The Questions the Raiders Must Ask Themselves

At 2 - 5, the Las Vegas Raiders are nowhere where they want to be, exiting their week 8 bye. They have already shaken up their roster by adding Tyler Lockett, and are prime candidates to continue their roster shakeup ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Thomas Valentine is a sports writer for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down which hypothetical trade candidates he's selling and which ones he's buying into. For the Raiders, two of their stars made the list with two daunting decisions on their hand. The first player the Raiders must take a look at and think hard about is their franchise star, Maxx Crosby.

Crosby Going Nowhere

"The Raiders' slow start has led to rumblings that star edge defender Maxx Crosby (78.0 grade; 21st) could be on the move, with the Dallas Cowboys particularly interested in his services. The Cowboys have an extra first-round pick after trading away Micah Parsons (92.5 grade; 1st) to the Green Bay Packers on the eve of the season. Although Dallas’ offense is fourth in EPA per play, the defense ranks dead last in EPA per play allowed", said Valentine.

This is an intriguing trade proposal for the Raiders that they must put into consideration. Crosby means so much to their franchise, but nobody on their roster should be safe except for Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers.

However, I would argue that Crosby's name should be on their untouchable list. He embodies what it means to be a Raider, and trading him away would be a massive blow to their defense, but their fan base as well.

He's been one of the few bright spots on their team and has had performances worthy of Defensive Player of the Year consideration. He won't win it due to the overall success of the Raiders, but to trade away a perennial candidate for the award would be a tough pill to swallow for Raider Nation, regardless of what they get in return.

"However, all the signs point toward us cooling the jets on this one. The Raiders have made it clear that they have no intention of trading away Crosby, who signed a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension this offseason. We’re selling this one; the Cowboys will have to find a Parsons replacement elsewhere".

I'm glad that Valentine agrees that Crosby being traded is very unlikely. He signed a massive extension in the off-season, and it's clear that Las Vegas is his home. The Raiders haven't crashed and burned that hard for them to be selling one of their franchise players, but they have done enough damage to themselves where the movement of a secondary star isn't out of the question.

The Clock Is Ticking

Jakobi Meyers has been subject to loads of trade rumors, which makes sense as his trade request before the season began hasn't been upheld by the Raiders. With many teams in need of a secondary receiver, it's no surprise that Meyers finds himself in yet another hypothetical trade.

"Even with his major role in the offense, there’s clearly unrest. Meyers wanted a new deal ahead of the 2025 season and even requested a trade but was granted neither. With the deadline approaching, Meyers has been seen as a possible fit for the Steelers, Giants and Patriots — where he spent the first four years of his career. The veteran is an excellent route runner, especially out of the slot — where he lines up on 61.9% of his snaps".

The Raiders' addition of Lockett makes it pretty clear to me that Meyers' time in the Silver and Black is winding down. He hasn't been able to get back to the player he was in 2024 due to the Raiders' poor quarterback play.

The best part about this for the Raiders is that Meyers has shown he's still talented, which is why he has so much buzz around him. This is a trade candidate that Valentine believes will be moved, and I'd be shocked if he's still on the team past the trade deadline.

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