Bleacher Reports connects Raiders to big-time edge rusher ahead of trade deadline

The Las Vegas Raiders take on the Detroit Lions on Monday night in Week 8, the final day before the 2023 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. It has been an up-and-down season for the Raiders in 2023, as Josh McDaniels has yet to prove he can consistently win as a head coach in the league, the defense has struggled at times, and the offense has no identity.

Still, it is trade deadline season, which means there will be articles written all over about which potential players are going to be moved, and where their likely landing spot could be.

In a recent piece by Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report, he went through the top-10 trade deadline targets in the NFL. At No. 5, Knox spoke about New York Jets edge rusher Carl Lawson, and laid out two teams that should be in the mix for him before next Tuesday's trade deadline.

One of those teams was the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have a legitimate chance to win the AFC South this season, while the other team was the Silver and Black. Going to Las Vegas makes a lot of sense for Lawson, and the Raiders, as they look to bolster the pass rush opposite Maxx Crosby while Tyree Wilson continues to get used to the pro game.

Lawson was a big signing for the Jets prior to the 2021 season, but he ruptured his Achilles and had to sit out the entire year. In 2022, he appeared in all 17 games for New York, racking up seven sacks, but has yet to produce at the kind of level the franchise was hoping for.

Raiders to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?

The Raiders are in a weird spot heading into the trade deadline, as they are not considered a playoff contender by any means, but the front office has said they are going to try and win. That means they could be in the market for some players at the deadline, and we already know they are going to try and move on from Hunter Renfrow.

The big issue is whether or not the Raiders have the right guys pulling the strings, as McDaniels and Dave Ziegler have not proven they can get the job done. In an attempt to bring the outdated "Patriot Way" to Las Vegas, the duo has stripped the roster down, and right now, they look worse than ever.