Oakland Raiders: 3 realistic trades the team could make ahead of the deadline
By Justin Fried
1. An underrated cornerback addition
The cornerback market has already begun to heat up this trade season following Tuesday’s shocking trades that saw both Jalen Ramsey and Marcus Peters dealt. And if rumors are to believed, they may not be the only corners on the move.
Players like Patrick Peterson, Chris Harris Jr., and even Xavien Howard remain at the forefront of trade rumors but will all likely demand pretty high returns. Harris might be the most attainable but it’s always more difficult to trade with a division rival.
For that reason, a player like William Jackson III on the Cincinnati Bengals could make an intriguing target.
The Raiders secondary is improved from a year ago, but could still use some work. Gareon Conley has been good at points but he isn’t a true No. 1 cornerback — at least not yet.
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And while Daryl Worley has been a welcome surprise, he’s nothing more than a solid No. 2 cornerback. On top of that, Lamarcus Joyner hasn’t had the greatest season playing in the slot.
Jackson remains one of the more underrated corners on the trade market and has the versatility to play both inside and outside. The 2016 first-rounder broke out in 2017 with a stellar season in which Pro Football Focus rated him among the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
His metrics have slowly declined since then but Cincinnati still opted to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2020 season. But given the state of the Bengals team, it’s unlikely they hand him money for a second contract.
The Raiders could send one of their two third-round picks in the upcoming draft for a player who could step in and perhaps even become the best cornerback on the roster. To help matters, the Bengals could send a future fifth-round pick back in return.
A trio of Conley, Worley, and Jackson would help solidify the Raiders secondary and make it a true strength of the team. The price is a little steep, but it would be well worth it for at the very least a year-and-a-half of the 26-year-old Jackson.
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The attention may be on players like Peterson and Harris, but Jackson could wind up being the steal of trade season.