Oakland Raiders: Looking at the pros and cons of dealing Khalil Mack

Pro: Two first-round picks plus

Though it’s not believed to be all the Raiders are getting in this haul, the report that the Bears did meet the asking price of two first-round picks for Mack, puts the Raiders in a very good position.

Las Vegas Raiders

If the report is true, the Raiders having two first-round picks in each of the next two seasons is huge. Not only does it put them in a position to land some premium talent, it could also give them some leverage when teams inevitably come sniffing around as they jockey for position in the Draft.

Whatever other compensation they get is obviously gravy, but netting a haul of picks – most especially, those two-first rounders – can help Gruden and McKenzie stock this roster with solid young (and “cheap”) talent for some years to come.

Obviously, there’s no way of knowing if the picks will pan out. It’s a risk you take when you’re drafting. For every Khalil Mack, there’s a dozen JaMarcus Russell‘s out there. The NFL landscape is littered with the charred wreckage of failed draft picks.

But still, having extra draft picks – especially extra first-rounders – gives the Raiders a lot of flexibility in a lot of different ways.

You never want to see a generational talent like Mack walk out the door – or in this case, get a firm boot in the backside on his way out – but, by making this move, the Raiders have put themselves in a position for years to come.