The Las Vegas Raiders have been linked to veteran cornerbacks for the entire offseason. Perhaps no name was mentioned more than Miami Dolphins star Jalen Ramsey, who made it known that he wished to be traded ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
Unfortunately for the segment of Raider Nation that wanted Ramsey, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday morning. Las Vegas was not incredibly interested in Ramsey anyway, but he was certainly an option if things got dire for the Silver and Black.
Less talked about in this deal is the fact that the Dolphins also traded away starting tight end Jonnu Smith, leaving them an incredibly thin room at an important position. They are obviously stout at wide receiver and have an incredible fullback, but they could surely use a tight end to fill the void.
Michael Mayer just became a prime trade target for Dolphins
Enter Raiders tight end Michael Mayer, a former second-round pick who has struggled to get things going through his first two NFL campaigns. While the Raiders seem keen to hold onto him, the presence of All-Pro Brock Bowers could make him expendable at the right cost.
According to reporter Omar Kelly, the Dolphins have been eyeing Mayer for quite some time, but Las Vegas should not be quick to give him up. He was a star at Notre Dame, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has expressed plans to utilize both tight ends in abundance this season.
When looking at the Dolphins' tight end room, abysmal is the only word that comes to mind. Pharaoh Brown is the starter, and the backups consist of Julian Hill, Tanner Conner, Jalen Conyers and Hayden Rucci. This is not a viable group of tight ends for any serious NFL team looking to be a contender.
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Between the five of them, these players have 915 combined receiving yards at the NFL level. 715 of those come from Brown, who has played seven professional seasons and peaked with 208 yards in 2023 with the Patriots.
Given the desperation that Miami is likely feeling with their tight end room, the Raiders can drive a hard bargain for their AFC foe. While the team and fan base do not want to part ways with this potential breakout star, every player has a price.
Miami may be willing to pay a higher price than anyone, and although dealing Mayer would feel like a major "what-if," it could be a mutually beneficial deal depending on the details.
Hopefully, the Dolphins can figure out another pathway to fix their tight end room, because Mayer seems like a pivotal part of what is being built in Las Vegas. However, the Dolphins just made a ridiculous trade today, and the Raiders could be the beneficiaries of that tomorrow.