Following their impressive win in London over the Chicago Bears, the Oakland Raiders are looking to build upon their momentum as they enter the second half of their schedule.
While the Raiders have done a good job of toughing out games and scrapping for a couple of victories in recent weeks, the team has been decimated with injuries as they have lost key players at nearly every position on both sides of the ball. Players such as Johnathan Abram, Marquel Lee, Isaiah Johnson and Arden Key all figured to be prominent parts of head coach Jon Gruden‘s defense yet they will miss time with various ailments. Starting middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict is not injured, but will also miss the rest of the season due to a suspension.
In an effort to bolster its roster and solidify some of its depth, it appears the Raiders will likely be one of the most active teams when it comes to placing calls prior to the trade deadline, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN:
Raiders will be buyers at Oct. 29 trade deadline. Already have called around the league looking for LBs and pass rush help, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 20, 2019
This should not come as a surprise as the Raiders have largely struggled to get much pressure on opposing quarterbacks, making life difficult for the secondary. The middle of the field has also been an issue as teams have routinely exposed Oakland’s struggles to defend that portion.
The Raiders would be smart to canvass the league for any deals as they are several struggling teams who should be looking to offload any of their aging veterans. Teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins would all make for ideal trade partners as all three have mightily struggled and could already be looking toward the 2020 NFL Draft.
Players like Vic Beasley, or even Von Miller, would make a lot of sense for Silver and Black to explore a deal for, with the former being an attainable target given his recent struggles and Atlanta’s lack of success this year. Another name to keep an eye on would be Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan, who would definitely bolster an anemic pass rush.
Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock have already swung deals for receivers Trevor Davis and Zay Jones but with Tyrell Williams still dealing with plantar fasciitis, the Raiders could be also look to address its receiver corps by dealing for a player like Bengals star A.J. Green.
If the Raiders want to keep pace in what is becoming an increasingly intriguing AFC West division, they will more than likely need to make a splash in the coming weeks. It is important to remember that despite their 3-3 record, the Raiders are one of the youngest teams in the league. In the middle of a rebuilding phase, it may not make much sense to give up valuable draft picks for an aging star that can only help this season.