Oakland Raiders: Finally, an offseason rumor that makes some sense

The Oakland Raiders have some holes to fill on their defensive line and one recent rumored trade target actually seems to make some sense.

The Oakland Raiders, with a plethora of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball, are being connected to just about every free agent, potential free agent, and popcorn vendor out there.

Yes, we’re at that point of the offseason, known as the silly season, when everybody throws everything at the wall with the hope that something sticks. No rumor is too ridiculous!

Most of the time, it’s nothing but smoke without fire. Style without substance. Peanut butter without jelly. Many times, usually nothing more substantial to the rumors than what you’d find in a wish sandwich.

But every once in a while, a rumor surfaces that makes you stop, scratch your head, and think – if only to yourself – that, if the rumored scenario came to pass, it would make a whole lot of sense.

One such rumor that makes a whole lot of sense recently surfaced, connecting the Raiders to Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Obviously, defensive tackle is one of Oakland’s most glaring needs this offseason. A lack of push along the interior of that defensive line and a complete absence of pressure on opposing quarterbacks has helped lead to a myriad of problems for this defense – problems that have helped lead this Raiders team to having one of the league’s worst defenses the last few seasons.

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Enter Gerald McCoy.

Recently, a rumor that McCoy could potentially be headed for the East Bay, was first pushed by ESPN’s Mike Sando, and then began to make the rounds.

"“Defensive tackle is a big question mark for the Raiders. McCoy, who turned 30 last month, remains a front-line player at the position. He is signed through 2020, with base salaries between $10 million and $13 million, and only $500,000 of proration remaining, all in 2018.Tampa Bay could use its early picks to revamp its defensive line, with an emphasis on outside rushers. There was some question among execs whether McCoy would command a second-round pick at age 30 and whether the Buccaneers could comfortably part with him.”"

The reported compensation for acquiring McCoy would be a second-round pick in the Draft.

If there’s any validity to the rumor at all, a second-rounder in exchange for a guy who’s been a wrecking ball on Tampa’s defensive front for the last eight years would be a steal.

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In his eight seasons with the Bucs, McCoy has been stout against the run (268 tackles – 201 solo), and has been fantastic at collapsing the pocket and pressuring the quarterback (48.5 sacks).

In the worst season of his career (his second season, when he was limited to just six games), McCoy still notched more sacks (1), than pending free agent Justin Ellis, who’s amassed a whopping half a sack in his four years with the team. Half a sack — in four years. That’s it.

McCoy has also forced six fumbles, recovered four others, and defensed 20 passes over his eight seasons in Tampa Bay.

Suffice it to say, McCoy would be a massive upgrade along the interior of that Oakland defensive front and would fill a glaring need.

And all for the rumored low, low price of a second-round pick – which, given how much the team has gotten from its most recent couple of second-round picks, would be a very sound investment.

Of course, the biggest sticking point would be cost. McCoy is under contract through the 2021 season – he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2022, at the age of 33. Of course, his cap hit each season will be in the neighborhood of $13 million per year.

However, after the 2018 season, if it didn’t work out as hoped, the Raiders could part ways with McCoy and incur no dead money against the cap – something we know GM Reggie McKenzie likes in a contract.

Getting an established starter who can dominate at the line of scrimmage – for a second-round pick – would be a very solid, very savvy move. It would give the Raiders a very solid pass rush – teams would be less able to key on just Khalil Mack if there’s a strong push up the gut – and make the defense better on every level.

After all, disrupt the quarterback, break his rhythm, or just drop him altogether, and he’s not going to be nearly as effective against a pass defense that’s been suspect at best.

Of course, this is all just offseason speculation and conjecture. A journalistic reading of the tea leaves, if you will. Despite the fact that an “ESPN Insider” is pushing the “story,” it’s merely rumor and a hypothetical at this point.

But… it’s one rumor and hypothetical that makes a lot of sense for a Raiders squad in need of some help.

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