The Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with a well-known defensive standout in Johnathan Hankins. Are there more moves on the horizon?
With the NFL trade deadline quickly approaching, several teams are starting to pull the trigger on deals across the league, and the Las Vegas Raiders should be in the mix. General manager Dave Ziegler is clearly on a mission to acquire as much draft capital as he can.
Well, he continued to stockpile more picks this week, and this time, he shipped out established run defender Johnathan Hankins to the Dallas Cowboys. Needless to say, some fans are surprised by the move.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Raiders will receive a sixth-round pick in exchange for Hankins. Zeigler is also sending a seventh-round selection to Dallas, think of it as the price to acquire a sixth-rounder.
When it comes to this deal, there are a couple of ways that people are processing it. Some fans grow attached to players rather than their actual on-field production. Was Hankins a solid interior defender? Yes, he was.
At the same time, this coaching staff was quickly moving away from Hankins in favor of the youth on the defensive line. In fact, Hankins didn’t play against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the bye week. This past Sunday, against the Houston Texans, Hankins played just 18 percent of the snaps, as pointed out by Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton.
Are the Raiders in better shape after this trade? Possibly. Let’s look at some reasons why this might actually be the case.
Reason No. 1: Raiders GM Dave Ziegler is building a hefty war chest
The New England Patriots have consistently built and rebuilt their roster through the draft for the better part of a generation. Ziegler comes from that tree, though it should be noted he’s working on his own philosophy, not entirely copying the “Patriot Way.” However, it’s becoming clear he’s amassing as much draft capital as possible.
According to Spotrac, the Raiders currently have their first three picks (1st, 2nd, and 3rd round), along with two 4th round selections, though one of them is a projected compensatory pick due to Marcus Mariota. You then have two 5th-rounders and two 6th-round picks thanks to the Hankins deal. Finally, the Raiders have three potential 7th-round selections, though one is a projected compensatory pick as well.
All in all, the Raiders could end up with almost 12 picks, and what’s scarier is that Ziegler might not be done yet.
Reason No. 2: Playing the rookies helps the Raiders in the long run
It’s more than fair to point out that it doesn’t make sense to ship out any defensive players when the team’s unit is struggling. How are you going to thin out a defensive line that’s lacked a consistent pass rush? At least from the interior, as we all know the job that Maxx Crosby is doing. Well, the team wants to see what they truly have in two of their draft picks this year. We’re referring to Neil Farrell and Matthew Butler.
The team made a hefty investment in these two this past April. The Raiders are looking at this from a big picture standpoint. Hankins wasn’t going to improve; rather he’s been declining. In response, start to give your rookies more playing time. See what they can do, though to be fair, they’ve been inconsistent when they’ve seen the field.
You also have Andrew Billings, who’s looked better than Hankins when given the opportunity. He’s earned a 68.7 grade in run defense based on 94 snaps played while defending the run.
Reason No. 3: Johnathan Hankins had been declining
Speaking of Hankins, the fact is, we’ve seen his play rapidly decline over the past couple of years. Back in 2020, he earned impressive PFF grades when it came to defending the run. The Raiders heavily relied on his presence, playing 320 snaps in run defense and earning a 68.8 grade in that department.
Regrettably, it’s been a downward spiral since that season. 48.1 and 53.2 grades in the same area no longer scream “elite.” Instead, it means you’re an expendable piece. The coaching staff was moving in a different direction when you see how the snaps were being divvied up. It was likely just a matter of time for Hankins.
Raiders: Mack Hollins the latest receiver revitalized by Derek Carr
Derek Carr has revitalized the career of Mack Hollins who is another in a long line of receivers to find new life with the Raiders QB.
Sooner or later, the youth movement was going to become a point of emphasis for this Raiders defensive line. Barring any other moves, it’ll be interesting to see how this comes together ahead of their next game.