The Oakland Raiders have never been afraid of acquiring stars who may be in disgruntled situations. This year alone, the team traded for Antonio Brown and signed Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams, and Lamarcus Joyner.
With that in mind, could the Raiders be interested in trading for one of the league’s best cornerbacks? In a recent article by Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, he named the Raiders as a potential destination for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, whose time in Jacksonville may be coming to an end.
With the Raiders having two first-round picks in next year’s draft and an abundance of cap space, the team certainly has the assets to acquire such a player, if available. Take a look at Gagnon’s reasoning for the Raiders being potentially interested in a trade for Ramsey:
The Raiders could also use help at cornerback, where the jury is still far from in on youngsters Gareon Conley, Nick Nelson and Trayvon Mullen. With veteran Rashaan Melvin gone, there isn’t a lot of experience there, and Jalen Ramsey is a game-changing corner.
Would the Jacksonville Jaguars actually trade a 24-year-old star who’s coming off a Pro Bowl season at a premium position? It’s not out of the question when you consider Jacksonville is projected by Spotrac to be $34 million over the salary cap next offseason, and that Ramsey’s fifth-year option would cost the team $13.7 million.
That number alone isn’t unreasonable for a player of his ilk, but there’s no flexibility without a long-term deal, and the outspoken Ramsey has already voiced his displeasure about his contract situation.
If Ramsey were to be available via trade, the Raiders would likely be interested. He is simply one of the best defenders in the NFL and is still in the prime of his career. Don’t be shocked if Ramsey is on a different team by this time next season. If that is the case, the Raiders could certainly be a potential destination.
