Oakland Raiders: 5 Trade deadline targets to keep playoff hopes alive
If the Oakland Raiders are buyers at the 2019 NFL Trade Deadline, trading for one of these players could keep playoff hopes alive for the silver and black.
After a tough Week 8 loss in Houston, the Oakland Raiders sit at 3-4 on the season. That’s two straight losses for Jon Gruden’s team and dropping below .500 is never a good thing. At the same time, though, there is still reason to believe that this Raiders team is far more competitive than most people expected them to be.
Derek Carr has played quite well this season, Josh Jacobs has looked like an immediate star at running back, there are other breakout players on the offense and the defense has held their own better than some expected. Perhaps more importantly, though, the Raiders are not out of the playoff mix in a down year for the AFC. The final wild card spot is held by the 5-3 Texans but the AFC West-leading Chiefs are just 5-3 themselves.
Thus, the Raiders could be aggressive before the Tuesday, Oct. 29 NFL Trade Deadline. There are moves to make that could keep Oakland in the playoff race by improving the areas of their roster that need it the most. These are five such trade targets that could keep the Raiders postseason hopes alive and well.
5. Vic Beasley Jr., EDGE, Falcons
Any team trading for Vic Beasley Jr. is taking a flyer on a player. Since his breakout 2016 season when he led the NFL in sacks, he has not been the same player. His pass-rushing prowess is inconsistent at best and he’s more often than not seemed a bit lost, a big reason for the Falcons precipitous drop off in recent years. Still, he could be worth that flyer for the Raiders.
Oakland’s defense is starved for pass-rushing quality and depth. It’s something that has plagued them on that side of the ball all season, even with the addition of Clelin Ferrell in the draft. Adding a player like Beasley, who would likely not come at a rich price, could serve Jon Gruden’s team well. Even if he isn’t in NFL-leading form as a sack artist, Beasley could still provide the Raiders with a capable body in their rotation, thus improving the effectiveness of the defense as a whole.