As we inch closer to the NFL trade deadline, it appears the Cincinnati Bengals could be a team looking to sell off some of their veteran talent. Wide receiver John Ross has already requested a trade and defensive linemen Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins are upset with their lack of playing time.
Given how well Paul Guenther knows Atkins, should the Raiders explore a trade given his All-Pro upside?
It’s first worth mentioning that the Raiders have had some problems in the interior of their defensive line this season. Free-agent signing Maliek Collins has graded out as one of the worst defensive tackles in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. He just hasn’t been able to win against one-on-one blocks in the passing game and Collins has never been a great run defender. He’s been arguably their worst defender through the first five games of the season.
The Raiders will be getting back Maurice Hurst this week as the team removed him from the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. However, this coaching staff doesn’t appear to be ready to give him a giant workload and prefer to rotate him, as needed.
As for Atkins, he is still one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. He’s now made six-straight Pro Bowls and is one of the most powerful three-techniques in the entire NFL. While he is getting older (32), he would be the most talented defensive lineman on the team from the moment he arrived.
His contract is reasonable too as there is no guaranteed money left on his deal after this season. If the Raiders want to “rent” him for the next two months, they could do so and try to find a long-term solution this offseason. But if he continues to play at an elite level, the Raiders would have the option to keep him around if they so choose.
Atkins is just too good of a player not to consider making a trade offer. With the Raiders knowing that they need to improve their pass rush to compete in the AFC, this is a move that could go a long way to helping them reach the playoffs. A trade for Atkins would be a home-run for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden.
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