Oakland Raiders: Keeping an eye on Bills linebacker Reggie Ragland

The Oakland Raiders have an open competition at inside linebacker. General manager Reggie McKenzie should keep an eye on a competitive battle in Buffalo.

Almost a year after linebacker Reggie Ragland suffered his first NFL setback, an ACL tear, he took another step back on Tuesday. The Oakland Raiders front office should have their eyes set on the 2016 second-round pick going into preseason action.

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According to ESPN.com reporter Mike Rodak, the team demoted Ragland to the third-team defense:

"Bills LB Reggie Ragland has slipped to the third-team defense, with Gerald Hodges taking his place on the second team. Ominous sign for the 2016 second-round pick and one that suggests he could be put on the trade block later this month."

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The second half of Rodak’s blurb should catch the Raiders’ attention. If the Bills place Ragland on the trade block, it doesn’t hurt general manager Reggie McKenzie to inquire about the Alabama product.

Ragland spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve; he’s yet to play an NFL game to date. The Bills used a second-round pick to select him in the 2016 draft, but if he’s yet to show anything on the professional level and falling on the depth chart. It’s unrealistic to think the team could acquire an early-round selection for an unproven commodity.

The Raiders could potentially offer a middle-round pick to pry Ragland away from the Bills. It’s worth a shot considering linebacker Ben Heeney landed on the non-football injury list, and the roster lacks options behind Marquel Lee.

If Lee struggles or experiences a slow development, where can the Raiders find a cheap alternative? Perry Riley Jr. may not be available when McKenzie starts searching for a veteran linebacker late August. At the very least, Ragland would join a young linebacker corps on his rookie deal that would carry a modest $1.3 million cap hit, per Spotrac.

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We all know McKenzie doesn’t shy away from players coming off an injury or battling to overcome question marks on durability. Secondly, the Raiders have a holdout on their hands and a huge contract for edge-rusher Khalil Mack looming in the next year.

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Ragland would cost a lot less than Riley, who’s on the free-agent market armed with some film on a decent season in Oakland for leverage at the negotiating table. Through trade, there’s no need to maneuver dollars for a team-friendly deal. The coaching staff would essentially acquire a second-year player with a clean slate — a moldable asset who can absorb a new scheme.

The Bills linebacker looks like the odd man out with new head coach Sean McDermott introducing a 4-3 scheme. Doug Whaley, the team’s former general manager, selected Ragland to fit within former head coach Rex Ryan’s 3-4 defense. Now, the 23-year-old linebacker must adjust while recovering from an ACL injury. It’s a steep hill to climb as a player who’s yet to test the field in live action.

Since the draft in April, McKenzie has talked about Lee’s ideal size at 6-3, 240 pounds. Ragland stands at 6-3, 252 pounds. Especially with his previous knee injury, there are concerns about his ability to cover on passing downs. Unlike a 4-3 defense in which the middle linebacker must cover more ground, the Raiders plan to field two inside linebackers in many situations, which divides the intermediate coverage range between two defenders.

Right now, it’s speculative as to whether the Bills place Ragland on the trade block. Rodak simply suggested the scenario as a possibility due to his role with the third-team defense. If McKenzie shows interest, it shouldn’t flash as a surprise. It’s not a premature knock against Lee either.

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The decision to acquire another young inside linebacker simply gives the team a Plan 1A or B to Lee. A football team can never have enough cheap assets with potential. The Bills will take the field for their first preseason game on Thursday against the Minnesota Vikings. If the team barely plays Ragland, McKenzie should pick up the phone and at least quote an asking price.