Not all trade ideas are created equal. There are a lot of them out there on the internet that are thoughtful, precise pieces of analysis that help move the offseason conversation along nicely. Others are laughably dumb. But that's the joy of the NFL offseason
Maybe no one knows this better than Bleacher Report, who consistently win the Content Offseason by churning out some of the wildest trade ideas, time and time again. I'll let you decide which category their latest edition – titled, "7 NFL Trades That Would Shake Up Free Agency, Draft Projections" – falls in, but at the very least, they deserve some credit for giving it a shot.And one of their trades not only involves the Raiders, but is ... dare I say ... almost kinda interesting? They found a way to fix Las Vegas' dreadful running game issues without breaking the bank, which I'm sure Pete Carroll would certainly appreciate.
Raiders fleece Bears for D'Andre Swift in latest major NFL trade prediction
"Last offseason, Chicago signed Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract, which includes $14 million in guaranteed money. Through the 2024 campaign, he averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry. Johnson may—again—approve a trade that would send Swift to another team. If so, the Raiders would be a logical fit. In 2024, the Raiders fielded the league's worst ground attack. They need a full-scale backfield renovation. Soon-to-be free agent Alexander Mattison led their run game with just 420 yards last year. Instead of overpaying for a top free-agent running back who could command an eight-figure yearly salary, Las Vegas can acquire Swift for a Day 3 pick. With this trade, the Raiders can wait to draft a ball-carrier in a strong running back class, even if they like Ashton Jeanty."
It's kinda amazing how every single person involved with the NFL cautioned the Bears against handing out that contract to Swift, only for them to still do it and have the season go *exactly* like everyone predicted. Maybe NFL teams should listen to the internet?
Swift's only 26, and NFL teams are slowly starting to rediscover how important running backs are, so in theory, this trade isn't the worst idea. If the Raiders can figure out their offensive line more than the Bears did – which, again, in theory shouldn't be that hard – than giving up a Day 3 pick for Swift would make some bit of s
