NFL analyst names 3 Las Vegas Raiders who could get traded before camp

NFL analyst names 3 Las Vegas Raiders who could get traded before camp

The Las Vegas Raiders still have some question marks on both sides of the ball going into training camp and it's possible general manager Tom Telesco will make a move or moves to address them.

One avenue, of course, is free agency, where the Raiders have a robust $34.1 million to work with, according to Over the Cap. The less likely avenue is via trade, but that can never be ruled out.

If the Raiders go the latter route, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox believes there are three players Las Vegas could part with in a trade: defensive end Malcolm Koonce, defensive tackle Adam Butler and tight end Michael Mayer.

Knox reasons that the Raiders could trade Koonce because he's in the final year of his deal, and because doing so would open up more playing time for former No. 7 overall pick, Tyree Wilson.

Knox has similar reasons for mentioning Butler, who is also in the final year of his deal and is in line to limit 2023 third-round pick Byron Young's playing time. The reason behind Mayer's presence on the list has to do with the Raiders' addition of Brock Bowers in the 2024 NFL Draft.

While Knox has some logical reasons, it's doubtful the Raiders part with any of the three.

Koonce is the team's second-best pass-rusher and a key member of what should be a great defense and the strength of this team. He's also only 26, making him a potential long-term solution opposite Maxx Crosby if he earns an extension.

Butler is a valuable backup at a position where the Raiders are already thin behind starters John Jenkins and Christian Wilkins. And, as is the case with Wilson, Young has yet to prove he's even capable of handling a bigger role.

Mayer is probably the most expendable of the three, simply because of the addition of Bowers, and with the team also having a solid backup in Harrison Bryant.

However, Mayer is a better playmaker than Bryant and two tight-end sets — which offensive coordinator Luke Getsy used at the eighth-highest rate in the NFL last season while with the Chicago Bears — with Mayer and Bowers would create matchup problems and add another element to the offense.

On top of that, Mayer's plus blocking ability will free Bowers up to be more of a playmaker, something he can be from just about anywhere on the field, including out of the slot and the backfield.

Barring a fantastic offer and/or the team having a ton of faith in the guys behind them being able to step up, don't expect any of these three to be traded before training camp.