Getty Dave Ziegler, Raiders GM
At 3-3, all things considered, the Raiders are not in bad shape. They have twice lost starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, underwent an anemic start offensively and still are in the thick of the AFC playoff race with three of their next four games coming against beatable opponents. That said, there is much room for improvement and the Raiders are expected to be players on the NFL pass-rusher trade market ahead of the deadline on October 31.
That’s the word from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who wrote this weekend that the Raiders brain trust of GM Dave Zeigler and coach Josh McDaniels still wants to replace Chandler Jones, the former Pro Bowl pass-rusher whose arrest and apparent mental episode kept him away from the team to start the season. Jones’ tenure with the Raiders ended with his release a little more than two weeks ago.
“There have been whispers around the league that Josh McDaniels could be in trouble if Las Vegas doesn’t start winning, so this team is in win-now mode. Look for Las Vegas to get into the pass rusher market after releasing Chandler Jones,” Russini wrote.
McDaniels’ Status Driving Raiders on NFL Pass-Rush Trade Market
It’s been clear for much of the year that McDaniels is in some trouble, and that the biggest safety net he has—besides getting the Raiders turned around—is his $10 million per year contract, a hefty sum for a team still paying ex-coach Jon Gruden.
But it’s also clear that the roster needs help in a number of areas. Pass rushing is one of them, because Maxx Crosby needs help. Not only is Jones no longer with the team, but rookie Tyree Wilson, the No. 10 pick in last year’s draft, is struggling with consistency.
The Raiders have not been active with two major pieces that have come onto the market thus far, Broncos Randy Gregory and Frank Clark, but perhaps that will change, especially with the team back at .500.
What a great play by the #Raiders DL on the final safety sack.
Maxx Crosby double hand swipes the TE, hesi’s past the RT, and gets to the QB, while on the inside, Adam Butler and Bilal Nichols run an interior DL game.
Butler makes contact with the center and simulates pass…
There is expected to be a bumper crop of edge rushers potentially available, per Pro Football Focus, and while not all will be dealt, the Raiders could (and should) get involved in the pass-rusher trade market. Brian Burns of Carolina and Chase Young of the Commanders are probably out of range for the Raiders, but others are possibilities: Josh Uche of New England; Carl Lawson of the Jets; and star-caliber addition Danielle Hunter, too.
Josh McDaniels’ Seat is Hot
McDaniels is very much a hot-seat contender around the NFL. Adding pressure to do something—anything—at the trade deadline. Some of what has befallen the Raiders is out of his hands, but he has had some poor in-game decisions and his remaking of the team’s offensive roster has not yet worked out.
The defense keeps improving, though, and perhaps it behooves McDaniels to lean in there.
Sporting News recently picked McDaniels as the No. 2 hot-seat coach in the NFL, and pointed to the Week 13 bye as a critical time for McDaniels:
“While McDaniels has proven that he is one of the NFL’s best offensive coordinators, he simply hasn’t cut it as a head coach in either his first or second stint in the role. The Raiders could look to give him one more year to prove himself; however, if they finish near the bottom of the league, the team may want to bring in another new head coach and quarterback combination in 2024.
“So, suffice to say that McDaniels will be under plenty of pressure during the 2023 NFL season. And the Raiders’ Week 13 bye will be a date to watch if Las Vegas continues to fall short in its efforts to become a competitive team.”