BAD NEWS:Two best players decided to leave Las Vegas Raiders today after the……
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a position to continue their late-season success from 2023, if they make the right trades.
Las Vegas Raiders trade rumorszuu
HIGHLIGHTS
The Raiders fired their coach and GM midseason, ending with a 5-4 record with intzzuzerim coach Antonio Pierce.
Offensive tackle and cornerbacks are positions the Raiders need to replace.
Reshaping the team post-free agency while prioritizing a veteran presence and building on last season’s finish is key for Las vegas.
The Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler after Week 8 of the 2023 season. Linebacker coach Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim coach. Pierce led the team to finish 5-4, including going 3-1 in the final four weeks. Unfortunately, the one loss in Week 17 to the Indianapolis Colts eliminated all playoff hopes.
The Raiders now look to build on a finish that included destroying the Los Angeles Chargers 63-21, and beating the defending Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs, 20-14 on Monday night.
To keep the momentum from last season continuing, the Raiders will have to replace a few significant losses they experienced during free agency. The losses include:
Offensive Tackle Jermaine Eluemuor played 90% of the offensive snaps last season.
Cornerback, Amik Robertson, who played in 17 games last season, had 50 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two interceptions.
Cornerback, Tyler Hall, who finished last season with a 72.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
While the Raiders did draft Oregon guard Jackson-Powers Johnson, Maryland tackle Delmar Glaze, Mississippi State cornerback Decamerion Richardson, and Pittsburgh cornerback MJ Devonshire, having a reliable veteran presence added to the depth chart is a priority.
Antonio Pierce and Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders
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The Raiders need to fortify their depth chart with reliable veteran options
Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio PierceCredit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Raiders finished last season with the 10th best offensive line, per Pro Football Focus. Their pass blocking efficiency earned a rating of 86.3, the sixth-highest. Departed right tackle Eluemunor finished with an overall grade of 68.5, a run blocking grade of 71.5 and a pass-blocking grade of 64.4.
In his past two seasons with the Raiders, Eluemunor allowed only nine sacks while playing in 1,100 plus pass blocking snaps. This is the production the Raiders must replace.
The Raiders’ secondary was on an upward trajectory. The secondary moved up from 29th ranked pass defense in 2022, to the 11th ranked pass defense in 2023. Last season they had 19 takeaways and 11 interceptions. The prior season, they had only six interceptions.
Finding a capable, tested defensive back will help keep defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s secondary trending up.
According to Over the Cap, after accounting for projected contracts of the drafted rookies, the Raiders have approximately $18.6 million in cap space.
Stephon Gilmore, CB, Dallas Cowboys (Free Agent)
Stephon GilmoreCredit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The starters for the Raiders in the cornerback room, are Jack Jones, Nate Hobbs, and Brandon Facyson. Facyson suffered an injury in training camp last season that kept him off the field for most of the season. The Raiders did draft Decamerion Richardson in the NFL 2024 Draft, but adding a quality veteran to the cornerback room isn’t a bad idea.
Gilmore will be the veteran presence needed, and he comes with clout. Gilmore has five Pro Bowl Appearances, a Super Bowl ring and was named Defensive Player of the Year. At 33 years old, he has 12 years of experience and wear and tear on him.
Last season, he allowed the highest passer rating when targeted of his career (82.7), but he also had 62 total tackles and two interceptions and 13 pass breakups. Gilmore finished the season with an overall 74.4 grade from Pro Football Focus and only gave up 6.9 yards per target.
The Raiders are a zone-heavy team in pass coverage. They have played zone 74.8% of the time, which is the ninth most in the league. Gilmore grades out at 58.9 when playing zone coverage.
Evan Neal, OT, New York Giants
Evan NealCredit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
With his current struggles on and off the field in New York, Neal’s price will not be prohibitive. Last season, with injuries and poor play, Neal was on the field for only 41.58% of the offensive snaps last season.
He incurred five penalties and allowed two sacks. While this may seem like a great reason he should not be trade bait to the Raiders, consider this: Neal isn’t tied to one position. In 2019, he started 13 games at left tackle. In 2020, he started 12 games at right tackle and in 2021, he went back to left tackle, starting 15 games.
The Raiders have Kolton Miller and Jalen McKenzie at left tackle. Miller finished with a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 80.2, a pass blocking grade of 79.3 and a run blocking grade of 73.3. Over the first eight weeks of the 2023 season, he was the third-highest graded offensive tackle in the NFL.
Currently, replacing Eluemunor at right tackle is Thayer Munford Jr., who could easily be replaced by incoming rookie Glaze. With the versatility that Neal has, he could fill in for either left or right tackle, adding depth to an offensive line that proved capable of maintaining top-10 status with replaceable parts last year.
By trading for Neal, the Raiders aren’t searching for a home-run hitter but a stop-gap player who adds depth to the offensive line.
Elijah Wilkerson, OT, Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Gannon head coach Arizona CardinalsCredit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
After his draft day haul, will head coach Jonathan Gannon trade Wilkerson?
Wilkerson signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Last season, he was on the field for 501 offensive snaps in 10 games, before landing on injured reserve with a neck injury.
