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There's a new regime in Las Vegas (again). And with that comes a lack of attachment to the current players. You figure with the same GM and/or same head coach, they tend to give prospects or previous starters a longer leash. They either scouted them and still see their potential or they were they watched the player's best work with the team and still has that faith.
Not only is that not the case now with new GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll, but they bring with them a new system and concepts that perhaps some of the current players on the team don't fit.
Despite a glut of money available to them this offseason, they didn't sink it into the free agent market, signing only one outside free agent to a multi-year deal (Jeremy Chinn) and giving big money to keep the defensive line together (Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Adam Butler). This suggests the new regime is placing a high emphasis on the draft to solve this team's issues. And the more picks you have, the better chance you have of doing that.
That would mean putting some current players on the block in the hopes of getting more picks in the draft.
The former No. 7 overall pick hasn't done much of anything in his two seasons in Las Vegas. And it wasn't for lack of opportunity. He was given the benefit of the doubt to develop as a rookie due to his development being stunted by a foot injury. Then last season, the injury to Malcolm Koonce opened that door back up to him and he was again outplayed, this time by several scrap heap edge rusher additions. Now Koonce is back on a one-year deal and if the Raiders were to take an edge rusher like Jalon Walker at sixth overall, Wilson would be squarely on the block. Hell, with the right offer, it might not even matter what they do at six.
We are obviously still in the voluntary phase of the offseason, so no one is holding out...yet. That being said, Miller has not been among those voluntarily at the facility, reportedly because he is looking for an extension. The 29-year-old has been the Raiders' starting left tackle the past seven seasons. Most of those seasons he was among the more stalwart left tackles in the league. But he struggled in a new system last season and there no guarantee he won't continue to struggle in Chip Kelly's zone scheme plans. Should the Raiders go tackle with their first pick, and Miller is unwilling to play out the final year of his current deal, trading him could be on the table. And you can bet there would be plenty of teams interested in landing a 29-year-old starting left tackle.
Two years ago, the Raiders traded up in the second round to get Mayer. He didn't live up to that draft position as a rookie and when the Raiders had a chance to take Brock Bowers at 13 overall in last year's draft they took it. Bowers went on to have the best season for a rookie tight end in league history, cementing himself as the best young tight end in football. Meanwhile Mayer was away from the team for much of the season for personal reasons. There may be a couple teams in the league who could use him more than the Raiders and come those mid-rounds, the opportunity to get a recent high second round talent would be enticing.
The Raiders already got a starting quarterback by landing Geno Smith in trade with the Seahawks. And the new regime has made it clear they are looking strongly at the quarterbacks in this draft. O'Connell could be a forgotten man. The former fourth round pick has started 17 games in his two NFL seasons and has won seven of those games. It's safe to say he's earned his draft position. Some team with a bit more of a competition at quarterback could use O'Connell in the mix. Look out for this in the mid-rounds of the draft.
White surely won't carry much value in trade. But if some team watched what he did late in the 2023 season, and their blocking scheme is similar to the one where White averaged over six yards per carry, sending a late round pick or even just a late round pick swap to the Raiders could be worth it to land the former Georgia standout.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders Draft: 5 current players who could be traded for picks
Continue reading...
Not only is that not the case now with new GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll, but they bring with them a new system and concepts that perhaps some of the current players on the team don't fit.
Despite a glut of money available to them this offseason, they didn't sink it into the free agent market, signing only one outside free agent to a multi-year deal (Jeremy Chinn) and giving big money to keep the defensive line together (Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Adam Butler). This suggests the new regime is placing a high emphasis on the draft to solve this team's issues. And the more picks you have, the better chance you have of doing that.
That would mean putting some current players on the block in the hopes of getting more picks in the draft.
DE Tyree Wilson
The former No. 7 overall pick hasn't done much of anything in his two seasons in Las Vegas. And it wasn't for lack of opportunity. He was given the benefit of the doubt to develop as a rookie due to his development being stunted by a foot injury. Then last season, the injury to Malcolm Koonce opened that door back up to him and he was again outplayed, this time by several scrap heap edge rusher additions. Now Koonce is back on a one-year deal and if the Raiders were to take an edge rusher like Jalon Walker at sixth overall, Wilson would be squarely on the block. Hell, with the right offer, it might not even matter what they do at six.
OT Kolton Miller
We are obviously still in the voluntary phase of the offseason, so no one is holding out...yet. That being said, Miller has not been among those voluntarily at the facility, reportedly because he is looking for an extension. The 29-year-old has been the Raiders' starting left tackle the past seven seasons. Most of those seasons he was among the more stalwart left tackles in the league. But he struggled in a new system last season and there no guarantee he won't continue to struggle in Chip Kelly's zone scheme plans. Should the Raiders go tackle with their first pick, and Miller is unwilling to play out the final year of his current deal, trading him could be on the table. And you can bet there would be plenty of teams interested in landing a 29-year-old starting left tackle.
TE Michael Mayer
Two years ago, the Raiders traded up in the second round to get Mayer. He didn't live up to that draft position as a rookie and when the Raiders had a chance to take Brock Bowers at 13 overall in last year's draft they took it. Bowers went on to have the best season for a rookie tight end in league history, cementing himself as the best young tight end in football. Meanwhile Mayer was away from the team for much of the season for personal reasons. There may be a couple teams in the league who could use him more than the Raiders and come those mid-rounds, the opportunity to get a recent high second round talent would be enticing.
QB Aidan O'Connell
The Raiders already got a starting quarterback by landing Geno Smith in trade with the Seahawks. And the new regime has made it clear they are looking strongly at the quarterbacks in this draft. O'Connell could be a forgotten man. The former fourth round pick has started 17 games in his two NFL seasons and has won seven of those games. It's safe to say he's earned his draft position. Some team with a bit more of a competition at quarterback could use O'Connell in the mix. Look out for this in the mid-rounds of the draft.
RB Zamir White
White surely won't carry much value in trade. But if some team watched what he did late in the 2023 season, and their blocking scheme is similar to the one where White averaged over six yards per carry, sending a late round pick or even just a late round pick swap to the Raiders could be worth it to land the former Georgia standout.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders Draft: 5 current players who could be traded for picks
Continue reading...
