The Las Vegas Raiders put an end to their four-game skid on Sunday morning with a big win over the New York Jets. The result of the Week 8 contest was always going to have wide-ranging implications because of the looming trade deadline, but now the Silver and Black are in a bit of a pickle.
John Spytek has a number of paths to travel down, and with a 4-4 record, all of them have clear benefits and drawbacks. Should the Raiders be sellers? Should they be buyers? Should Las Vegas just stand pat and only bite if an obvious package or target falls into its lap?
Luckily, the team still has until November 10 to make such decisions, and a big game against the San Francisco 49ers will be played in the interim. That contest will certainly go a long way in determining which plan of action is best for Spytek and the front office, but let's evaluate each option anyway.
Why Raiders should still be buyers at the deadline
Klint Kubiak's team is 4-4, currently sitting in ninth place in the AFC playoff picture, and the harrowing part of their schedule is in the rearview mirror. Plus, the margins are razor-thin in the conference, so the Raiders are far from being out of it. A playoff appearance is still in sight, and anything can happen.
But Las Vegas is still a few pieces away, and it can't compete with the very best in its current form. They narrowly lost to two of the AFC's top teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, so a big addition at a key spot like wide receiver, defensive tackle or guard could make a real difference.
With plenty of cap space this year and beyond, plus a full slate of seven picks next year (the Raiders have no seventh-rounder but an extra pick in the sixth round), Spytek and the front office could make a case for giving up some of those resources to solidify a potential run this year.
Plus, draft picks always sound better in theory until they become a name and an actual player. The reality of these picks is never as picture-perfect as the hope and optimism surrounding them when they are just an idea.
Raider Nation knows that it has been a while since the team was in the mix near the deadline, and a part of us wants to see this through and give the current squad a chance to compete. Fans know that it may be a while until we are back in this situation, even with the franchise's positive direction.
Giving up capital to pay for a potential game-changer would be both exciting and a signal from the leadership in Las Vegas that this rebuild is ahead of schedule, and they see a legitimate path toward competing for a playoff spot and perhaps even more.
Why Las Vegas should still look to sell at the trade deadline
Although the Raiders are 4-4, they haven't exactly beaten a good team yet. And while they competed with the Chiefs and Bills, they got blown out by the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, both of whom were short-staffed. This team is probably further from competing than we think.
Lest we forget that Sunday's narrow win against a bad New York Jets team was their first win in over a month.
In reality, there are not many players available at the deadline who are difference-makers at spots that Las Vegas needs. And with bidding wars going on for the top targets, the Silver and Black would have to pay a hefty price to get any kind of show-stopping talent.
Yes, the Raiders seem to be further ahead in their rebuild than anticipated, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a rebuild. And if valuable veterans on the roster are coveted by other teams, namely Maxx Crosby and Kirk Cousins, getting picks for those aging players wouldn't be a bad move.
Cousins won't be around when Las Vegas finally turns it around. Crosby has shown signs of slowing down this year, as has Kolton Miller. The value of these three players may never be as high again as it is right now, and an argument certainly exists to keep building the roster with younger, cheaper guys.
Other players like Jackson Powers-Johnson and Isaiah Pola-Mao could net the team late-round draft picks or a Day 3 pick swap, and given their current roles, the Raiders would be wise to strike deals. The more draft capital Spytek has, and the fewer expensive, long-term deals they have, the better.
If this roster isn't ready to compete for the playoffs, much less a Super Bowl, it'd be best not to buy and perhaps still to sell.
What should John Spytek do at the deadline?
While this sounds like a cop-out answer, it's the best one: stay put and read the market.
Should a potentially impactful player become available at the right price, it wouldn't be foolish to take a flyer on them. If a team comes along with an offer that the Raiders can't refuse for a player on the team, then they should ship them off. But Las Vegas doesn't need to force anything.
This team is in such a unique position with a 4-4 record and a blend of valuable veterans and young commodities. They can try to compete this year, and nobody would blame them, but the front office and staff have earned trust from fans to buy further into the rebuild as well, if that's the path they take.
Over the last few years, the Raiders have been sellers, and rightfully so; it was the obvious choice. But after beating the Jets, there is no clear path forward for the Silver and Black. Luckily, I still believe in this leadership tandem, so all roads may very well lead to Rome.
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