The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of hype surrounding them after a strong offseason, but there are still a couple of questions to dampen the enthusiasm a little.
One of the more well-documented issue lies in the secondary, where the Raiders lost Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs from last season. Jakorian Bennett is a player that has potential, but injuries and a questionable fit in new head coach Pete Carroll’s scheme could be issues. The team added free agent Eric Stokes and third-round rookie Darien Porter, but the team has tried to look for upgrades in order to keep their ambitions strong.
If the Raiders decide to pursue a top cornerback before the season begins, general manager John Spytek could look to an old stomping ground for a solution.
A name familiar with Spytek could be on the outs with their team.
According to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, the Raiders could be interested in swinging a trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean.
“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.”
While Spytek reuniting with Dean and bolstering the cornerback room sounds like a good idea, the Buccaneers may not be as keen on dealing Dean.
“Even if Dean is more serviceable than special at a lofty price, the Bucs are trying to defend their NFC South crown, and jettisoning such an experienced corner would put immediate pressure on rookie corners like Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish to have a playoff-caliber impact,” Benjamin continued.
What would a Dean trade look like?
If the Raiders and Buccaneers want to conduct business on Dean, the deal could start with a framework similar to when the Kansas City Chiefs traded cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans last year.
The deal saw Sneed traded for a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick swap, so that would be where the Raiders can start negotiations. If the Buccaneers are hesitant to weaken their cornerback depth, however, the Raiders could decide to add Bennett to give them a cost-controlled cornerback option in exchange for a better fit in Carroll’s scheme. With their fears assuaged, both teams can come away happy with the deal.
Whether the Raiders make the move, however, is to be determined.
