Going into the season, it didn't seem like the Raiders were short on pass rushers. Maxx Crosby and Malcom Koonce were The Guys, but backup role players like Tyree Wilson (sigh) and Charles Snowden were being counted on to fill out a deep room.
Then Koonce got hurt, Wilson wasn't effective – and then got hurt while filling in for Koonce – and all of a sudden the Raiders suddenly look pretty thing on the edge. And while that's never a good thing, it is, in this one specific instance, kinda convenient; it's not everyday that a two-time Pro Bowl, former All-Pro pass rusher is available for cheap.
RELATED: Raiders' next franchise quarterback could be right under Antonio Pierce's nose
Hasson Reddick doesn't want to play for the Jets. If his holdout didn't make that perfectly clear, the fact that he's being publicly open about it probably does. Reddick's looking for a new contract, and the Jets have had a hard time figuring out how what to do about it. Fortunately, Bleacher Report has stepped in and done what the Jets couldn't. In a big piece titled, "6 New Hypothetical NFL Trade Packages for Haason Reddick amid Jets Contract Dispute," B/R pitches a Raiders trade that simply cannot be ignored.
Raiders could trade Michael Mayer for Haason Reddick, apparently?
Raiders Get: Edge Haason Reddick
Jets Get: TE Michael Mayer
"To land Reddick, the Raiders could offer 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer. The former Notre Dame tight end has flashed some promise at the NFL level, but is likely stuck behind rookie Brock Bowers in Las Vegas' priority order ... Tight end is one of the few positions on New York's offensive depth chart that could clearly use a significant boost. Mayer possesses more upside than proven production, but he'd have a chance to supplant Tyler Conklin as Rodgers' top receiving target at the position right away."
I *love* this idea. Thank you, Bleacher Report. Getting a bonafide star pass rusher for TE3? Getting a guy who has 50 sacks over the past four seasons in a one-for-one player trade for a tight end that's clearly not going to get real reps on the Raiders is the steal of a lifetime. The Raiders defense looks pretty good as it is – getting Reddick on the edge, opposite of Crosby, would make them one of the best units in football. If you're reading this, Tom Telesco, give B/R a call. They've got some interesting ideas you should hear about.