Trade Value Primer
Many teams will be looking for upgrades as well as to move on from bloated contracts and poor fits. The Raiders are no different. With a new head coach, there will be a few players to assess their schematic fit. Some players are untradeable either because of their contract, their importance to the team.
For the Raiders those players include Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, Rodney Hudson, and Kelechi Osemele. Carr is the franchise quarterback with a deal that could break $125 Million. Khalil Mack is the best Raiders defender in over a decade. Also, the two linemen are both the heart of the offense. With that in mind, here are a few players who may garner some looks from other teams.
Amari Cooper
Even as Amari Cooper has had his struggles through the first three seasons of his career, he has still emerged as the best receiver of his draft class and among the most talented players under 25. Cooper has been to two Pro Bowls but also led his team in drops for multiple seasons. If the Raiders were to put him on the block there would be plenty of teams lining up to buy low on him as he is just 23 years old, the same age as fellow star Alabama receiver Calvin Ridley. With a considerable amount of upside Cooper would be among the best players on the trade block with quite literally his entire career in front of him. If the Raiders were to move him, the return must be high.
Mario Edwards Jr.
Mario Edwards Jr. has been a tantalizing prospect for the Raiders since entering in 2015. He ended two of his three seasons on IR and has only notched five sacks through 30 games. Jon Gruden could decide that Edwards needed a fresh start somewhere away from the Silver and Black. However, Edwards brims with talent as an athletic freak for his size. He spent his first three seasons likely playing out of position as a 3-4 end when a 4-3 tackle seemed natural. If moved to a team who feels like they could maximize his talent, he would likely fetch something close to a fourth or fifth round pick.
DeAndre Washington/Jalen Richard
Both of these players occupy literally the same position on the team. It is likely that at least one of them is either traded or cut. Neither player took the developmental step that the Raiders had hoped for but both can be contributors on most teams. They could easily be had for late round picks, which for General Manager Reggie McKenzie would actually be a major boon since Washington was drafted in the fifth round and Richard was not drafted at all.
Clive Walford
Expected to one day become a fixture at the tight end, Walford suffered injuries and higher-level players sgrabbed his playing time. In many ways Walford is similar to, though better than, former Raider Mychal Rivera. Ultimately, Rivera was cut and not traded but if moved expect Walford to go for a fifth round pick.
