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Oakland Raiders: 3 trades that could send Ezekiel Elliott to Oakland

By James Carroll

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys spits water during warmups before the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on November 22, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys spits water during warmups before the game against the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium on November 22, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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Oakland Raiders
GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 18: Gareon Conley #21 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates an interception in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. Oakland Raiders (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Trade 3: 2020 First (OAK) and Gareon Conley (CB) for Ezekiel Elliott

You’ve probably caught on by now that the first thing that the Cowboys will be looking for out of the Raiders in a trade for Elliott will be a first-round draft pick for the next NFL Draft. This trade is no different.

However, the Raiders could potentially wave Gareon Conley as a piece to bargain with and it might just be enough to complete this trade with only a single pick being sent over to Dallas.

While running backs do not have a consistently game-changing impact for teams, cornerbacks definitely can have that effect. It’s a premier position in the NFL that usually separates the great teams from the good teams.

Conley was selected 24th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. As a Buckeye, he played alongside Elliott on a team that would win the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship.

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    • Out of college, he wasn’t completely polished. While he displayed excellent quickness and an ability to remain glued to receivers, there was some criticism that he’d need to play more physical. There wasn’t even a wide consensus in where he ranked as a cornerback in his own draft class.

    Conley would have a difficult beginning to his 2018 season — eventually getting benched because of his struggles in the defensive backfield. When he returned, however, something clicked in him.

    The second half of the season revealed some very convincing promise in his ability to shut down receivers. In a matter of just a few weeks, Conley would go from reconsidering his role while sitting on the bench to being poised to lead the secondary.

    This preseason, he has also assuredly benefited from picking at the mind of a premier receiver in Antonio Brown, who has challenged him at practice.

    It never hurts to take on another talented cornerback, even if the Cowboys may like where they’re at. Pairing Conley with Byron Jones or being reimagined in the scheme could translate to a very solid pickup for Dallas that has an immediate impact.

    At the very least, taking on Gareon Conley would be a huge help for a Dallas team that faces the possibility of losing their Pro-Bowl cornerback to free agency this upcoming offseason.

    For the Raiders, it would be a big blow to the secondary.

    While this trade might initially appear as though it’s the best bargain price since it lacks a second pick, it would be difficult for the Raiders to come to terms with not only giving up their No. 1 cornerback, but also a pick that could wind up in the top-five.

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