Home run defensive trade targets for the Raiders in 2024
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders took a major step forward on the defensive side of the ball last season, as they saw improvement on all three levels. Up front, the group was once again led by Maxx Crosby, who played so well that he was a finalist for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Crosby racked up a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2023, getting help from the other side of the line by Malcolm Koonce, who had all eight of his sacks after Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach. At linebacker, Divine Deablo looked like a budding star, as he was finally healthy, and the free agency arrival of Robert Spillane proved to be money well spent.
In the secondary, we saw Trevon Moehrig revert to his rookie form, brushing off a bad second season thanks to the arrival of Marcus Epps at safety. At cornerback, Jack Jones was added late in the season, but proved to be a home run signing, while Nate Hobbs and Amik Robertson also put together solid seasons as well.
Still, despite all the growth, you can expect the Raiders to attack the defensive side of the ball in free agency and the NFL Draft this offseason, as well as possibly making some trades. Here, we look at two defensive players the Raiders should try to acquire via trades this offseason.