The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of work to do in order to build a contender, but it’s not impossible for the turnaround to happen quickly. The roster doesn’t have much high-end talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby is the only player on the defense who is a consistent Pro Bowler. There are some solid veterans, but the Raiders need a lot of help.
The secondary is a major concern. Eric Stokes played really well this season, but he’s going to be a free agent. Without a defensive coordinator in place, it’s difficult to know what types of players the team needs, so Stokes might not be a fit. Rookie Darien Porter showed some exciting flashes, but he didn’t get enough playing time to know if he’d be an impact player.
The Kansas City Chiefs need to fix their salary cap situation, which could lead to All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie going on the trade block. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report floated the Raiders as a possible trade partner for McDuffie.
“It’s hard to project fits until the Raiders have a new head coach, but they won’t necessarily be tied to Pete Carroll’s affinity for taller, longer cornerbacks,” Ballentine wrote. “That could lead to an inter-division trade offer to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie.
“He’s an All-Pro level defender and the Chiefs are in a severe cap crunch.”
What Could McDuffie Cost?
The Chiefs have been churning out some very good cornerbacks in recent years that they haven’t been able to retain. L’Jarius Sneed was a key player for Kansas City before they decided to trade him to the Tennessee Titans before the 2024 season. He was traded for a third-round pick, so that’s the base level of what the Chiefs would want in a trade.
That said, McDuffie is a better player. He’s a former first-round pick and has been an All-Pro twice, while Sneed has never been an All-Pro.
If the Chiefs are going to trade him, they’re likely going to want a first-round pick. The Raiders aren’t giving up the No. 1 pick for a cornerback who needs to get paid. Trading with a rival costs more, so it’s hard to see the Chiefs sending McDuffie to the Raiders for a second-round pick.
Raiders Should Re-Sign Stokes & See What They Have in Porter
The Raiders are heading into a rebuilding year. While having a huge turnaround season would be exciting, the team needs to be more methodical in their rebuild. Trading for a player like McDuffie would make a lot more sense next year.
This season needs to be about seeing what the team has. That’s why it’s more logical to re-sign Stokes and go all-in on seeing what Porter can do in 2026.
If that cornerback duo ends up being strong, then the Raiders don’t need to worry about giving up a ton of assets to trade for a star cornerback. The team has to stop looking for quick fixes and actually emrbace a top-down rebuild.
Raiders Floated as Chiefs Trade Partner for $13 Million All-Pro