years to come. 2021 second-round Tre’Von Moehrig immediately earned a starting spot with the team last season and never let go. He was a solid player all season and rarely made mistakes that are common for rookies.
He played so well that he’s been impressing the media. NFL.com’s Nick Shook added Moehrig to the NFL’s 2022 All-Under-25 Team:
Moehrig came to the Raiders via a second-round selection in 2021 and immediately stepped into a starting role opposite Johnathan Abram, playing all 17 games and recording his first interception in a Week 6 win over the AFC West rival Broncos. Moehrig’s yet to catapult himself into stardom, but he’s only been in the league for a year. I expect him to continue on his upward trend toward becoming a marquee name in a city filled with them.
That’s a good sign for Moehrig considering he’s only played one season and many on the team weren’t rookies last season. He has a chance to be a very good player for a long time. The Raiders have needed a dependable safety and they’re hoping they found one.
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