The Las Vegas Raiders brought in general manager John Spytek this offseason to replace Tom Telesco. It is very possible that fans will look back at this decision years from now as the one most responsible for turning around the franchise.
Spytek made splashy moves like trading for Geno Smith and extending Maxx Crosby in his first year at the helm. But he also signed several high-value veterans, brought in 11 rookies through the draft and was clearly factoring in the compensatory pick formula during free agency.
Success has followed Spytek everywhere he has gone, and a large reason for that is his knack for talent evaluation. This should give Raider Nation hope for the team's new additions, and almost any player that he previously signed or drafted should be on the table.
Las Vegas lands CB Jamel Dean in Raiders-Bucs trade idea
On Thursday, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin proposed five NFL trade ideas. One had the Raiders trading for Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean, who is a Super Bowl champion and is familiar with Spytek from their days in Tampa Bay.
"Dean's six-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers includes a Super Bowl title and big-money extension, but the veteran has been frequently mentioned as a potential cut or trade candidate due to a $15 million 2025 cap hit, almost all of which the Bucs could clear from their books by dealing Dean elsewhere," Benjamin wrote. "Las Vegas is a logical landing spot firstly because new coach Pete Carroll still lacks formidable answers at cornerback, secondly because the Raiders have more than $30 million in available cap space, and thirdly because there's a personal connection here: New general manager John Spytek directed the Bucs' player personnel department when Dean was drafted in 2019."
That is certainly a laundry list of reasons why Dean makes sense for the Raiders. The six-year NFL veteran has 313 tackles, eight interceptions and 52 passes defended under his belt, and he is just 28 years old. He could be both an immediate solution and a part of the team's future.
RELATED: Pete Carroll just lost a Pro Bowl CB to the last team Raiders fans expected
While this seems like it could be a perfect pairing, however, several factors could make a deal less likely to happen.
"Even if Dean is more serviceable than special at a lofty price, the Bucs are trying to defend their NFC South crown," Benjamin wrote. "Jettisoning such an experienced corner would put immediate pressure on rookie corners like Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish to have a playoff-caliber impact."
Raider Nation has been clamoring for a veteran cornerback this offseason, and with Jalen Ramsey seemingly off the table, Dean may provide a solid solution. He should also be familiar with minority owner Tom Brady, and the more Super Bowl-winning pieces in Las Vegas, the better.