Getty Zay Jones & Nelson Agholor of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Things are looking up for the Las Vegas Raiders and their offense is one of the best in the NFL. For the first time in a while, it appears the team has put together a really good wide receiver corps and it’s paying off in a big way. Quarterback Derek Carr is on pace to have the best year of his career and that’s no coincidence.
Though he’s only played in three games, Henry Ruggs looks like the real deal and Nelson Agholor has been a pleasant surprise for the team. Last year, the Raiders traded for former second-round pick Zay Jones but it doesn’t appear he has much of a role on the offense right now. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes that Las Vegas would be wise to trade him:
Zay Jones’ next game with the Raiders will be his 16th. Over that “season,” the fourth-year pro’s production has been less than stellar: 29 receptions on 39 targets for 228 yards and one score.
But Jones has shown some ability to help an NFL team. Back in his second season in Buffalo, he was targeted over 100 times, hauling in 56 passes for 652 yards and seven touchdowns.
There’s some appeal there for teams looking for additional depth in the wide receiver room.
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What Could the Raiders Get in a Trade for Jones?
While it’s clear that Jones doesn’t really have a big part to play on the Raiders offense right now, trading him doesn’t seem necessary. When they traded for him last season, they sent the Buffalo Bills a fifth-round pick. He was definitely more productive in Buffalo so he’s probably worth even less now.
The Raiders would be lucky to get a fifth-rounder for Jones. If they couldn’t, it wouldn’t much make sense to trade him for any less and take a loss. Now, there could be a team that gets desperate for wide receiver help. There are certainly worse options out there than Jones. That said, he’s probably finishing this season as a Raider.
Anybody on the Trade Block Right Now?
Things are going pretty well for the Raiders so they could stay put at the trade deadline. Last year, the team did surprise with the decision to trade cornerback Gareon Conley but it’s hard to see them pulling off another trade like that this year.
One very interesting name to keep an eye on is defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. He’s been one of the Raiders’ best defenders over the last couple of years but they haven’t made him a consistent starter yet. For whatever reason, they don’t seem to have a lot of trust in him. It would be a really bad move to trade him but it actually wouldn’t be that surprising if the Raiders did it.
There’s also tight end Foster Moreau, who played really well last year. He’s seen his snaps reduce significantly with the addition of Jason Witten. Perhaps a tight end-needy team makes the Raiders a really good offer for him that Las Vegas can’t refuse.
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