Getty Johnathan Abram tackling DeAndre Carter.
The Las Vegas Raiders have already made one trade ahead of the deadline when they sent Johnathan Hankins to the Dallas Cowboys and more could be on the way. If the team beats the New Orleans Saints, they may be more inclined to be buyers at the deadline than sellers. That said, there could be one piece that is on its way out.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported recently that the Raiders have spoken with teams about possibly trading for safety Johnathan Abram. The 2019 first-round pick has played 92% of defensive snaps for the team this season but his issues in coverage continue to be a problem. He also hasn’t been particularly good against the run. Despite that, the Raiders are receiving interest in him on the trade market.
According to The Score’s Jordan Schultz, a minimum of three teams have called Las Vegas about trading for Abram.
Abram is a smart player and he works hard. Perhaps a fresh start is what he needs to become an effective NFL player. Regardless, he’ll be a free agent after the season and the Raiders are unlikely to bring him back. With Duron Harmon playing at a high level, the team might be better off getting something for Abram before losing him in free agency.
How Much Could Raiders Get for Abram?
As the Raiders learned with Alex Leatherwood prior to the season – just because a player was a first-round pick, doesn’t mean they’ll be worth much in a trade. This far into Abram’s career, opposing teams know what he is and there’s a reason the Raiders didn’t pick up his fifth-year option. He won’t bring much back to Las Vegas in a trade.
The ceiling for Abram’s value is likely a sixth-round pick but it’s more likely the Raiders would get a conditional pick. Is that enough to warrant giving up a player who has played 92% of defensive snaps? Perhaps not but general manager Dave Ziegler has been quick to discard players from the previous regime. If Tre’von Moehrig was playing better football, this would be an easy decision but his struggles might lead to the team keeping Abram.
Josh McDaniels Praises Duron Harmon
The Raiders made a lot of additions to the defense this offseason but the best has been safety Duron Harmon. The veteran has been as reliable as they come and might be the defense’s best playmaker. Head coach Josh McDaniels worked with Harmon when they were both members of the New England Patriots and he continues to be impressed with the veteran.
“This is a guy that has been around so many different types of players, teams,” McDaniels said Monday. “Yeah, he was with me in New England, but he left and went somewhere else and he’s seen the grass somewhere else, and he’s learned a lot. The greatest thing about Duron is he’s so willing to share his experiences with everyone else, good or bad. When he makes a mistake, he wants the other guys not to make the same one and when he sees something that he can help them with, he does.
“He’s extremely coachable. On our end as coaches, he’s a great player to coach because he listens very well. He’s a great listener, he can make adjustments quickly, and then he’s a great communicator. I think it gives you a lot of comfort back there when you have somebody that’s echoing the calls and really making sure that we’re all on the same page. And I think Du [Duron Harmon] has done a great job of that, and clearly our guys feel very strongly about him — voted him as a captain and deservedly so.”