From what we can gather regarding the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders, it's become clear that the strength of the team is the defense. Coming into the year, the position group on that unit with the most excitement around it was the defensive line.
While Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins are still healthy, Las Vegas has not been fortunate when it comes to the health of their other key players. Malcolm Koonce is out for the first four games with an injury, and Tyree Wilson has struggled with his own injuries as well.
Las Vegas is desperately missing their help, and as a result, they could find themselves looking to fill that need outside of the organization.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently compiled a list of a few mock trades for New York Jets' edge rusher Haason Reddick. Reddick is still in the midst of a holdout regarding a contract situation, and hasn't come back to the team yet.
In the trade, Knox suggests Las Vegas should send tight end Michael Mayer to New York in exchange for Reddick.
"To land Reddick, the Raiders could offer 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer," Knox explains. "The former Notre Dame tight end has flashed some promise at the NFL level, but is likely stuck behind rookie Brock Bowers in Las Vegas' priority order."
Reddick is certainly a talented player, but this is an interesting scenario, to say the least. Acquiring Reddick would mean Las Vegas would have to figure out his contract situation as well, which could be a whole other ordeal in itself.
Also, while Mayer had a quiet showing in Week 1, he should still have a decently-sized role in the Raiders' offense this year. It might make sense to see if his role expands before sending him away.
