The Las Vegas Raiders are at a critical juncture of the preseason, as is the rest of the NFL.
By now, the Raiders know which areas of the roster they are lacking in, as well as which ones are deeper. With the roster cutoff date less than ten days away, teams will be looking at which assets can be dangled from their current surplus. The Raiders are no exception, and they could be looking to make a final move or two to prepare themselves for the season ahead.
NFL Trade Rumors has compiled a list of trade options that teams could make available before the cutoff date. With this, fans can see which players might be up for grabs, whether as a last-minute trade or a potential waiver claim. Wide receiver John Metchie III and defensive tackle Khalen Saunders have both been traded since appearing on the list, so there is reason to believe that these players are legitimately on the block.
For the Raiders, three needs are becoming clear: wide receiver, cornerback, and defensive line. The team could use depth at the receiver position in case no one steps up behind Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, while cornerback and defensive line have had up-and-down play throughout the preseason.
Keeping that in mind, here are five options the Raiders could look into pursuing.
Trey Palmer/Rakim Jarrett, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It is clear that the Raiders are emphasizing the deep ball to their offense, so adding a deep threat to the receiving room makes sense.
The Buccaneers have one of the deepest receiver cores in the NFL, and they added to it this offseason. They double-dipped in the draft with first-round pick Emeka Egbuka and seventh-round pick Tez Johnson, as well as adding Sterling Shepard in free agency. That leaves players like Palmer and Jarrett squarely on the roster bubble, both of whom are receivers heading into their third NFL seasons (while current Raiders general manager John Spytek was in the front office, no less) having shown flashes of big-play ability.
Adding either player to the Raiders receiving room gives the team more options. Both can serve as outside receivers, giving Tre Turner and Jack Bech more opportunities to work inside the slot. They can also compete with Dont’e Thornton Jr. if the fourth-round pick is not ready to start right out of the gates, giving either one an opportunity at major playing time.
Dante Stills, DT, Arizona Cardinals
With the Raiders possibly looking for defensive line help amidst a wave of injuries, why not scout their next preseason opponent?
Still is a surprising name to see on the list, but the roster math might not check out in his favor. The Cardinals signed Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson this offseason, and have spent their last two first-round picks on players with similar profiles (Darius Robinson and Walter Nolen). Despite leading Arizona’s defensive line in sacks and tackles the past two seasons, the Cardinals still seem to not have as much faith as the numbers suggest.
If the Raiders sense trouble, they can snag Stills at a reasonable rate and plug him into their lineup with no issues. Adding him as a rotational pass rusher could help out the defensive line, which has struggled to get to the quarterback in the first two preseason games. Also, the Raiders are working with versatile defensive linemen like Stills, with Tyree Wilson, Thomas Booker IV and Tonka Hemingway all profiling as such.
Joshua Williams, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
It is unclear if the Raiders would get any help from division rivals, but the Chiefs might be fine to get something instead of nothing at all.
Similar to the other players on the list, Williams is a solid player hurt by moves made this offseason. The Chiefs pushed Williams down the depth chart by signing Kristian Fulton in the offseason, as well as drafting Nohl Williams in the third round. Williams is currently battling Nazeeh Johnson for what is likely the final cornerback slot, but the Chiefs could decide to flip him for extra draft capital instead.
Williams ranked 90th out of 222 cornerbacks with a 64.3 grade from Pro Football Focus last season, suggesting he can hold his own at cornerback. That is perfect for the Raiders, who are currently embroiled in a four-man race for their starting cornerback slots. Williams does add to that math, but he also brings with him a track record of strong play in recent seasons, which can give him a leg up on the competition.
Also working in Williams’s favor is his six-foot-three frame, so head coach Pete Carroll will have no problem finding a spot for him.
Zach Harrison, DL, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have plenty of defensive linemen worth choosing from, so the Raiders might be spoiled for choice if they decide to seek reinforcements.
Out of the group that might be available, Harrison is the one that stands out as the most intriguing. Harrison was chosen by the same front office in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but the entire defensive coaching staff has been switched around. With the Falcons continuing to add along the trenches, Harrison is at risk of being a player without a set role.
As stated with Stills, the Raiders are valuing versatile defensive linemen at the moment, and Harrison fits the bill. A player who can play on the edge as well as on the interior, Harrison has emerged as a solid run defender in his two seasons in the NFL. Add to that his continued development and the fact he is on his rookie contract for this and next season, and the Raiders would do well to bring him in if the Falcons place him on the market.
