There are still some major holes on the Las Vegas Raiders roster, despite a valiant effort at repairing the damage that had been done by the last two regimes, or an attempt at it, anyway. The Raiders have a much better roster now than they did last year, but it could still be better.
The defensive side of the ball has been better the last two years, and while it's still possible that's the case in 2025, that side of the ball has one of the biggest holes on the roster. When you look at the cornerback room, it's not very impressive, that is, unless it's the year 2028 and we've already found out that Jakorian Bennett and Darien Porter are star players in the NFL.
Those two should be very good in the NFL, along with Decamerion Richardson, who showed flashes last season as a rookie. But, the truth is, none of that is enough -- they need more, a veteran presence that is very good, even if it's not a long-term thing.
The best part about that is the Raiders can still get that out there in the trade market. The Raiders still have $36 million in available cap space to use via trade, which is the fifth-most remaining in the NFL. Why not use it?
Raiders should trade for CB Jalen Ramsey
The former Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and now Miami Dolphins cornerback still has a ton of juice left, and wants out of Miami. The news came out before the draft that Ramsey could be traded, but we haven't heard a ton of news since then. And, that could be because the Dolphins are in no rush to trade the guy before June 1, when waiting post June 1 saves them nearly $10 million.
The Raiders could propose a trade, and the two sides could agree, but wait to make it official with the NFL after June 1. Regardless, the Raiders should try to make a deal happen, giving them a veteran presence, a guy who has won a Super Bowl, and a mentor to the young guys in the room.
Ramsey's cap hit for 2025 is $16 million, according to Spotrac, with a potential out after the 2025 season. In 2026 his cap hit jumps to $26 million, and then to $36 million in 2028. A third or fourth rounder could possibly get the deal done, packaged with another later pick, and the Raiders certainly have that.
We don't really know how John Spytek operates in situations like that yet -- is he aggressive in pursuing grades, or does he sit back and believe in his roster? Regardless, the Raiders should look into the potential trade. Not to mention, Ramsey has already brought up before that he has wanted to play for the Raiders in the past, but that was with a different regime in town.
Spytek and Carroll could make it happen.
