The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2022 season with a lot of optimism after bringing in Josh McDaniels as head coach and making a big trade for wide receiver Davante Adams. The former All-Pro wide receiver played with Derek Carr at Fresno State and the hope was that these changes could help get the Raiders back to the playoffs.
In the end, that is not how the season played out and the Raiders finished the season with a 6-11 record and probably more questions than answers entering this offseason. This could be a pivotal next few months for the offseason and if they are going to build toward the future, these are four players they should consider trading for draft picks, starting with their quarterback.
4 players the Las Vegas Raiders may trade for draft picks this offseason
Derek Carr
It was reported on Thursday by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that the Las Vegas Raiders would begin exploring trade possibilities for quarterback Derek Carr. However, the former starting quarterback does have a no-trade clause so any potential deal would need to be signed off on by Carr.
Carr has been the starting quarterback for nine seasons for the Raiders and did have three straight Pro Bowl nominations from 2015-2017. There will certainly be teams interested in acquiring him and among the players on this list would probably bring back the most draft picks for the Raiders.
Darren Waller
The next three players are likely only available in a trade if the Las Vegas Raiders want to go into a full rebuild. If they believe they can get to the playoffs with a different quarterback, potentially someone like Tom Brady, then they likely don’t explore trade options for these players.
However, for the sake of this article let’s assume they are going to try and rebuild by adding younger players for more long-term success.
One player that would generate interest if they become available is tight end Darren Waller. In 2019, Waller had a breakout season and would surpass 1,100 receiving yards that season along with another 1,100 receiving yards in 2020. He would be named to his first and only Pro Bowl in 2020.
However, he has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons and has not been able to have the same impact. If Waller becomes available, he likely would be able to bring back a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick and would generate interest from teams who are chasing a Super Bowl title like the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hunter Renfrow
In 2021, Hunter Renfrow had an excellent season with 103 receptions, 1,038 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns. However, similar to Waller he took a step backward this season due in large part to injuries that kept him off the field.
The former Clemson wide receiver has developed into one of the top slot receivers in the league and built a reputation of being a reliable pass catcher in that part of the field. He has a career catch rate of 75% and over four seasons has only nine total drops.
If Renfrow were to become available in a trade, a team like the Buffalo Bills probably would be very interested as this is a big part of their offense but has struggled to get consistent performance from Isaiah McKenzie this season to the point that they brought back Cole Beasley.
The biggest hurdle likely in a Hunter Renfrow trade is the contract he currently has. According to Spotrac, if he were to be traded before June 1st, it would result in more dead cap than cap savings. However, if they are rebuilding it would be beneficial to take that dead cap this season and free up more cap space in the future.
Chandler Jones
Aside from the Davante Adams trade, the biggest offseason move last year was the signing of then free agent Chandler Jones. The former Arizona Cardinals pass rusher signed a three-year, $51 million dollar contract but finished the season with only 4.5 sacks and 15 QB hits in 15 games.
However, if this is the only season Chandler Jones plays with the Raiders, he will always be remembered for completing one of the most miraculous plays in NFL history in his fumble return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots.
The reason the Raiders would consider trading Jones is that he is towards the end of his career at 32 years old. If they are going to rebuild, he likely won’t be playing at the same level two or three years from now.
Similar to Hunter Renfrow, if the Raiders were to trade him they wouldn’t get much relief in terms of salary cap with the cap savings only $200,000 more than the dead cap according to Spotrac. However, the goal is to add more picks to fill out the roster and if they are able to get a Day 2 draft pick for Jones, it is something they seriously need to consider.