The Oakland Raiders are in need of a true number one wide receiver, and rumors are surfacing of Stefon Diggs requesting a trade.
The Raiders number one wide receiver as of now is Tyrell Williams, and although Williams has proven to be a great player, the Raiders could use a lot of help at the position.
Stefon Diggs has been one of the best receivers in the NFL for a few years, but he has fallen off a bit this year, and it is easy to see why he would be frustrated. With the rise of Adam Thielen as the Vikings top receiver, Diggs numbers and targets have started to drop off tremendously.
After three weeks of football, Diggs only has six receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Diggs has not caught more than three balls in one game this season, despite having the skills of one of the best receivers in the NFL.
If Diggs really is looking for a new home, should the Oakland Raiders make a move for him? Diggs is in his fifth season in the NFL, as he is only 25 years old, the same age as former Raiders receiver Amari Cooper.
If Diggs wants out of Minnesota, it will have to be via trade considering he is under contract until 2024. The Raiders have the money and the draft picks to get Diggs, but would it be worth it?
This upcoming draft is loaded with wide receiver talent, and it is hard to imagine the Raiders not taking one early in the draft. If it weren’t for Antonio Brown, the Raiders would have drafted a receiver in the first few rounds of last year’s draft.
The Raiders traded Amari Cooper for a first-round draft pick a year ago, and with two first-round picks next year, it would make sense for them to use one on Diggs if they do not believe that there is a good enough talent in the draft.
Although Cooper and Diggs share similarities, the difference in a trade between these two is that Amari Cooper was still on his rookie contract, while Diggs is on a five year $72 million contract. For the Raiders to give away a first-round draft pick and picking up that contract sounds like a bit too much, but if the team could get him for less, they should.
Diggs would help turn this offense around quickly, and the Raiders could help him turn his own season around, as well. I would expect the Raiders to make a run at Diggs if the trade rumors are true, but I am not sure they would give away a first-round pick for him.