All 4-4 records are created differently. And for the Las Vegas Raiders, there is no surefire way they should handle the upcoming trade deadline, as they are hovering perfectly in the middle. Fans would not blame John Spytek for being aggressive in what is a potential playoff window for the team.
At the same time, Raider Nation is largely fine with selling off select pieces to get more draft capital, as this franchise is still very much in phase one of a rebuild. Plus, the odds of bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to Las Vegas still feel quite slim in the current landscape of the AFC and the NFL.
But Spytek has a keen eye for making beneficial trades, and there is certainly an argument to let him tinker around with the roster and do a little bit of both. So, here are three players that the Silver and Black should still try to trade for, and three that they could trade away to balance the scales.
Players the Raiders should trade for
A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Bucs
Robinson is an elite run defender and mainly lines up at nose, which is what the Raiders badly need right now. He has been in the same building as Joe DeCamillis before, and Spytek knows Bucs GM Jason Licht very well from his decade of working with him. Tampa Bay is not dead at all in a weak NFC South race, but they're going nowhere fast this year and should consider a Day 3 pick for him.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jags
I refuse to believe that an entire season of elite work as a rookie was a fluke; Thomas Jr. still has that ability in him somewhere. And it may take a change of scenery for him to unlock it, so Las Vegas can provide that for him in an offense with far fewer mouths to feed. He's got true X receiver potential and could be a long-term piece as a fresh 24-year-old. So long as the price is not too high, I'd love this.
Cesar Ruiz, G, Saints
Ruiz is a bona fide veteran but still young enough at 27 to be part of the long-term future. He's been lights-out for the Saints this year in pass protection, and although New Orleans does not run the ball well, they are most effective running off Ruiz at 4.1 yards per carry. If the Raiders aren't sure about Zuhn III or Burford as starters, or want to replace a certain someone at the deadline, Ruiz would rock.
Players the Raiders should trade away
Jackson Powers-Johnson
Look, I am a huge fan of Powers-Johnson and want so badly for him to be the guy at one of the guard spots. But at a certain point, he doesn't look like an extension candidate this offseason or even a guy they'll re-sign in 2028, nor does JPJ seem to be in the running for a starting job anymore. Zuhn III is starting, and Caleb Rogers came in as the extra sixth lineman. Is he effectively the fourth guard now?
He is way too talented and has too much value as a former second-round pick, with another year and a half of his rookie deal still to use, for Spytek and Klint Kubiak to have him on the bench. If an offer comes along for an early Day 3 pick, or if you can package him for another player, Las Vegas should do it at this point and give him a fresh start while recouping some capital, as disappointing as that is.
Isaiah Pola-Mao
Pola-Mao probably doesn't have much value, as he'd be a rental and doesn't carry the same weight in NFL circles as a former UDFA and only a part-time starter in his five-year career. But plenty of teams need safety help, and he's got experience at both. Plus, Pola-Mao is a great special-teamer and is, by all accounts, a good leader and locker room guy. If a Day 3 pick swap is on the table, you do it.
Kirk Cousins/Aidan O'Connell
Hear me out.
Kirk Cousins is obviously ballin', even if some of his numbers are a bit misleading. But he's got the Raiders' offense humming like never before, and his value will never be higher. The Vikings are reportedly looking for a quarterback, and with Fernando Mendoza sitting in the bullpen, Las Vegas should still consider trading Cousins if they get an offer they can't refuse, like a Day 2 pick in 2027.
Obviously, they can't trade Cousins and O'Connell, so we've lumped them into one here. O'Connell hasn't played at all this year but has a solid résumé, even if his last few outings have been iffy. He has made it clear that he wants to start in the NFL, wherever that is, so I'm not so sure that he wouldn't welcome a trade at this point. Again, if a Day 3 pick swap is offered, the Raiders should do it.
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