REPORT: Raiders interested in trading for CB Darius Slay and the interest is mutual

Raiders said to be interested in trading for CB Darius Slay and the interest is mutual

Right out the gates of the free-agent negotiating period, the Raiders went after top free-agent cornerback, Byron Jones. They offered him similar record deal as the Dolphins, but the Dolphins had more money upfront so that’s where he went.

After losing out on Byron Jones, I put the question out there as to who the Raiders backup plan might be. The two most common answers were Chris Harris Jr and Darius Slay, who wasn’t a free agent, but who was reportedly on the trade block.

The Raiders made an offer to Harris as well, but he turned them away, saying he liked the defense in Los Angeles better. Then the Raiders agreed to a deal with Eli Apple and many thought they had settled on him after losing out on Jones and Harris and that was that.

That, apparently, is not that. Apple should not be looked at automatically as the answer to start across from Trayvon Mullen, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, and the Raiders are instead exploring the possibility of a trade for Slay.

The 29-year-old is not expected to be too costly. He wants a new deal and the Lions don’t want to give it to him and they’d simply like to get something in return for him. The Raiders have two first-round picks (No. 12, No. 19) and three third-round picks (No. 80, No. 81, No. 91).

Slay isn’t just sitting back and letting this happen either. He is openly rooting for it. He tweeted out Wednesday afternoon, following the team signing former Falcons’ cornerback Desmond Trufant “Hope that speeds up my trade process!!” and adding in another tweet about the Lions wanting to trade him “They need to hurry it up.”

That covers his urge to be traded. But then Raiders starting cornerback Trayvon Mullen joined the conversation. He asked Slay “what’s the play” to which Slay responded just with three sets of eyeballs.

After that Mullen noted Slay’s twitter background, which is a shot of Slay standing on the field in Oakland Coliseum. Mullen said “I’m feeling that picture behind the profile… or am I tripping” to which Slay responded, “Nice right lol.”

So, the Raiders are flirting with the idea of trading for Darius Slay. And the All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl cornerback is flirting right back. What a get that would be for the Raiders if they could land him. Especially if all it cost them was one of their three third-round picks.

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