There has already been a ton of movement around the NFL, and with the trade deadline closing in on November 10, there should be even more. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team to watch.
It remains to be seen if they plan to be buyers or sellers. Many would like to see the team trade defensive end Maxx Crosby or quarterback Kirk Cousins, but it seems unlikely they’ll move on from either.
The Raiders could still be sellers without giving up any of their top players. One player to keep an eye on could be starting slot cornerback Taron Johnson. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz listed Johnson as a possible trade fit for the Houston Texans.
“The Texans could use more depth at the nickel with Jalen Pitre dealing with a left shoulder injury,” Schatz wrote. “When Pitre returns, having the veteran Johnson around would allow Pitre to occasionally spell Reed Blankenship at safety (or even start in his place).”
Johnson has been solid for the Raiders and is on a very team-friendly contract. They don’t have an obvious slot corner to take over for him if he’s traded. They gave up a sixth-round pick to get him in a trade, so they’d have to at least get more than that to make it worth it.
Spencer Buford Also Listed as Trade Candidate
The Raiders’ offensive line has really struggled in the run game, but has mostly done well in the passing game. Starting left guard Spencer Burford was signed in the offseason and has been a mainstay on the offensive line this season.
The Raiders may not be too keen on giving up any offensive linemen, but Schatz sees Burford as a trade fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Pass blocking is one of the Jaguars’ few weaknesses this season, and right guard Ezra Cleveland’s 78.7% pass block win rate ranks 63rd out of 66 qualifying guards,” Schatz wrote. “Burford is on a one-year contract in Las Vegas, and his pass block win rate is 90.5%, which ranks 10th.”
The Raiders don’t really have a reliable guard to replace Burford with. Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers have both already been benched. Rookie Trey Zuhn III is currently the starting right guard. Unless the Jaguars offer the Raiders something ridiculous for Burford, there’s no reason to believe they’re going to trade the veteran.
Who Could Raiders Buy At Deadline?
There’s talk of the Raiders being sellers, but they could still be buyers. They won’t be inclined to give up too much, but they could really use a wide receiver. Schatz floated Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as the ideal target at the deadline for Las Vegas.
“The Raiders have thrown only 41% of passes to wide receivers,” Schatz wrote. “That’s the lowest figure in the NFL. The Jaguars have pretty much given up on Thomas, but he would become the clear No. 1 option in Las Vegas, and perhaps he could find the form that helped him catch 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024.”
2 Veteran Raiders Starters Listed as Possible Trade Candidates