This will be Wilkerson’s eighth season in the NFL. In his career he has played 66 games, starting in 36. In those games, he has started at right tackle 20 times, left tackle nine times and right guard seven times. Currently, on the Cardinals’ depth chart, Wilkerson is listed behind Isaiah Adams at left guard.
If healthy, Wilkerson is a stop-gap player who can play across the offensive line. Although he only received a 46.2 overall grade from PFF last season, the season before he earned a 64.3 overall grade and a 70.7 pass blocking grade.
Wilkerson’s versatility is what the Raiders’ offensive line requires. What the Raiders’ offensive line needs is a player who is a reliable backup across the line. Wilkerson fits the role, comes without a hefty price tag and without the off-field shenanigans.
Top Las Vegas Raiders Trade Candidates
The Raiders find themselves with a surplus of running backs and wide receivers
Antonio Pierce and Davante Adams Las Vegas RaidersCredit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
While many are wondering about the status of tight end Michael Mayer after the 2024 NFL Draft, it’s the wide receiver and running back rooms where the Raiders have a surplus.
So, what if the drafting of Brock Bowers allows the Raiders to drop almost $7 million in cap space? The Raiders are hurting in cap space, ranking 12th in the NFL. Before rookie deals are signed, they are projected to have roughly $22.6 million. If they trade two wide receivers and a running back, dropping approximately $6.8 million, will it be enough to get a veteran quarterback?
Las Vegas Raiders Top Trade Candidates
Alexander Mattison, RB
Alexander Mattison fumbles versus EaglesCredit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Alexander Mattison is currently listed as RB2 on the Raiders’ depth chart. He sits behind Zamir White and ahead of Ameer Abdullah. In Mattison’s five-year playing career, he has never rushed for over 700 yards. Last season, his 700 yards on 180 rushing attempts was his career high.
In a brutal comparison, Josh Jacobs has rushed for over 1,000 yards in three seasons and the two that he did not reach 1,000, he rushed for over 800 yards in both. While the contracts are wildly different, the Green Bay Packers will be paying Jacobs a base salary of $1.2 million with a cap hit of roughly $5.3 million for this season.
Running backs are being undervalued, but this season there was movement in the running back market. So much so that the Raiders could find trade partners for Mattison.
The Dallas Cowboys currently have Ezekiel Elliott listed as RB1 on their depth chart. A trade that sends Mattison to the Cowboys would give the Raiders $4.6 million in cap space, and it could also include cornerback Trevon Diggs.
The issue is Diggs’ base salary of $11 million and his cap hit of roughly $5.8 million. The Raiders would have to give up more than just Mattison and would be taking on an extra $1.2 million cap hit. The best alternative is to take Daron Bland. Bland has a 2024 base salary of $985,000 and a cap hit of roughly $1 million.
Diggs’ stats are from his 2022 season, when he played 17 games, considering last season he played only two games.
Last season, Jacobs was on the field for 600 offensive snaps. White had 229 and Abdullah had 216. Jacobs did not play in Week 15-18. In those four weeks, White was on the field for 178 of the offensive snaps, while Abdullah saw 77 offensive snaps. The Raiders are more likely to use one running back for the majority of the work, with a second or third coming in for passing downs, goal line looks, or the occasional trick play.
In that case, trading Mattison to a running-back deficient Dallas for Bland and future draft compensation is a bargain.
Tre Tucker, WR
Las Vegas Raiders WR Tre TuckerCredit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The signing of Brock Bowers made Tre Tucker expendable.
In a surprise move, the Raiders drafted Bowers with the 13th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Although listed as a tight end, Bowers led Georgia in receptions (56), receiving yards (714) and receiving touchdowns (6).
Last season, Tucker played in 16 games with a 29.5% slot snap rate. He had a 6.8% target share for 34 targets and 331 receiving yards. Tucker’s inefficiency has made him expendable.
New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy used 12 personnel in Chicago last season. Only seven teams used 12 personnel more than Getsy. Bowers in the slot with Michael Mayer in the traditional tight end formation is also a possibility.
Tucker’s million dollar cap hit and $991,095 base salary would be nothing for the Los Angeles Chargers. Per NFL Spin Zone, the Chargers have the fifth most cap space post draft. The Chargers are sitting with $30.6 million. After trading Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, it would be a bargain for them to get either Tucker or Kristen Wilkerson.
Acquiring both while dealing cornerback Asante Samuel gives the Chargers more depth at wide receiver and fills a need for the Raiders. In addition to the two wide receivers, the Raiders would have to give up a future draft pick.
Next season, Samuel will be an unrestricted free agent. His current salary cap hit is roughly $4 million. Samuel is worth the one-year deal. Last season he collected 63 tackles, two interceptions, and 13 passes defended.
This is the second straight year he has had at least two interceptions. He was fourth in routes defended (38.5 per game) and fifth in pass break-ups. Lastly, he is only 24 years old.
Trading the two wide receivers for Samuel is a costly move, but if the Raiders can sign him to a long-term deal, it is worth it.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract info courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.
Josh Jacobs RB Las Vegas Raiders
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gladys Tyler
(2 Articles Published)
An obsessive NFL/fantasy football writer with 10+ years of writing experience and 5+ years podcasting about NFL, fantasy football and DFS!
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