The Las Vegas Raiders are playing in one of the toughest division in the NFL. There are high expectations for head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock after another offseason of head-scratching decisions in both the draft and free agency. Gruden and Mayock need a strong season to avoid the hot seat, and this roster has a lot of holes that need to be filled before the 2021 season kicks off.
There are quite a few positions on this Vegas roster that could use some improvement, but three stick out as glaring weak points. Safety, defensive tackle and the interior of the offensive line could all use some help before the preseason gets here. Luckily for the Raiders, there are plenty of trade options at all three of these positions.
Here are three potential trade candidates for the Raiders.
Jason McCourty
While McCourty is primarily a cornerback, he's played safety for long stretches throughout his career. He played a small role with the New England Patriots last season and posted a modest stat line of 42 tackles and three passes defensed. His stats aren't that important, as this trade isn't so much about getting tons of production from McCourty. The Raiders' secondary is one of the youngest units in the league, and a veteran presence like McCourty would be extremely helpful to the position group. He would also serve as a backup to cornerback Damon Arnette and safety Jonathan Abram, both of whom have suffered serious injuries in the past.
McCourty's current team, the Miami Dolphins, are loaded in the secondary. They can certainly stand to spare McCourty for the right price. Miami head coach Brian Flores probably values McCourty and his experience highly, so a fourth or fifth round pick may have to change hands to make this happen.
Matt Ioannidis
Matt Ioannidis is a criminally underrated defensive tackle. He's coming off of a season for the Washington Football Team that was marred by injuries, playing in only three games in 2020. In those three games Ioannidis posted 1.5 sacks, 4 quarterback hits, and 7 tackles. The former Temple Owl is one of the better pass-rushing defensive tackles in the NFL, something the Raiders could definitely use. Ioannidis would walk into Las Vegas's facility and be the best defensive tackle on the team, which should be a welcome upgrade over his rotational status in Washington.
The Football Team is the most stacked team in the league along the defensive line. All four starters are former first round picks, and they have good rotational depth even without Ioannidis. Acquiring Ioannidis won't be cheap because of how good of a player he is, but a third round pick should be the right price.
Justin McCray
This definitely isn't the most glamorous trade that the Raiders can make, but it may be the most important. McCray is a fifth-year offensive lineman currently playing for the Houston Texans. The UCF product has started games for the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons throughout his career. He's shown versatility across the offensive line, as he can play guard or center. The Raiders are currently set to Andre James at center and Denzelle Goode at guard. Both have very little starting experience and are essentially question marks. If one of them doesn't work out, it would be nice to have a solid backup ready to step in. McCray can fill that role perfectly.
The Texans should be very open to any trade offer that comes their way, so this deal should be pretty easy to get done. A late round pick for McCray seems like fair compensation.
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