Oakland Raiders: 3 realistic trades the team could make ahead of the deadline

3. Much-needed linebacker help

There is perhaps no greater need on the Raiders roster than at linebacker.

After releasing veteran Brandon Marshall as part of final roster cuts back in August and seeing captain Vontaze Burfict be hit with a season-long suspension, the team’s two offseason acquisitions at the position are no longer on the active roster.

And while the young Nicholas Morrow has done a good job filling in alongside the incumbent Tahir Whitehead, the Raiders have a severe lack of depth at the position.

Apart from Morrow and Whitehead, the only other linebackers on the roster are Kyle Wilber, Justin Phillips, and Dakota Allen. Combined the three have 21 defensive snaps on the year with the latter two having been added to the roster within the past month.

The Raiders are only one injury away from having a special-teamer step into the starting lineup. And they could certainly use a third linebacker to play in their base 4-3 package.

That’s where a player like Jon Bostic could come in. Bostic is a six-year veteran who has started all six games this season for the Washington Redskins and is currently second on the team with 44 tackles.

The Redskins will likely be looking to sell and Bostic makes sense as a potential trade candidate given the fact that they’re reportedly looking to get 2018 sixth-round pick Shaun Dion Hamilton more snaps on defense.

Bostic is on the last year of his deal and his contract is extremely affordable. On top of that, it likely won’t cost the team much to acquire him given his expiring contract and average play.

Still, Bostic would be a welcome addition to a Raiders linebacker core that is in desperate need of experienced bodies. It wouldn’t be the blockbuster trade that many are hoping for, but it’s a realistic option that could help improve a position of need.

And after giving away a ton of draft capital already, it seems fair to only give up a seventh-rounder in the deal.